5 alternative uses for a Loch Ness Map

April 3rd, 2013

Today I got my first good look at the new Harvey produced South Loch Ness Trail maps.  For years we have had a yearning for a great map,  yes – Great!  No,  actually  it’s a brilliant map of South Loch Ness and now we have it. It took a 28 mile long trail though to get it! On close inspection it is better than you could have imagined and it also has a detailed route for the Trail of the 7 Lochs so you get two for the price of one – excellent.

The two trails depicted on the map, although being long distance, are easy to start at any point and just have a day walk or even a short walk, so if for example you are like me and don’t want to walk the boring bits (there are no boring bits!) you could have a whole week here just doing the exciting sections each day. That sounds like a cue for a new Blog titled “Walking the exciting sections of the South Loch Ness and Trail of the 7 Lochs” – I digress, sorry.

This map is virtually indestructible! Half the weight of ordinary paper maps, totally waterproof, and easy on the pocket, being only £5.95 and you can buy them online from us  at – Visitlochness.com  or from any of the Harvey nationwide network of outlets.
As you can see from the picture I didn’t worry about my map getting wet in Loch Ness because its WATERPROOF!  now my next blog is coming on.

Top alternative uses for the South Loch Ness Trail Map
1 – put over your head to keep the rain off.
2 – use it for picnics on wet grass.
3  – use it as a sail if you are canoeing on Loch Ness.
4  – use it as a rucksack cover.
5 – wrap your sandwiches in it to keep them fresh.

So go buy your survival blanket map online Here…

Find out more about the South Loch Ness Trail Here…

A tenner for the best ideas for alternative uses for the indestructible South Loch Ness Trail Map sent in before July!

South Loch Ness Trail map with Loch Ness in the background

On the trail with map in hand.

Natural Built Heritage off the beaten track on South Loch Ness

April 1st, 2013

Step back 4000 years in the rich landscapes of the Highlands of Scotland

Stay in a beautiful converted farm steading at Gask House Farm Cottages and use it as a base from which to explore the Clava Cairns a series of ceremonial and burial monuments dating from around 2000BC, roughly centred on Inverness and spreading up the river valleys in an area of about 30-40 miles radius.

We recommend exploring four sites – the Clava Cairns, Corrimony, Tordarroch and Gask.

Start your tour at the Clava Cairns. These remarkable series of cairns are situated a few miles east of Inverness and are one of the finest prehistoric monuments in the Highlands. Why not tie in a visit to Culloden Battlefield which is close by.

Then move onto Corrimony found between Drumnadrochit and Cannich (NH 38300 30300). Coming back around the south side of Loch Ness stop at Tordarroch cairn found just off the Dunlichity road south west of Inverness. Here you can all explore the churchyard at Dunlichity church and its rich connections with the clans who fought at Culloden. See if you can find the marks where the Jacobites sharpened their knives before the battle. Finally just a stone’s throw from Tordarroch is the Gask Chambered Cairn & Circle. One of the largest surviving Clava type cairns with its magnificent standing stone – a landmark for generations. (NH6794435860)

Stay at any of the high quality self catering cottages at Gask House Farm Cottages and simply stroll up to the Gask cairn and standing stone whilst your there. Forget Stonehenge – this is a great place to celebrate the midsummer solstice! And this is a stunning area to base yourself for a Heritage or wildlife holiday, and probably one of the only places in Britain where you can discover undisturbed historic sites.

Ancient history abounds at South Loch Ness

 

Loch Ness Unusual Ideas for Visitors

March 15th, 2013

Only our participation in Visit Scotland’s  Year of Natural 2013 for Loch Ness would make me notice this but apart from all the usual stuff holiday makers and visitors get up to during a visit to our favourite part of the world, there is so much more happening all around Loch Ness that you could easily miss if you don’t know about it from an insider like me.

I guess most folks visiting for the first time will at some point during their stay, do a trip around the loch calling in at the obvious tourist hot spots along the way, but for adrenaline junkies, artists, nature lovers, whisky tasters, hill runners, in fact all of you who like to do something a bit different when on holiday need to check out our Year of Natural pages. For those with more specialised interests it’s easy to miss out if you don’t ask around. Events are easy, there is a good calendar full of stuff for all months  of the year on Visit Loch Ness Event Calendar

Our Loch Ness Year of Natural promotion highlights on the website some of those more unusual or specialist activities offered by our member businesses to anyone interested, and common theme this year is environment and nature.

Browse our Year of Natural page and click on a theme or themes that interests you, whether it be rock climbing or wilderness painting, have a browse and do some advance planning for your holiday especially if you are visiting in summer or bank holidays. There’s nothing worse than seeing the disappointment on kids faces when you can’t get on that trip or activity because it is fully booked. We are adding new member offers weekly so add the page to favourites so you can check back regularly for updates, and if there is something you would like to do and its not showing on the site do contact us, we are happy to help whenever we can.

Weaseling at Loch Ness