Independent Hostelling in the Orkney Islands

The 70 islands and skerries which make up the Orkney Islands make it a magical place to visit.  The mainland towns of Stromness and Kirkwall have fabulous built heritage, culture and seashore settings  while the smaller isles offer an idyllic escape to a world of sandy shores, blue-green seas and amazing nature and wildlife. The whole of Orkney is an archeological wonder.
Scottish Independent Hostels have no fewer than 12 members throughout these islands.  For an affordable trip with lots of local knowledge provided, hostelling in Orkney is an excellent way to get a true flavour of the islands.  Our members are located in Stromness and Kirkwall on the mainland, in Birsay on the far North West coast of the mainland and on the islands of South Ronaldsay, North Ronaldsay, Hoy, Sanday, Rousay, Westray and Papa Westray.  Find out more about the individual Orkney Hostels here>

 

Top Tips from our Orkney Independent Hostels

Hamnavoe Hostel in Stromness is run by George Argo. The hostel is few minutes walk from the ferry terminal and travel centre and guests can watch the Northlink Ferry and the Hoy passenger ferry arrive in Stromness from the Hostel lounge window. From Stromness it is possible to stay overnight on the island of Hoy at the Hoy Centre Hostel or Rackwick Hostel, both run by Orkney Council, via the Hoy passenger ferry which leaves from Stromness, 7 days a week (on which you can take your bike). All of the Hostels on the Mainland of Orkney are accessible within one days travel from Hamnavoe Hostel; even the Outer North Isles can be reached within one days travel by public transport.  To do this you would take a bus to Kirkwall which departs hourly then a ferry to whichever island you wish to visit. Stromness is situated very close to the heart of Neolithic Orkney and the world heritage site which includes Scara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Maes Howe. These can all be reached by bike or bus and some visitors on bikes may decide to continue north on the mainland to Birsay Outdoor Centre Hostel which is run by Orkney Council. Public transport is limited in Orkney especially in the off peak and shoulder months.  George recommends Orkney Transport Guide where you can see all ferry, bus and air transport timetables. Mainland Orkney is accessible by car from a base in Stromness and car ferries daily to most of the Islands.

Brown's Hostel, run by Sylvia Brown is also located in Stromness on he picturesque High Street, with storage for bikes.

St Margaret's Hope Backpackers is on the island of South Ronaldsay and run by Barbara and Fred Brown.  The Hostel is very handy for people arriving in Orkney either with Pentland Ferries which departs from Gills Bay & docks in St. Margarets Hope or Pentland Venture which departs from John O Groats & docks at Burwick. If you fancy a cycling trip to Orkney you can take your bike on both boats.  For onward travel, there is a regular bus service to Kirkwall where you can stay in the quaint Kirkwall Peedie Hostel formed from two fishermans cottages and run by Chris and Julia Wild.  Kirkwall is a transport hub for travelling to the rest of the Orkney mainland and islands.

Michael and Teenie Harcus run The Barn Hostel on the Island of Westray. The islands of Westray and Papa Westray have close links and work well together promoting each other's Hostels and visitor sites.

Papa Westray Hostel is community-run and with the shortest scheduled flight in the world connecting the two islands and therefore the two Hostels this makes a great trip for visitors.  There is also a passenger ferry which runs between the two islands. As you will gather, Papa Westray Hostel and The Barn Hostel are separated by a stretch of sea and the easiest way to get from one hostel to the other using public transport is an amazing journey in the 9-seater Loganair Islander plane which takes in the  'World's Shortest Scheduled Flight' (takes under 2 minutes!). From May to September it is also possible to get from one hostel to the other using the Orkney Ferries passenger boat 'MV Golden Mariana' and this summer our visitors have seen close ups of killer whale, porpoise, seals and seabirds from the 25 minute ferry journey between the isles! The ferry also takes bicycles.  Alternatively visitors staying in Kirkwall can island hop to Papa Westray Hostel on the subsidised Loganair Kirkwall to Papa Westray flight (currently only £21 return) which takes 12 minutes and gives visitors a great aerial view of the North Isles en-route to the hostel!  Papa Westray Hostel is open in October and for the rest of the winter. We offer discounts for stays of 3 nights or more and for groups booking at least 4 of our 6 en-suite rooms including over Christmas and New Year.

