Caravan holidays in Scotland

Capercaillie at Loch Garten

This morning we got up at 4.30am in order to get to Loch Garten by 5.30am to go on the Capercaillie watch from the Osprey hide. Loch Garten is near Nethy Bridge and it takes about 45 minutes to get to from Caravan 109. Click here for directions.

The drive takes you through Grantown on Spey which is a picturesque town and the capital of Strathspey. It also has a very nice golf course. The countryside around the River Spey is beautiful so it is a very scenic journey.

We got to Loch Garten about 5.30am and there were about 20 other people. So many people up so early!! We paid (£3.00 each or £1.50 for RSPB members) and wandered up to the main hide. As we got there a fantastic male Capercaillie appeared and started strutting his stuff. At the moment they are lecking which is bird speak for 'trying to impress the girls'. This particular one had a bare patch on the back of his head which one of the wardens said he had got in an earlier scrap with another male. We watched this male and a competitor for about an hour and a half. Fantastic! And you don't have to be an avid birdwatcher to appreciate one of the rarest birds in the UK. There are binoculars and telescopes provided.

A trip to Loch Garten wouldn't be the same without the famous Ospreys. The female was sitting on her nest incubating three eggs. The male was keeping guard on the tree next to the nest. Click here to go to the Osprey webcam. There were also lots of Red Squirrels on the bird feeders as well as a Roe Deer skulking in amongst the trees. The bright yellow Siskins were also very pretty.

A fantastic trip and well worth doing and we were back at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park by 9.00am for a hearty breakfast.

First ducklings of the year in Nairn

On the River Nairn today there was the first new family of ducklings of the year. There was a mother with 8 tiny ducklings all scrambling for cover in the undergrowth. They all looked very cute!

The pair of Mute Swans are still on their nest on the island in the middle of the river. The cygnets must be about to hatch, although they will be a bit later than last year when the brood was Scotland's earliest Mute Swan chicks.

Remember you can experience all of this by taking a caravan holiday in Nairn, Scotland and staying in Caravan 109. Caravan 109 is at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park right only 50 yards from the East Beach with fantastic views across the Moray Firth to the Black Isle. Click here for details on how to book.

Dores Inn, Loch Ness

Yesterday was cold and grey but we decided to take a trip from the Caravan at Lochloy Holiday Park, Nairn down to Loch Ness. It is an easy run straight down the A96 to Inverness and then take the B862 down the east side of the River Ness. Look at Google maps

You can always stop off in Inverness city and take a look at Inverness Castle as well as taking a wander around the old covered Victorian Market in the city centre. The tidal River Ness is also very scenic as it runs through the city.

As you leave Inverness you pass through a nice leafy area with huge houses on both sides of the road. Dores is only about 8 miles and as you come down to the village you get your first view of Loch Ness - a beautiful view all the way down the Loch towards its southern tip at Fort Augustus. The fields on the right are the venue for the annual Rockness Festival in June.

The Dores Inn is on the right overlooking Loch Ness as you come in to the village and has recently been taken over by the owners of the Storehouse at Foulis (see November 16th Blog). It has been simply and tastefully renovated and the food mirrors this. We had a warm Duck and Bacon salad and a beautiful piece of Gammon. This was followed by the homemade Lemon Meringue Tart and a White Chocolate and Berry Mousse with Meringue Sticks. Delicious and very reasonable.

A nice little walk from Caravan 109

On Wednesday morning we took an early morning walk from the Caravan which is situated on Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park - the perfect place for a caravan holiday in Scotland. The weather was bright and pleasant and we wanted to see if we could get close to some Yellowhammers and take some pictures.

As always we headed out of the Holiday Park and through the East Beach car park and down the track to the Minister's Pool. We turned right here towards the Kingsteps Car Park and this takes you up a sandy little track in amongst the Gorse bushes. In the field on the left was Darren (the huge Highland Cattle bull) with his two slightly smaller mates!. There were plenty of Yellowhammers but none close enough to get a decent picture of. They were calling with their song which is reputed to say 'a little bit of bread and no cheese' and there were lots of Willow Warblers calling as well.

In the field beyond there was a tiny little Highland Cattle calf, looking very cute. His mother was very protective but was happy to let us get close. He was having a good wash and brush up! Beyond the two of them was a Black Rabbit. Could this be lucky? Can you spot the rabbit in the top picture?

We continued on through the Kingsteps car park and up past the horses on the right, to the little back road that runs into Nairn. If you turn right here and walk down the road past the little cottage that sells eggs, there is a cut through on the left which means you can walk without being on the road. The track comes back out on to the road which has a pavement all the way back to Nairn. You can watch the players on Nairn Dunbar Golf Course on the right and pass comment on all the gardens on the left!

It is about a two and a half mile walk in total and is great if you have a spare half day.

Summer visitors are starting to arrive

Last Thursday and Friday the weather at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park was absolutely fantastic and so for those on a caravan holiday in Scotland it was absolutely perfect. Caravan 109 was occupied again so if you want to ensure you manage to book it make sure you have a look at our bookings page

We took advantage of the weather and headed out for a couple of early morning walks from the caravan. On Thursday (2nd April) we walked east along Nairn beach and then headed over the dunes towards Ministers Pool. There were a few Redshanks feeding in the still water as well as a Heron and a few Mallard. The Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers were in full song as were the Skylarks riding high in the clear blue sky.

The new arrivals for the Summer were 2 Sand Martins, 2 Tree Pipits (all at Kingsteps) and 3 Chiffchaffs that we saw later when we went for another bike ride in the Culbin Forest. We took a picnic and cycled all the way to 'The Gut' which is an opening in the Culbin Forest that looks out over the tidal mudflats. There were some lovely Shelduck and a small flock of Knot. In the forest, the Scottish Crossbill was still on her nest and there were lots of Siskin, Treecreepers and Coal Tits.

On the Friday (3rd April) we had a quick walk on Nairn beach again and saw 2 Sandwich Terns. We then  took a trip to Lossiemouth where the weather was even warmer than on the Thursday. It is a beautiful coastal town with 2 beaches (East and West) and an esplanade by the harbour. A lovely wooden bridge spans the estuary and leads to a vast open beach which expends for miles and miles. The surf is supposed to be good here and there were plenty of surfers of all ages. As we sat having a coffee outisde La Caverna a single Swallow flew overhead. There was also a Lesser Black Backed Gull in amongst the large Gull flock.

Lossiemouth is well worth a trip if you are staying in Caravan 109 - take the signs at Forres that say 'Coastal Trail East'.

Entertainment at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park

Our friends from Fort William came up on Sunday to experience the delights of Lochloy Holiday Park with us. He has a company called SeaXplorer which operate fast boat trips on Loch Linnhe which is the sea loch that Fort William sits on. This is just under a 2 hour drive from Caravan 109 at Nairn. The boat seats up to twelve people and departs from the Tourist Information Office in Ballachulish. They operate 1 or 2 hour trips and the price includes all the warm and waterproof clothing that you will require along with life jackets. On the trips they regularly sea White Tailed Sea Eagles which are even larger than Golden Eagles. In addition they see Seals, Porpoises, Otters and a wide variety of birds. If you are interested in one of these trips call 07729 937242 or e mail info@seaxplorer.co.uk

 

In the evening we had dinner in the caravan and then went down to Drifters which is the entertainment bar at the Holiday Park. There was a good crowd in the Complex and they were enjoying the in house Allstars with their singing and dancing acts. The kids were all dancing and several sheepish parents were joining in. For those who just want a drink, there are plenty of tables around the bar and away from the action (where you won't get coerced to join in!!!). All this is included in the price when you stay in Caravan 109