Slumbay House is conveniently located in one of the area’s larger villages, Lochcarron, reputedly the longest village in the Highlands. From this base visitors can gain easy access to many local attractions and enjoy the stunning scenery, flora and fauna of this most gorgeous part of the British Isles.
Please remember that it does, occasionally, rain in Scotland and that the weather can turn cold very quickly at pretty much any time of the year. Therefore do come prepared with wet weather gear, especially if you plan to spend significant time outdoors!
Here is a selection of some of the things to see and do while staying here. This is definitely not an exhaustive list and we are sure you will find many opportunities to indulge in your favourite holiday activities!
Attadale Gardens: https://www.attadalegardens.com.
Inverewe Gardens: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/inverewe.
Eilean Donan Castle: https://www.eileandonancastle.com.
Kyle of Lochalsh, the Skye Bridge and the Island of Skye Tourist Guide: http://www.lochalsh.co.uk.
There is a small, but demanding, Pitch and Put course just outside the village: https://lochcarrongolfclub.co.uk.
A number of boat trips on the sea lochs are available, depending on the time of year (and the weather). These are a great way of discovering the scenery from a different viewpoint and of discovering the local wildlife at sometimes (very) close quarters. If you interested in something like this, we would recommend trying one of the following:
Calum’s Seal Trips: https://calums-sealtrips.com.
Red Moon Cruises: https://www.redmooncruises.co.uk.
Spirit of Adventure: http://www.the-spirit-of-adventure.co.uk.
There are dozens of paths crisscrossing the rugged terrain in the area. There is also little stopping you from setting off “cross country”, although be warned that progress can be a lot tougher than you expect and that you may have to make long detours if you find you have to ford a river in flood.
A 1:50,000-scale map of the area around Lochcarron has been provided and is wall mounted inside the house to help with inspiration! This, however, is not portable and for one you can carry with you we would recommend one of the Ordnance Survey Explorer maps. Sheets 428, 413, 414, 429, 433 cover most of the area readily accessible from Slumbay House.
Click here for some informal pointers as to what to do / not to do if you are planning to set out into the hills.
If you are planning to venture out into the wilderness, please bear the following in mind:
Driving on Single Track Roads: Some roads in Scotland, especially in the Highlands and Islands, are single-track roads. A single-track road or one-lane road is a road that permits two-way travel but is not wide enough in most places to allow vehicles to pass one another. They have special passing places. If you see a vehicle coming towards you, or the driver behind wants to overtake, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite a passing place on your right. Give way to vehicles coming uphill whenever you can. If necessary, reverse until you reach a passing place to let the other vehicle pass.
Dealing with Ticks: Ticks are active all through the year, but particularly in summer. It might be helpful to tuck trousers into your socks when hill walking to reduce the risk of attracting these. What do you do if you find a tick on yourself or someone else in your party?
1. Don't panic! These are not generally dangerous, merely mildly irritating.
2. Remove the tick as soon as possible.
3. The safest way to remove a tick is to use a tick removal tool, which can be bought in most outdoor shops and chemists.
4. Keep an eye on the bite site. If a large red rash develops, or if you feel unwell, tell your doctor you've been bitten by a tick. (Note: A small, itchy spot is a normal reaction to a tick bite).
5. A good supplementary source of information can be found at: https://www.mountaineering.scot/safety-and-skills/health-and-hygiene/ticks