Walk along Loch Linnhe, on a dry road without traffic. Or cycle if you prefer.

The old Ballachulish Quarries. Some of us can remember when they were being worked. Now the blue slate is rare, and very expensive.

If I want to tell someone local where our cottage is, I'll say, "Do you know Jessie?" They always do. We tell them our cottage is more or less next door. She is famous in the area, a wonderful lady and Gillian and I are privileged to have her as a friend.

In the old days, before 1955, a famous railway line ran past the back of her garden, and ours. It ran from the Ballachulish Quarries to Oban. It carried slate to the markets in the South, plus a few passengers. It was renowned as one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world - the equal of the Jacobite train to-day which runs from Fort William to Mallaig and is packed with tourists. After the slate quarries closed, the railway closed.

You'll not believe this, but I promise it is true. With one of Jessie's lads on board after school, the train driver would slow down as it passed her house, the lad would throw off his satchel, and jump down. Can you imagine that happening to-day? Health and Safety would die of shock. Good.

You can see this line again to-day, you can walk along it and cycle along it because the track has been hard laid between Glencoe and Kentallen Bay.

On the way, you'll be beside the most beautiful sea-loch, watch the cormorants on the rock, pass beneath the infamous spot where Campbell of Glen Lyon was shot, the incident on which Robert Louis Stevenson based his famous book Kidnapped. You'll pass by the rock on which the alleged killer was wrongfully hanged and his skeleton left as a warning to the Stewarts. You'll see the herons by Ballachullish hotel and in Kentallen Bay, go past five ancient piers which were in use 100 years ago, and have coffee by the water in the Holly Tree hotel. Bliss.

One day, in the distant future, they will have this cycle and walking track stretching from John O' Groats to Campbelltown at the foot of the country. Bits of it in our area have been done already between us and Oban.

There are a few holds up before completion down to Oban. These are mostly around the old railway stations which have been sold for houses a long time ago. The Holly Tree Hotel has converted the old Kentallen station and was built right over the top of it. Despite pleas from tourists, few of the owners are keen to have cyclists charging through through their living rooms. Honestly, what has happened to the spirit of Highland hospitality? I mean if you can board and lodge a couple of hundred soldiers in your village crofts who have come to massacre you in Glen Coe then surely a few cyclists would not matter? Perhaps we are not in 1692 any longer.

They'll have to by pass these houses, giving a few up and down moments for cyclists. But it will be wonderful when it is completed.

John
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland
Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage
20 brilliant walks around our cottage area
Spectacular wild life around our cottage
Golf in the Scottish highlands, Dragons tooth golf course, Glencoe
Weather in the mountains of Glencoe
Weather month by month in the area
Scotlands weather misconceptions
The Viking battle in Glencoe
The true story of the Glencoe massacre
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Honeymoon cottages in Scotland
Find the best Scottish holiday cottages on the internet
Cut the costs of your holidays
Cheap travel in scotland
The Clachaig Inn - great atmosphere in this world famous climbers pub
The Glencoe and Loch Leven Association with 40 B+Bs
Email 14 properties with one click
The new Glencoe Skiing centre information website
Essential information for holidaymakers in Scotland, in one page
Video. Skiing on Glencoe mountain

Great! The latch is fixed. A plonkers guide to getting things done.

"What's that noise? Someone is banging about downstairs. Go and see"
"No, I'm in bed."
"So am I, get downstairs, you baby."

If Ewen wasn't a man I could have kissed him. He was doing the latch on our back door. It has taken six months to fix, I can't do it, being a plonker at DIY and repairs. Better with the chat, me.

All joiners, decorators, handymen, electricians, gardeners, builders in the Glencoe area have a unique marketing style. What Starbucks are to Carpet bomb marketing, they are to Stealth marketing. "Keep your head down lads, and maybe the customer will go away"

Here is how you find a joiner. You drive up and down, and spot one working on the house opposite Catherine's place at Fern Villa. You grab him by the arm, and sell him on the idea of maybe coming to see your job. His name is Ewen, and he does it!