Ayre's Rock Hostel is run by Paul Allan and located on the Island of Sandy.  They offer free cycle use for all hostel guests and a car hire service with www.easycar.com. From Sanday there is a flight to North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory Hostel for just £19. Ayre's Rock Hostel is closed from the 11th Oct to 26th Oct 2014 but the best time to see Grey Seal pups is late autumn. The Grey Seal Breeding Watch will run in November 2014 with the Ranger, Roderick Thorne, who is also available to provide guided walks to visit the cam watch site.Wifi is set up in the Hostel so people can log on to watch seals and their pups, or you could choose to look out of the Hostel window to see the pups feeding.

Rousay Hostel is located on an organic farm on the Island of Rousay and is within easy walking distance from the pier, shop, restaurant, pub, bike hire and the bird reserve. It is easy to get to Rousay - once on mainland Orkney travel from Kirkwall to Tingwall Pier to cross by frequent ferry to Rousay.
Birsay Outdoor Centre and Rackwick Oudoor Centre are closed October - March
The Kirkwall Peedie Hostel is closed winter 2014/2015 only for family reasons from November 1 2014 - Mid March 2015.
All other Orkney Hostels are open all the year round apart from winter holidays - check with the individual Hostel.

Get Outdoors this Autumn

Autumn is a great time to get outdoors in Scotland, whatever your level of fitness and personal interest.  Low-lying mists and the smell of fallen leaves add to the autumnal atmosphere, whilst wild geese flying overhead herald the changing season.

Walking and Climbing

Crisp trails, dazzling colours and cosy bothies; walking in the Scottish countryside in autumn is a beautiful experience. Grab your boots and head for the hills! Our Independent Hostels not only offer comfortable and affordable accommodation but also a great choice of outdoor experiences to enjoy in autumn.

If you’re looking for adventure, then you can’t go wrong with a bit of “Munro-bagging”.  The Munros are the Scottish mountains over 3000 feet high and there are 283 in total throughout Scotland. Or you could head for one of our many long-distance routes; the West Highland Way is one of the most famous, but there are many others across the country. Try out our newest long distance paths; The John Muir Way which stretches from coast to coast across the central belt and the Ring's of Breadalbane walks in the ancient and undiscovered heart of Scotland. You will find our member Hostels dotted along these iconic trails, happy to provide a warm welcome and excellent local information.

SIH tips:

Cullen Harbour Hostel on the Moray Firth Coast recommends a challenging 6 harbour walk and the lovely stroll from Cullen to Findlater Castle along the coast.

Comrie Croft Hostel in the Highlands recommends The Clan Ring (part of the Ring’s of Breadalbane),  a 6 day circular walk. It goes right past their door and takes in some of the Southern Highlands very best scenery and history.

Fraoch Lodge runs mountain navigation weekends where you can learn all the skills for the hills!

Forest Trails for cycling and mountain biking

Many of our hostels hire out bikes or can recommend someone nearby; it’s a great way to see some of the remoter parts of Scotland as well as navigate the city streets. For the more adventurous cyclist, Scotland has more than 1150 miles of off-road routes marked by The Forestry Commission. From tracks suitable for adrenalin junkies to leisurely trails perfect for the whole family; there are a fantastic range of trails to suit all levels, complete with stunning scenery.

SIH Tips:

Galloway Activity Centre is situated right in the middle of 5 out of the 7 Stanes venues.  With a large boat shed providing secure storage on site, drying room, washing facilities and bike stands. Marthrown of Mabie Hostel is also located on the 7 Stanes Mountain Bike Trails, right in the centre of Mabie Forest.

Comrie Croft Mountain Bike Trails Centre is getting rave reviews, promising hostellers the very best of Scotland's mountain biking scene on their doorstep.

Portree Independent Hostel is an ideal centre when touring the Isle of Skye. If arriving on your own bike, store it on the hostel courtyard. Or you can hire a bike right next door.

Gulabin Lodge Outdoor Centre offers a wide range of outdoor activities in the autumn in Glenshee in Perthshire including a full range of mountain biking services.

