Travelogues > Future NG Events - and Location Reveries

Could there be another Scottish spring? JOIN US AT SHEIL LODGE

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David Paterson:
Just a small word of caution - I love Skye very much and have been there approx. 30 times - mass tourism has hit Skye and its attractions very hard and the island is now extremely busy all year round, and especially in the peak months of May - Sept. There is constant competition for everything from hotel accommodation to campsites, parking spaces at viewpoints and even supplies from supermarkets. Skye does not have the infrastructure to support the numbers who are going there, and the situation - where there is not even one bed available on the island - is quite common. Tourist information-points tell people who do not already have a firm booking, to go back to the mainland.

Of course we would be booked long in advance but my point is that the whole island is very, even unpleasantly, busy. Mikes and I experienced a little of this in October 2016 when he had to phone a couple of dozen places to get us some accommodation.When we visited The Quiraing - a wonderful mountain/rock/pinnacles feature - there were 46 (I counted) vehicles parked in the unofficial parking area and along the verges of the road. Ten years ago there would have been one or two. Or none.

I had a long phonecall with an old friend - a native of Skye - whose advice was don't come, or if you must, book the accommodation NOW.  We are not ready for that, just yet.

Anthony:
I am interested in a Spring meet up in Scotland.

There must be many beautiful places which are not over crowded with tourists.  The big name places attract the people, but many almost unknown places are just as beautiful.  The situation is similar in Italy.

Jan Anne:
Duly noted, scratch my vote for Skye then as I usually prefer to avoid high tourist places.

simato73:
I would be interested and my preference would be spring, however it is going to be difficult for me.
I cannot go for a whole week, a few days at most and even that is difficult, since I have a daughter in school and I am already going to Scotland with another group in late winter.
Late in May there is one week of school holidays and this time is already taken by a family vacation, so if there is a clash this will take precedence.

I have been searching for accommodation for largish groups for the other trip I have, and I have seen some really nice properties, that are affordable and in spectacular places in the NW Highlands.
I am going to put some links in here to get the conversation going...

The first one is the one I am going to on the first week of March:
Couldoran House https://www.couldoranestate.co.uk/, which is in the Applecross / Torridon area, near the famous Bealach na Ba and located in some fantastic walking area.
Otherwise, Assynt is another fabulous place, with mountains rising like dinosaurs from the swamps.
Here we tried Inchnadamph Lodge http://www.inch-lodge.co.uk/index.html, but it was already booked for the period we were interested in.

Mikes:
May for me. North-western Scotland? I spent a few days there a couple of years ago (after spending a few days in Skye with David), and the scenery was wonderful, and it was not blighted by tourism. A few days weren't enough.

BTW - I endorse David's comments about tourists on Skye. Not only was suitable accommodation hard to find, but the interesting photography sites were as busy as ants nests.

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