It’s fair to say that summer 2020 has been a little different from what many of us had anticipated at the start of the year. Instead of flying off to warmer climes, the last couple of months has been a chance to have a staycation and explore the many beautiful sights our country has to offer. We thought we’d share what we’ve been up to this summer and some of our recommendations for the best places to visit across bonnie Scotland.
Jenny, one of our Business Development Executives, headed north to Invergordon to get back to nature with some glamping. We say get back to nature but really it was very luxurious with the hut having its very own toilet, shower, two bedrooms and a fridge!! The site was well placed to explore lots of beautiful beaches including Royal Dornoch Beach and the surrounding town, as well as Rosemarkie and Portmahomack. The tallest lighthouse on Scotland’s mainland can be found a few minutes’ drive away from Portmahomack and is definitely worth a visit, especially since there’s the chance to spot dolphins and whales. Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip up north without trying to spot Nessie!! With Invergordon not far from Inverness it was a great opportunity to take a trip around Scotland’s deepest loch, Loch Ness, stopping off at stunning locations along the way, always on the lookout for the Loch Ness Monster!
Jenny wasn’t the only Conferencing and Events team member on the Nessie hunt though. Fiona, one of our Conference Operations Co-ordinators, headed north too on a road trip visiting Mallaig and the Isle of Skye, where the magnificent fairy pools were a special highlight. On the way back to Glasgow, Fiona also visited Inverness and Aviemore, where she enjoyed the beautiful Highland scenery by hiring bikes and heading into the countryside.
Remaining in the North, our Conference Host, Alison, visited Ullapool for a long weekend where she enjoyed the contrast of the amazing high hills and the beautiful coastline of the far North-West, not to mention the stiff northerly breezes that keep the famous Scottish midges away!
One of our other Conference Operations Co-ordinators, Monika, headed even further north to the Isle of Harris, which could easily have been mistaken for The Maldives! With heavenly beaches, it’s certainly worth the eight-hour trip. Of course, you can’t visit the Isle of Harris, without a trip to the Isle of Harris Distillery which produces the award-winning Isle of Harris Gin in the small village of Tarbert. The team do enjoy a wee gin at the weekends so Monika was lucky to be able to stock up on this tasty tipple!
Slightly closer to home but still north of Glasgow, Lesley, another of our Business Development Executives, headed to a tiny village called Stronachlachar, near Aberfoyle, for some rest, recuperation and plenty family time. With Loch Katrine on their doorstep, it was the perfect opportunity to enjoy some brisk walks and fresh air.
Of course, with the Technology and Innovation Centre based in Glasgow, in the West of Scotland, it would have been remiss of us not to explore a little further in that particular direction. Our Conference Services Manager, Katherine, spent a night at Otter Ferry on Loch Fyne, one of the longest sea lochs in Scotland, followed by a visit to Ostel Bay, south of Portavadie, which has magnificent sand dunes and fabulous views across to the Isle of Arran.
Not missing out the wonderful East coast, Gordon, our Head of Conferencing and Events, took a trip from North Berwick to Bass Rock, which was formed 320 million years ago and is home to over 150,000 gannets in peak season. Definitely worth a visit!
To complete our trip around Scotland, Fiona also visited Stranraer, and the most southerly point in Scotland, the Mull of Galloway, with beautiful countryside and sandy beaches.
This was followed with a stay in a Wigwam lodge in Wigtown where she enjoyed a bit of relaxation in a hot tub with an unusual view - a field of Belted Galloway cows!
Although we’ve been away exploring the wonders that Scotland has to offer, we’ve still been busy preparing the venue so that it’s a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for our clients when we are able to open again. We can’t wait to see you all back in the venue, when it is safe to do so, and in the meantime, if we can help with anything then please do get in touch. We’d love to hear from you and hope you’ve had a wonderful summer too!