Wildlife Watching

Wildlife is pretty active year round in Scotland, but autumn is a great time of year to spot iconic creatures such as red kites, red deer and red squirrels.  The vast wilderness of the Highlands means that you can see creatures living in their natural habitat without disturbing them too much.  The red deer become easier to spot in the autumn as they move to the lower ground for the colder months.  

 

SIH Tips:

Fraoch Lodge runs wildlife tours in the Cairngorms National Park, which is home to a quarter of the UK’s rarest species.

Watersports

Scotland is a popular playground for sailors and watersports enthusiasts with rivers, lochs, canals and 10,000km of beautiful coastline. From sailing and canoeing to white water rafting and canyoning, Scotland is the place to unleash your adventurous side. 

SIH Tips:

Lochaline Dive Centre has access to the clear waters of the Sound, which boasts some of Britain’s best-known wreck dives, in addition to an abundance of drift, shallow, scenic, and shore dive sites.

Uist Outdoor Centre near Lochmaddy offers instruction in kayaking on an idyllic Hebridean sea loch, surely the only way to learn!

Astronomical Adventures

We couldn’t finish without mentioning the dark skies experience.  It’s the perfect activity in some of the clearest night skies anywhere in Europe, just pop outside and stair upwards, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll see. 

 

SIH Tips:

Coll and the Cosmos: A stargazing break on the Isle of Coll which makes the most of the island’s incredible dark skies, using state of the art astronomical technology. The break has been specifically designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Stay in the cosy Coll Bunkhouse.

Experience Dark Skies in the Galloway Forest Park. Stay at SIH’s Galloway Activity Centre.

Get out and enjoy those autumn colours before we start talking about the white fluffy stuff and the great winter sports Scotland has to offer!  

At the Hostel Door: September 6th 2014

Well, summer, and what a summer, came in and is now officially out again. The first of September is herald to autumn and on today's 'BBC Out of Doors Programme' we were not overly surprised to hear there might be a powdering of snow on the high tops up the strath from us. As usual the hostel team, or at least five of us, sat down to a Saturday working breakfast to look at the sharing out of tasks for the day and prepare for this afternoon's visitors.

We were interrupted by departing Graham, going a day early because of a work crisis way south. We presumed to tell him that he looked infinitely more relaxed and with more colour in his face than he had on arrival. Lone traveller Graham has been with us for six days in which time he has rubbed shoulders with, amongst others, a Spanish trio studying in Edinburgh, Sonja a returning team member, now teaching in Germany, Manuel an Edinburgh Uni. PhD candidate from Ecuador and Paul. Now Paul really was interesting. Arriving on foot, he knew his mushrooms as well as his wine, walked his socks off by day and was grossly entertaining or challenging, depending on your point of view, by night. On the evening of the day he left he rang to thank us effusively for his stay and to tell us that the rather yummy chocolate cake remains left in the fridge he solemnly bequeathed to all those in the hostel who remembered him.

Our team breakfast reminds me of the pattern of such things at Lake Wakatipu's Kinloch Lodge, Glen Orchy on South Island N.Z. http://www.kinlochlodge.co.nz/ There the staff team, led by the owners, Brits as it happens, shared the evening meal together most nights of the week. They would take it in turn cooking and looking after the other team members. This bonding, they told me, was a vital prerequisite for them being able to maintain the impressively high level of rapport, effectiveness and givers of rugged hospitality to their many guests.

Our team here let us off for a welcome mid August break. Temporarily demob happy we effectively lost ourselves in the Outer Hebrides for ten days and were more than pleased to drop in on other hostel keepers. Ruari Beaton at Am Bothan, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris www.ambothan.com/ has created a Gaeldom's Aladdin’s cave of a hostel on a slope overlooking the harbour there. A weathered rowing boat is slung from the rafters of the living area and I could not but admire the trusty and faithful Jotul No 1 woodburner which sends out just buckets of heat but which sadly Jotul have discontinued as a model. It can be burned closed or as an open fire. We have one here and it is sheer masterpiece.

Contented German motor cyclists were about to leave for the day. They come each year Ruari tells me and he is happy to share occasionally in their beers at dusk. Apart from his reaffirming of old friendships I like the way Ruari, who lives in an attached house of his own, tells me that he is not an 'in their face' host. Any tendency to 'over 'yarn' with guests who might just not be that interested, has long gone and I guess he values his own time with his four boats – well four at the last count, and his fishing. While he does just about everything himself from new building the hostel in the first place, to the everyday care of hostel and hostellers I see no resistance from him as his sister, on a rare visit from the south busies herself with the cleaning tasks which normally would fall to him.

