Caravan holidays in Scotland

Links Tearoom, Nairn

The weather in Nairn is fantastic this weekend and so we took a walk to the Links Tearoom which is right next to the West Beach at the far side of the 'Links', a grassy area by the sand dunes which hosts a bandstand and a cricket pitch.

It is like going back in time and reminds us of a seaside tearoom that we would have gone to when we were kids. It is great and sells ice cream, tea and coffee, sandwiches, teacakes, burgers and lots more. You can sit inside or out and if you sit outside there is always a dog (owned by a local) that brings you its stick and nudges you until you throw it for him. Everything is really reasonable and is served to you by a really friendly team of ladies and girls!! It is only a 20 minute walk from Caravan 109.

Calm - Health and Beauty Clinic, Nairn

On Thursday I took a walk up to Calm, the Helath and Beauty Clinic in Nairn. It is only about a 15 minute walk from Caravan 109 on Lochloy Holiday Park and gave me the opportunity to check out the Swans on the River Nairn and their cygnets. Sadly there were only eight little ones which meant that one of them had been lost. We discovered yesterday that it had been killed by one of the marauding Carrion Crows.

The girls in Calm were their usual happy and lively selves and I was booked in for a Full Dermalogica Men's Facial (Dermalogica is the range of products used). Claire looked after me as usual and after an hour I felt hugely relaxed and with a glowing complexion. They offer a full range of products and treatments for both men and women.

They are based opposite the Bus Station on Leopold Street and can be contacted on 01667 451876. If you are on holiday in Nairn they are well worth a visit.

My caravan holiday in Scotland in poetry

Our friend went home yesterday but left us a poem about his weeks' holiday with us. Here it is:

As I arrived on the Monday night

The sky was clear and the lights were bright

I had left my car and gone by train

Hoping my journey would not be in vain

The first few days were filled with fun

The sky still clear with nothing but sun

We walked along the sandy beach

With a feeling that nothing was out of reach

We wined and dined at our leisure

The Classroom, Dores Inn and Basil, all a pleasure

The food was varied and very fine

We will all return another time

The boats in the harbour do move and sway

Whilst Swans have nested in the bay

They sit on the nest so very proud

'Til nine cygnets arrive all fluffy and loud

Golf was played on courses nearby

With scores, some low, others too high

And afterwards as we sat in the bar

With no concerns except for par

As the week draws to a close

There is some sadness, as everyone knows

The time has come to catch the train

But truly. we will all return again.

                                                       E. J. Ferrier - May 2009

Day out on the Black Isle

Yesterday the weather wasn't so good so we decided to take a drive to the Black Isle and have a bite to eat in Cromarty. From Nairn Lochloy Caravan Park it is only about a half an hour drive to the Kessock Bridge which crosses the Moray Firth at Inverness and takes you on to the Black Isle.

We headed straight for Cromarty and drove up through Munlochy, Avoch and Fortrose before reaching Cromarty just before 2.00pm. We decided to eat in The Pantry (we have eaten here before) which is on the right just before you reach the sea. It was packed with people but we managed to grab a table just as some folk were leaving. We had a fantastic local Bacon and Egg Mayonnaise sandwich in a Cromarty Bloomer from the local bakery as well as a creamy Butternut Squash Soup. Lots of cakes are on offer as well so we finished off with Chocolate Tiffin and a Homemade Scone. They also sell homemade Rapeseed Oil which is great in Salad dressings as well as having a very high smoking point (good for frying).

From Cromarty we headed round the coastline looking out towards Invergordon and the huge oil rigs that were being serviced. There were two there yesterday. Further round the coast is Udale Bay, which is a great place for birdwatching. There were Eider, Red Breasted Merganser and Arctic Terns, as well as a few Shelduck. In Winter this is a great place for wildfowl such as Pink Footed Geese, Scaup, Long Tailed Duck and Wigeon.

We decided to cross back over the Black Isle and visit Chanonry Point. This is the best place in the UK to see Bottle Nosed Dolphins. There was a good crowd there looking out for them and we were not disappointed. There were about half a dozen swimming very close to the shore and although they were not jumping around they were very easy to see.Well worth the visit!!

We decided to get back up to Nairn after this but were envious of all the golfers playing at Fortrose and Rosemarkie. This is a great golf course on the spit of land out to Chanonry Point. It has the added advantage of being able to watch Dolphins while you are playing golf!!!

Dinner at Basil Harbour Cafe, Nairn

We said we would report back on our dinner experience at Basil's when we went, so here goes. We booked a table for 8.15pm last night and took our own bottle of wine. There were 3 other tables taken (there are only about six in total!) and we we were greeted in a very welcoming way. Water was offered and we were brought some truly scrumptious bread (topped with Cheese and containing Sun dried Tomatoes, Tarragon and Basil).

We had a great Cullen Skink and a Red Onion and Brie Tartlet to start with, and then for main course a very colourful Prawn and Leek Risotto and a Wild Mushroom and Thyme Pasta dish with Parmesan shavings. Very simple but packed with flavour. Dessert was equally good with a Pannacotta with Strawberries in their own liquor, and a Rhubarb and Ginger Parfait.