Here is how you find a Glencoe decorator. You ask enough people at the stores, you'll get a name. "Oh, but he is working at the hotel for the next 50 years," they'll tell you. So you now have a name and a location. You've got to con your way past Reception, so look a bit wet, take a notebook in your hand with a pencil in your ear and march up the hotel stairs confidently like a maintenance man. Ask around up there and you'll find him.

Here is how you find a Glencoe electrician. You march into the coffee shop his wife runs, and sooner or later he'll turn up wanting a hamburger. Then you go into your sales pitch again.

Gardener? Ring, go to his place of work three times, text him, ring his home, email him, and seven days later he'll call you in his friendliest manner. From Benderloch, of course.

Thank Heavens for our housekeeper Michelle. Without her, we'd be lost. She is in love with a horse at the moment.

These folks, when you get them, are very very good at their jobs. Really expert. We can't get better ones in the South. We'd be hard pressed to find ones anywhere near as good.

All of this is true. We go to the cottage every winter to catch up with things. Hamish the lovely decorator, tells us why we usually find so little needs to be done. "If you keep your place in good order, well maintained, as you do, then the guests will look after it for you."

You know what? He's right. Thanks guests. You've never let us down yet.

John
ps I suppose I ought to try and sell you something. How about the week starting April 16th? No one booked in then. No, why should we give anyone a special price, we'll let it anyway before then? Oh go on, then, if you write in the subject line of your email "10% off", then we'll give it to you. Only 'cos we like you.

Useful links.
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland
Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Weather in the mountains of Glencoe
Weather month by month in the area
Scotlands weather misconceptions
The Viking battle in Glencoe
The true story of the Glencoe massacre
Honeymoon cottages in Scotland
Find the best Scottish holiday cottages on the internet
Cut the costs of your holidays
Cheap travel in scotland
The Clachaig Inn - great atmosphere in this world famous climbers pub
The Glencoe and Loch Leven Association with 40 B&Bs
Email 14 properties with one click
The Friends of Glencoe network site
The new Glencoe Skiing centre information website

Lochside cottage near Glencoe offers low cost short breaks in early November

Our little Glencoe cottage sleeps four people and is very very cosy. It looks out over Kentallen Bay and Loch Linnhe beyond. It is really sweet and peaceful here. We offer it for holidays throughout the year.

In November we start to offer the lowest rates of the year and we will do short breaks, during midweek and at weekends. In the summer period we just do week long holidays in the lochside cottage. But all that changes when November arrives.

We have already got some bookings in November, but at the start of the month we can offer three short periods for self catering.

From November 3rd a four day midweek break is available at £195 from the Monday to Friday.

Then on November 7th a three day weekend break is available from Friday to the next Monday also at £195.

Then on the Monday, the 10th, another four day midweek break is available until the Friday (14th). From this date onwards the cottage is booked, sorry.

If you would like to enquire then look at the cottage website and e-mail us please?

John

The little lochside cottage near Glencoe sleeps 4 people and is very pretty and very cosy

These are the pages on our website which need links from another site such as this to help them with Google.
Cottages in Scotland still available for Christmas and New year
Lochside cottage for self catering in near Glencoe
Availability for the lochside cottage near Glencoe always up to date
Autumn Breaks October November December Glencoe< Winter breaks January February March in Glencoe
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Tourist information glencoe and ballachulish
Facilities for visitors to glencoe, appin and lochaber
Prices in the cottage including low season rates
How to lower your holiday costs
Events and entertainment in Glencoe and Appin
The best way to find your holiday cottage on the internet
News and stories of Glencoe, Appin and Lochaber
Travellers Tales of the Highlands of Scotland blog site
Short holiday breaks in 12 top properties, special last minute deals, self catering Scotland
Special self catering offers in Scotland blog site
Misconceptions about Scottish weather
Wonderful walks in the Glencoe area
Helpful guide for holiday home owners with their web sites blog site