In Tarbert, also on Harris, we note that the elegant town centre hostel, formerly Rockview Bunkhouse, now re named The Backpackers' Stop and revitalised after two years or so being empty has bright new primrose masonry paint and owners with an impressive track record in innovation. John and Harvey have spent five years in creating Lickisto Blackhouse Camping & Yurts. http://www.freewebs.com/vanvon/ Weathering all seasons in Harris is no picnic for the mainlander. When we visited we were all stoically managing the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha's legacy for the Western Isles yet here, in this string of islands, when the Gods are with you there can be little to compare. If what has brilliantly developed to welcome visitors at Lickisto can translate into the re invented Tarbert Hostel, The Backpackers Stop http://thebackpackersstop.yolasite.com/ then SIH has gained yet another thoughtful and committed member.

In all of this mild wandering thanks to skipper Derek Gordon and guide, Nicola Boulton one of us ploughed the fifty miles west to St Kilda. Now there's a place for Ruari or John and Harvey to contemplate! www.gotostkilda.co.uk/

Berneray Hostel is one three gorgeously rustic and windblown Blackhouse hostels renovated by the Gatliff Trust.  http://www.gatliff.org.uk/ Blasted by the ocean these more basic but thoroughly adequate and evocative shelters provide an unbelievable stillness inside their double drystone walls. Warden Jackie lives nearby and visits twice a day. Respect for the ancient building, for the volunteers and locals who make staying there possible and hosteller for hosteller imprinted on our awareness in our few hours of their company.

The route home had us impelled to drop in on old friend and true Highland gentleman, Gavin Scott- Moncrieff at Dun Flodigarry Hostel. www.hostelflodigarry.co.uk/ Characteristically Gavin and Annabelle were cleaning toilets as we drew up and yet, once settled in a corner of their warming tartan carpeted hostel dining room, we reminisced on the many years each of us has been involved with hostel guests and in this particular hostel owners' association, SIH. We were also, for the second time this year treated masterfully to the case for 'YES'. in the independence campaign. Like our earlier savvy 'persuader', Gavin has few if any doubts and puts copious supportive literature into my hand as we leave.

I blether with friend, Ian Bishop at Slochd Mor hostel, like Gavin, an icon in the hostel world http://www.slochd.co.uk/ We are in his bespoke bike building shed alongside the hostel and the odd drip from the rain shower outside keeps us on the move. A train from London to Inverness glides by just yards away on its way to Slochd summit. I was on that train yesterday I tell him, and waved, in vain. Ian, entrepreneur and engineer relocated his bike business from Inverness to the top of the pass here and then with his wife Liz and younger members of the family set about building his hostel stone by stone. Then came the inimitable hosting. A bike racer, skier, both cross country and downhill, Ian's renown as a past World Porridge Making Champion and Burns Night toastmaster gives an inkling as to his irascible humour and boldness.

For an appreciation of both Gavin and Annabelle and Ian and Liz's hostels just take a look at the website for The Forres Big Choir, http://www.forresbigchoir.info/site/trips.html They sing too the praises of John MacLean with his Iona Hostel. www.ionahostel.co.uk/ What these perceptive folk and others have to say about independent hostelling in Scotland is worth barrel loads more than that which we hostel owners might say about ourselves. Now let's spring into Autumn and continue to warrant these kind accolades.

Hostel Keeper

Australians and Macquarries can now stay overnight on Ulva to celebrate the "Father of Australia"

Our new member Hostel on Ulva now allows Australians to stay overnight on the Island where the “Father of Australia” Lachlan Macquarie was born in 1762.  Few people know about the link between the Isles of Ulva and Mull and the significance of the standing and immense character of Lachlan Macquarie who was the enlightened Governor of New South Wales for 11 years.  Ulva is a tiny, privately owned idyllic island lying just off the coast of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. The connection between these Isles and Lachlan Macquarie is an inspirational and poignant story.