Coffees followed and we had all this for under £45 for the three of us. Fantastic food, nice music, so good luck to them. They are open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday from 6.00pm to 9.00pm.

Golf at Nairn Dunbar

Yesterday we decided to take advantage of all the wonderful weather and have another game of golf. This time we chose somewhere very close to home - Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, which borders Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park and is only 5 minutes from Caravan 109.

The weather was fantastic and we chose an afternoon tee time just before 3.00pm. They offer a 3 tier green fee rate during the day - a morning rate, an afternoon rate after 2.00pm and a twilight rate after 5.00pm. The course was relatively quiet and although there was a stiff breeze, a lot of the holes were protected by the undulations and trees. Although a links course it is more sheltered than the very exposed Lossiemouth we played on Tuesday. Click here for an interactive tour of the course.

We had a couple of pints in the very impressive Clubhouse afterwards and chatted to a very friendly guy behind the bar. He told us a little of the history of the club (formed in 1899) and gave us a book that was produced to celebrate the centenary of the club back in 1999. A nice way to end the day!

Nairn Swans hatch cygnets

Two days ago the pair of Mute Swans that have been nesting on an island in the River Nairn, hatched nine cygnets. The parents kept a very close eye on them for the first 24 hours and then yesterday they all moved into a quiet lagoon right next to the footpath up into Nairn. They are only a 10 minute walk from Caravan 109 and Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park.

Classroom Restaurant, Nairn

Yesterday evening we decided to go to the Classroom in Nairn to see how the new owners were getting on. It has recently been taken over by Fiona and William Lean who own and operate Househill Courtyard, the very nice coffee shop and Farm Shop on the Grantown on Spey road (see November 20th post).

We booked a table for 3 at 8.30pm but got there a bit early. Fiona was on hand to greet us and explained that they felt that Nairn needed somewhere that offered good quality organic and fresh produce, such as the produce they sell in the Farm Shop at Househill. This was in eveidence on the menu with their Killala Chicken featuring as well as their excellent steaks.

It was fairly quiet as they are adopting a softly softly approach to their new venture. There was a team of very willing waiters and waitresses on hand and the young lady that looked after us was fantastic!!! We had Cullen Skink as one starter and a trio of White Pudding, Black Pudding and Haggis as another. Main courses were the Killala Chicken stuffed with King Prawns and Leeks and a plain Sirloin Steak with House Salad. It was all washed down with a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a couple of Ports (with our Cheese). Considering it was their first full night of operation it was very good.

The Classroom is on Cawdor Street in Nairn, opposite the Post Office and is open 7 days a week. It is about a 15 minute walk from Caravan 109 at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park.

Golf at Lossiemouth

We have a friend staying with us at the moment and yesterday afternoon we took a trip to Lossiemouth to play the Moray Golf Club. The weather was fantastic although there was a strong wind blowing which made it a true test of links golf. There are 2 courses - the Old Course and the New Course. The New Course is not so new as it was opened in 1979, but the Old Course is truly old having opened in 1889.

We decided to play the New Course which is shorter than the Old Course but has tighter fairways and smaller greens. All holes are surrounded by vast areas of Gorse so a straight tee shot is required. This was easier on the front nine than the back nine as we were playing straight into the wind coming home. Par 4's became par 5's and the Par 3 17th was a full 3 wood away!!! Anyway we both managed to come back with the same ball that we started with despite doing our best to lose them on the way round!!

The views from the course are spectacular with some of the holes playing right along the shoreline of the Moray Firth. The Club House sits on the hill above the 18th green and has views out over both courses and right across the Moray Firth towards John O'Groats. Along the coastline is Burghead lighthouse which sits high on a promontary looking out to the sea. Closer by is Lossiemouth West Beach and car park which is a great place for a day out with the family.

Lossiemouth is about a 40 minute drive from Caravan 109 at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park.

Basil Harbour Cafe, Nairn

Today is not such a great day at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park so if you were staying in Caravan 109 on a caravan holiday in Scotland, you might be looking for something to do not too far away in order to dodge the showers.

A trip around Nairn Harbour and a walk along the beach are always a great idea as the harbour is only a 5 minute walk from the caravan. There are always a good number of boats in the harbour and during holiday periods, Phoenix run their boat trips out in to the Moray Firth to see the Bottle Nosed Dolphins.

At the moment there are lots of birds on the River Nairn and everyone is eagerly awaiting the hatching of this year's Mute Swan cygnets. Last year they hatched on the 20th April which was very early. They must be due any day!!

  Any walk around the harbour must include a drink, snack or meal in Basil Harbour Cafe. It is small and seats about 16 inside and another dozen outside. It is however a great place to have a coffee or hot chocolate, and their Crab Sandwich is the best we have ever had. They do their own handmade chips and regularly offer Scottish favourites such as Cullen Skink. They do sit in food and drink as well as take aways and have just started to offer evening meals from Wednesday to Saturday inclusive. Last orders are at 8.45pm. We are hoping to go next week so will report back then.