My Stay at the Highland Club & Exploring the Top Things to Do in the Scottish Highlands

Accommodation

I was very lucky to be given the chance to stay at the Highland Club in Fort Augustus.

Now, I've seen pictures of this place online and I thought 'yeah that looks pretty cool' but when I arrived I was blown away. As you arrive you are buzzed in through the old iron electric gates and are treated to the sight of the old converted Abbey towering in front of you - looking much like a magical castle.

We were then greeted by Marty and Graeme, who delighted us to a tour around the grounds, giving us a little history lesson about what used to be here. They have been incredibly helpful throughout our stay here.

The building architecture, gargoyles, long cloister style corridors and features such as the giant chess board give off Harry Potter vibes and there really is something magical about the building. Plus, it is literally right on the bank of Loch Ness, you are only a two minute walk away from the Loch and the hopeful opportunity to spot Nessie at any given time.

The view out of the abbey window - the old clock tower stands tall in the background

On site there are numerous facilities including;

• An incredibly welcoming reception - where you can chill and they have snacks and drinks for the Highland Club guests (I may have raided the fridge to satisfy a fizzy juice craving one evening.)

• Swimming Pool, Spa & Sauna - Must be pre-booked. Only 10 people can book at any one time but personally I would try to book for a quieter time to have more space to yourself. The sauna & steam room would seat about 3 people at a time. Bookings can be made via the online booking system between 9 - 6pm.

• Lounge room - pool table, comfortable chairs and you can take your drinks down. Access until 11pm

• Gym - can fit two people at a time. You must book this in advance.

• Sports Simulator - This must be booked online in advance for a maximum of 4 people. The cost is £45 for an hour and 15 minutes and you can choose from a huge variety of games from football, racing, shooting, baseball (my favourite), golf and loads more. This was a great way to pass a rainy morning.

• Boathouse restaurant - enjoy lunch, dinner or a drink in the converted boathouse on the pier of Loch Ness. Open from spring onwards.

• Library - in my opinion this was honestly the coolest room in the whole building. Loads of books for you to read, give a sort of mystic themed. With Harry potter cushions and decorations hidden within the bookshelves it was definitely giving magical vibes.

  
  

Our Apartment

The Highland Club look after 16 apartments on the premises and we were out in number 15 Abbey Church and wow - I was not expecting such a gorgeous layout. The décor inside is so stylish and gives and old money aesthetic.

I was completely surprised by the sheer size of the place and spent the first ten minutes discovering new rooms and appliances we had - this place is better equipped than my house!

We had two huge bedrooms, the master has an en-suite, the kitchen is just massive with a large wooden dining table, a desk in the corridor if you need to get some work done whilst you are away, there are numerous books, games, quizzes and things for activities all around the apartment if you fancied a rest day of chilling. and with views from the living room and bedrooms onto Loch Ness.

We were very kindly presented with a welcome hamper of dreams - with so many goodies in it: fudge, popcorn, shortbread, wine, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereals and porridge.

Between the apartment and the on site facilities there is so much to do here, you could happily stay on the grounds for your entire stay. But that's not what I'm about (they don't call me db.explores for nothing) and being in such an beautiful part of Scotland you would be missing out if you didn't get out to explore for yourself.

Things To Do In The Scottish Highlands -

• Loch Ness - the loch is literally a two minute walk from the apartments. A peaceful place to sit and enjoy the views, take a picnic or try your luck at spotting Nessie.

• Take a Cruise on Loch Ness - River Ness Cruises is also a two minute walk from your apartments. At the moment they are running a 50 minute trip on the Loch daily at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm at a cost of £20 per adult. I didn't spot Nessie this time but I did learn lots of interesting facts about the loch. Do you believe a plesiosaur or monster is living here?

• Steall Falls - a 40 minute walk will take you to Scotland's second highest waterfall with a 120m drop. You can either wade through the shallow river or cross the wire bridge (which is amazing fun) to get the best view of the falls. This is also one for the Harry Potter fans, as some of the scenes were filmed here.

• Glenfinnan Viaduct - another one for the Potter fans. Around an hours drive away from The Highland Club. £5 parking at the visitors centre. You can walk up to several viewpoints on the hill and if you time your visit right you will be delighted by the passing of the Harry Potter train.

• Loch Shiel - a scenic viewpoint over Loch Shiel and the surrounding mountains. Harry Potter fans may recognise this from the movies. This is right across from the viaduct carpark so it makes sense to visit at the same time. There is also an impressive war monument there to commemorate the Jacobite Rising.

• Loch Tarff - A small freshwater Loch just 20 minutes away from the Highland Club. With impressive views and some hill walks, I would recommend stopping here on your way to the Falls of Foyer. If you look carefully you may be lucky to spot some wildlife - stags, birds of prey, frogs, ducks and fish are all frequent visitors around here.

• Falls of Foyer - These falls were a lot more impressive than I was expecting, standing tall at an impressive 140ft. You walk down quite a steep set of stairs (I'd say maybe 100 total) through the woodland to reach the upper viewpoint which is maybe 5-10 minutes away from the entrance, if you wish you can continue down to the lower viewpoint which is not much further down and gives impressive views of the gorge. There is a shop and café at the entrance to the falls if you need to refuel before or after your adventure.

• Plodda Falls - this is around a 50 minute drive from The Highland Club but absolutely worth the journey, even the view driving to the falls is impressive. After a short walk from the carpark you will reach the wooden viewing platform where you can walk out to a suspended ledge over the falls. This is really quite thrilling and if you look down you will see the waterfall plunging 151ft into the valley below. You will need a head for heights for this part. If you continue your walk you can walk through the impressive fir trees to a lower platform where the trees have created their own viewing platform from their roots. From here you will be blown away by the noise and force of the powerful falls in the distance.

• Corpach Shipwreck (The Old Boat of Caol)- An old fishing vessel that has been moored on the shores of Kinlochleven. This is a popular spot for tourists and photographers alike.

• Do Some Hiking - you are surrounded by some of the finest hills that Scotland has to offer. Notably, Ben Nevis is less than an hours drive away and can be reached from the tourist path at Glen Nevis. If you are a Munro Bagger there are multiple hills near here waiting to be ticked off.

  ** If you are going to enjoy some hiking, please make sure you have a route planned, you've told someone where you are going and are carrying the correct equipment.

  
  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
  
  

  I hope you've found this blog helpful to make the most of your stay with The Highland Club, and to guide you in finding the best things to do in the Scottish Highlands - such a wonderful part of Scotland.