Lachlan Macquarie left his Hebrides home as a young lad: he enroled in the American War of Independence aged 16.  His impressive military career lasted over 30 years and took him to many corners of the globe.  But his early life was tinged with tragedy; the death of his first wife of tuberculosis after only three years of marriage left him depressed and he returned to Mull.  There he met Elizabeth Campbell, who in 1807 became his second wife. Macquarie was soon after offered the position of Governor of New South Wales by the British Crown and he went back to Australia in 1809.

His legacy is inspirational and is crediting for shaping modern Australia.  As Governor he set about transforming a society that was starving, with no proper infrastructure or community values. Critically he identified the importance of education in building a nation. He created an environment in which commerce and manufacturing could flourish introducing coinage and establishing the colony’s first bank “The Bank of New South Wales” in 1817.  One of his main priorities was public health, very aware of the link between poverty, disadvantage, sickness and crime.  Many believe that it was Macquarie’s example of tolerance and humanity that set the spirit of egalitarianism and sense of fair play that is considered a defining characteristic of the Australian people today.

Lachlan Macquarie retired as Governor in 1822 and died in London 1824 while defending himself against  Commissioner J.T Bigge's damning report on his administration which he felt was too liberal. But Macquarie’s reputation continued to grow after his death and today he is regarded by many as the most enlightened and progressive of the early Governors who sought to establish Australia as a country, rather than as a prison camp

Macquarie was buried on the Isle of Mull in a remote mausoleum which is maintained by the National Trust of Australia and is inscribed "The Father of Australia". Macquarie formally adopted the name Australia for the continent, the name earlier proposed by the first circumnavigator of Australia, Matthew Flinders. As well as the many geographical features named after him in his lifetime, he is commemorated by Macquarie University in Sydney.

Click here for more information on Ulva Hostel

More information on the Ulva and Macquarie clan link can be found here> and click here for information on the Macquarie Mausoleum on Mull.

 

Coll Bunkhouse stars in innovation and customer service

5 star jumps for a 5 star Hostel!

Coll Bunkhouse, the community-run hostel on the Isle of Coll, has only been open for two years but is leading the way in how Hostelling can be a hub of innovation and customer service. This has been recognised by Visit Scotland Quality Assurance which has upgarded the Hostel to the highest possible quality assurance accolade of five stars.  Since it opened the Hostel has received excellent customer service  reviews which, coupled with its suberb facilities is a big influence on the grading.

One of the main aims of George McConnachie, Development Manager for Coll Bunkhouse is to extend the season for visitors, providing something special to tempt guests at less popular times of the year. The island recently hosted a three day chamber music festival, Music Coll, for the second year running, launched the successful new Coll Bird Festival in April this year and will again hold Coll of the Sharks in August, the annual festival of basking sharks.

 

5 Star Jumps for a 5 Star Hostel

 

The latest innovation is a partnership with Coll-based fitness instructor, Carol Flett, to launch a Health and Fitness Retreat as a fully catered short Hostel break with a focus on healthy living.  These breaks are iaimed at  guests who not only want a trip to the Isles but also to kick start a healthy living regimen or as a boost to an ongoing healthy lifestyle. As well as the health and fitness related workshops, guests can enjoy a range of activities including cycling, beach walks and an island tour. Local caterers to provide as much local produce as possible so the Hostel is really showing off the best that the Isle of Coll can offer.

Coll Bunkhouse really makes Hostelling a five star experience for all types of guests and at SIH we congratulate them on their success and vision.

 

Find out more on the Coll Bunkhouse website>

At the Hostel Door

A female merganser, of the red breasted variety, yesterday circled the pond three times that I saw and then landed on the water.  It was before 7.00am and just none of the hostel guests was about. She dibbled and dived for mini trout and other delicacies, swam around to explore and then contented herself on the bank with a meticulous preen.  I am no twitcher but put the glasses on her and felt privileged that of the many nearby sheets of water available to her she chose our tiny pond to visit.

I was reminded of the first three lines of D.H. Lawrence's poem, 'Snake'. 

“A snake came to my water trough,

On a hot, hot day, and I in pyjamas for the heat,

To drink there.” 

Unlike  Lawrence, who felt threatened by his visitor, 'the voices of my education'  told me not that she should be killed, but revered.   Of course, within a very short time when the first up hosteller padded by, she took off in a strong uplifting straight line, cleared the trees and was away.  Our sleepy hostel guest though saw nothing of her and went on his way in blissful ignorance.  Now we have a note at Reception to alert folks to the possibility of them too appreciating our early morning visitor. 

Two days before and with three hostellers for company we had parked our bikes as far up the glen as we could and walked on to the loch where my neighbour Ian had told us there was prolific bird life this month in particular.  Plenty breeze today, no midges.  This loch is far more remote and another three hundred feet higher than us.  It looks straight into the hill.  There silently we marvelled at the flights and calls of the curlew, this year outnumbering by far the customary peewits.  Of course they saw us before we saw them.  It was a true gathering of the avian clans and we were thrilled.  A solitary goldeneye male guarded his mate and sitting tight, we guessed, in the reeds on the far side.  His striking markings can be seen on several lochs more widely scattered in the strath.  Black headed gulls curled not much above us and went their own way. 

On the following morning at the post office I bump into Ian, another Ian, who with his brother Donnie, farms those acres and told him of our visit.  “ That loch is deep, deep; a mystery,” he tells me.  “ We've lost more than one cow in there; I wouldn't like to say just how deep it is.” 

So many of this month's hostel guests are coming from all over.  Predominantly Scottish but with a healthy flow of independent travellers from France, Germany, Holland, Turkey, USA, Canada,  the rest of the UK, New Zealand, Australia – and that's just the last four weeks.  What is encouraging is twofold.  First, their appreciation of what they find here in terms of location, the welcome and the facilities once they have arrived.  Secondly, many have come from other Scottish hostels, usually independent ones and are very happy to tell us of the good times there had there.  Often they bring greetings from those hostels to us.  I like that feeling of fraternity.  Our own team this year is really switched on and robust good company.  We are so fortunate and our guests like particularly that aspect of their stay with us. 

This hostel's ground has a good track record in accommodating independent travellers.  From 1900, for about ten years, Macdonalds travelled from  Lochaber on the west coast on their way to the Wool Fair in Inverness. This fair was for the trading of horses.  A regular camping spot for these independent travellers was right here.  The Gaelic for our ground is interpreted as 'The cool spring in the wood'.   Quite often we have found bits of chain, horseshoes and half disintegrated tackle buried not far beneath the surface of the camping ground. 

In a remarkable little book loaned to us by our Buckie born friend Madge and which she discovered in Wastebusters at Forres we learn more about these early travellers.  In Elizabeth ( Suzie) McKay's  ' A Discarded Brat, a tiny's tale of survival' published in 1979 by Highland Printers of Inverness, she tells of such independent travellers. 

“  From west the country came the tinkers' carts, traps and caravans, lumbering leisurely along a procession of men and women of all ages.  They had hit the trail sometime in April to reap their harvest, bringing with them linen, coloured calico and a glitter of household wares.  They were skilled in the art of soldering kettles, pots and pans, in return for a few coppers or some rags and rabbit skins.  The tinker tribe were made up of several well known families. 

Old Angus brought his family and their children and his aged mother who was very much weather beaten, wrinkled and furrowed about the features and who dearly loved to smoke her little clay pipe.  The tribal folk were not beggars, but rather the relics of the ancient clans, forced to take the highway like rolling stones seeking moss:  the women folk with their bundles of humanity wrapped in tartan plaids, strapped safely to their backs and a basket of wares over their arms ….........” 

Later, 'our' Macdonalds set up home in the wood here, built the start of what became our own first cottage home and earned their honest crust for just a few years before the call of the road took them away north.  At least, unlike their own displaced forbears, they had a choice.  Hostellers listen to these tales almost with reverence and as hostel keepers with a revived camping ground we have a sense of  satisfaction in being their successors. 

This morning, George is rebuilding a part of the watercourse, Greg and Thea are preparing the hostel and camping ground for tonight's visitors from Aberdeen, Switzerland, Edinburgh and Cumbria and I am writing this.  Have a great summer. 

Hostel Keeper

An inspirational lifelong hostelling journey

Scottish Independent Hostels exists to help promote the values and uniqueness of a Hostelling stay in an Independently run hostel.  Hostellers also help one another and here is an excellent example from David & Valery Dean of the Lazy Duck Hostel who are always willing to help Scottish Hostellers, and even overseas ones too.  This is even more remarkable when you consider that the Lazy Duck is one of our smallest hostels, but as you will read, has much, much more besides.

David had a request for help from Christian and Jana Berking:

Hello David,
This is Christian Berking from Northern Germany. I am not sure you remember me and my wife Jana joining your beautiful homeland two times in august 2012 on our honeymoon. :-)  We spoke about  many different things, especially to build a cottage in the woods. Now we are on a big journey www.horizonte-erfahren.de  with our bikes. Behind the tour is to develop and managing our own home such a little bit like yours. Would you be so kind to give us some details how to manage a project like yours? I know that you build first your own cottage and bought some land. After some time it grows bigger and bigger. That' s all I know at the moment. How did you finance it and was it difficult to prepare yourselves in such a big project? Me and my wife are very interested to live in harmony with nature and have an income, when we are seniors.
We wish you and your wife a wonderful season
Yours sincerely Christian and Jana Berking

And this is the response from David.  Not only will it be very helpful to the Berkings, what a lovely inspirational insight into the lifelong journey of one of our most fascinating members! 

Dear Christian & Jana,
        Goodness me, what a journey you are having.  We wish you every success and fulfilment.  As to what has happened here at the Lazy Duck over 40 years, the glorious and perhaps unconventional thing about it, and us, is that in no sense has it been 'planned'.  There never was a five, ten or twenty years plan other than to feel in our bones that having come here when we were first married we would at some stage want to share this spot with others.

Our thirty years work in education until 1996 saw us living in accommodation attached to our schools first in England, then Wales and then, lastly in Valery's native Scotland about 90 minutes from here by car.  We came when we could to the cottage and then when in 1979 we built our house here we came for holidays with our children.  All the time of course we were both extending our land holding when the opportunity and finance allowed and working on the watercourse, now the ponds, and  planting and landscaping.

  Our professional work elsewhere though meant that what visitors now see as the Lazy Duck did not really accelerate until I 'retired' for the first time.  Valery too was fully involved in our educational work but when we did arrive here for full time living, apart from my continuing consultancy work abroad we were able in 1999 to develop first the conversion of our winter storage Drascombe boat house to make the hostel.  The camping ground followed by accident almost in 2003 when the horse ate all the heather under the 200 year old pine trees. The two eco huts followed in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Each development has more or less funded the next one and what savings we had  have been more sensibly used to top up the cost of these building projects rather than leaving our small amount of money in the bank. 

Essentially though it is we as non professional hospitality givers and accommodation providers which has allowed us to take a very fresh look at what we have hoped to do here.  We are not mightily impressed by the brash tourism machine which surrounds us.  Although, to a certain extent, we have to rub along with it we far prefer to bring to the Lazy Duck our own values of ethical connecting with visitors who arrive to what many of them see as this 'oasis'.

 In determining our response to them as people and in an attempt to exceed their expectations of what they have booked we need to understand the physical and human environment they have come from.  If we can do this then we can more usefully gauge our response to them both on arrival and throughout their stay.  In our publicity we aim to make no claims which could mislead.  Furthermore for instance,, we would rather a camper with children cancel because of bad weather than have a child's first experience of camping turn out to be a bad one. That said, we provide a shelter for campers which in itself can become a welcome and 'fun' refuge for all ages when the rain is throwing it down.  Laudable risk taking by and with children is one thing.  Misery is another.

Hut visitors in particular are often celebrating an anniversary, possibly becoming engaged to be married or just spending special and quite private time together.  Our contact with them following their arrival needs therefore to be thought about carefully.  Each couple is different in their requirements of us and we need to think about each of them and respond accordingly.  We must neither underplay nor overplay our part in their visit.  We must learn to 'read' them as accurately as we can.  In this 'slow' tourism exercise therefore where visitor numbers comparatively are really low we can afford to do that.

 The help we recruit from our local village for preparing accommodations or tradesmen who may meet our guests or international volunteer summer helpers who come to us, usually two at a time for two months between May and October are thoroughly schooled in this thinking.  Hostel visitors, who are our central reason for being here of course, come in all shapes and sizes, some solo and retiring, others in a group and happily gregarious.  We must be prepared well with our response to all and strive to be faithful to the human, empathetic values and culture which have inspired and guided us whatever we have found ourselves doing with our lives.

Finally, for now, it is fine and a privilege to be able to create a place such as this.  As seniors though we find the clock does not stand still and while the creating and maintaining has been much fun and most rewarding we recently have had to make plans for taking life a little more gently.  There were several options but only one good one for us.  It was to recruit joint managers to ' take the strain' and allow us to continue making a contribution appropriate to our age and stage.

 This we have now done and are fortunate in having live next door to us in what was the letting cottage a much younger couple whose extensive professional experience, high personal qualities and refreshingly like minded thinking to our own  are not only helping us maintain what the Lazy Duck can offer but encouraging us to achieve even more for our visitors.  The 'more' is not in terms of plant and facilities for we have probably done enough 'physical' creating on these three hectares/six acres.  Their contribution has been to 'modernise' us somewhat just in the way our own professional children hoped they would and to bring a sense of further youthfulness  into our lives and our work.  We could not have been more fortunate in the appointments we made.  They have been with us since last September only, but everything is looking good.

I hope this is of some help.  Every good wish to you for your own futures.  As members of the Scottish Independent Hostels network  www.hostel-scotland.co.uk   we would be happy to point you towards other equally motivated colleagues who would I feel sure be willing to share their hostel creating/owning/managing experience with you.

All the best,
David
David Dean
lazyduck.co.uk

 

A new Stone Plaque for Loch Lomond Memorial Park

The New Stone Plaque

One of the defining things about Independent Hostellers is the interest they have in their own community. One of our members, Jock Cousin of Balmaha House Hostel,  has recently been responsible for ensuring the placement of a new memorial plaque to those who gave their lives in the first and second World Wars to replace one stolen years ago.  Since 1995, the area around Ben Lomond, including the mountain summit, has been designated as a war memorial, called the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park. 

 


Jock is on the right as the new plaque is placed on site

A few years ago the brass plaque for the sculpture was stolen, presumably for its scrap value.  Jock, a fighting soldier for 28 years with the British Military felt it was very important to get the plaque replaced and arranged at his own cost and through his military connections for a plaque to be commissioned and transported from Devon where it was made, to Balmaha.  This was no easy task as the new plaque was made of stone; Jock was determined to provide a memorial that would last and have no scrap value for thieves!

The stone plaque is a lovely thing and sits very well in its surroundings.  It carries the description “This Land Rising from the shore of the loch to the summit of Ben Lomond was dedicated in 1996 as the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park to be held in perpetuity as a tribute to those who gave their lives in the service of their country” . Due to the efforts of Jock, it will be there for a long time to come.

At the Hostel Door

So what's so surprising about Harris and Lewis being voted the World's fifth most delightful to visit islands in the World?  Following close on that accolade are ones for Mull and Orkney.  Trip Advisor travellers gave the Outer Hebridean islands top slot in Europe in their 2014 Travellers' Awards announcement.  Given the competition both in Europe and World wide that is amazingly good news for the islands themselves and for the whole of Scotland too.

As I proposed to my first and only wife, in a sand dune on Harris's Luskentyre beach forty years ago this year I know well how enchanting and bewitching this landscape can be.  But it's not just the landscape is it.  In coming to their decision the travellers who reported back to Trip Advisor commented in glowing terms on just what effort the residents of all the islands had made to make them welcome and to tempt them back.  A lot has happened in those forty years to build on the innate and natural open-heartedness of the islanders.

An Insight into Independent Hostelling and Volunteering.

It’s difficult to encapsulate what is so unique and special about the people who own and run Independent Hostels, especially since even within our own SIH Membership every owner and every Hostel is so totally different!

A great insight as to why people run a Hostel is The Lazy Duck owned by Valery and David Dean.  The Lazy Duck is the smallest Hostel within our membership and totally delightful.  Like many of our members, there are other types of accommodation on site running alongside the Hostel to provide a sustainable and profitable enterprise.

For over 30 years The Lazy Duck has hosted climbers, walkers, paddlers, campers, cyclists, mountain bikers - solo travellers as well as families and activity groups. Fiddle and clarsach, guitar and pipes have played late into the evening and many a 'craic' has been enjoyed round the camp fires at the Hostel and on the camping ground.