Hostel Winners - Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards

Great to see a couple of our hostel businesses have joined the list of Winners and Highly Recommended for the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards #SOLA2019 Awards!

Craggan Outdoors, based in Grantown-on-Spey walked away with the accolade of ‘Best Outdoor Adventure Experience’.

Best Outdoor Adventure Experience

Speaking about the achievement, Craggan Outdoors’ Managing Director Keith Ballam said: “We are of course absolutely delighted to have the business recognised in this way. Over the years we’ve been nominated for & won various regional awards, & have previously been a finalist at a national level, but to be named as the ‘Best Outdoor Adventure Experience’ in Scotland goes above & beyond any prior achievement.”

Ardenbeg Bunkhouse, is part of the award-winning Craggan Outdoors activity centre. Ardenbeg offers good value accommodation for groups of up to 23 people.

Highly Recommended - Best Value Accommodation

In the heart of the Mabie Forest just 6 miles from Dumfries, Marthrown of Mabie offers a range of accommodation including a bunkhouse, tipis, yurt, roundhouse and woodland camping.  We were delighted to hear they were named "Highly Recommended" for "Best Value Accommodation" in the awards.  

It's been a successful run for Marthrown of Mabie, also voted "10 of the best hostels in rural Scotland" in The Guardian, earlier this year. 

Hello Autumn (Part 2) | Top Tips for Scotland’s most Vibrant Season

Ardenbeg Bunkhouse, Craggan Outdoors, Cairngorms National Park 

There is a huge amount of activities available all year round, and there are family discounts and mid-week breaks in the autumn and winter.

• Enjoy autumn mountain biking at Glenbeg, with views across to the Cairngorms and Cromdale Hills
• Craggan Fishery (sneak in before it closes in October) offers the most scenic setting in the Aviemore and Cairngorms area.
• Learn some Bear Grylls survival skills on the bushcraft sessions the centre runs.

Coll Bunkhouse, Isle of Coll, Hebrides

Experience Autumnal Scotland at its best with beautiful beaches, fantastic wildlife and unspoiled wilderness all on your doorstep.

• Awesome night sky on your doorstep, Coll is Scotland’s only island International Dark Sky Community. 
• Enjoy the white sands and temperate winter climate
• Tasty, hearty food served locally

Forest Way, North West Highlands 

This hostel is in the heart of Strathmore next to the River Broom and marvellous mountain scenery. There are lots of wonderful spots for enjoying the autumn colours.

• Brave the walk across the Corrieshalloch Gorge suspension bridge as the River Droma rushes through a mile-long box canyon below. 
• You’ll spot rare trees and shrubs on the Lael Forest walking trail 
• And if that’s not enough, there’s more Munros and Corbetts than you can shake a stick at!

Callander Hostel, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

Autumn is glorious in The Trossachs. Set in one of Callander's oldest and most distinctive buildings, Callander Hostel is hostelling at its very best!

• The famous Loch Katrine and Sir Walter Scott Steamboat is not to be missed.  
• Enjoy a weekend of fun and music at the Callander Jazz and Blues Festival from Friday 4-6th October 
• Hostel Offers: November to Feb - sole occupancy of the hostel for £350 per night (excluding Christmas and New Year).  New Year for £500 per night (minimum of 2 nights stay). 

Hostel keepers come in all shapes and sizes

In Fond Memory of Tom Jones, 

By David Dean

Amongst us, Tom Jones who with his wife Allyson created the quirky state of the art Carr Bridge Bunkhouse and who died last month whilst on holiday in Greece, was a true giant.  Tom's bunkhouse and, in particular, the intimate and all-embracing hospitality for which he and Allyson are renowned has, for years, been a model of right minded hostel keeping.

The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and home baked loaves drifting from Allyson's oft visited kitchen, the fun in the garden, their doted upon children and grandchildren, then hens with a mind of their own and invigorating conversation all made for the magic she and Tom exuded in order to be the hosts they have to hundreds.

INDEPENDENT hostel keepers are a breed apart.

So strikingly sure of their values were they that when independent hostels' organisations, in their view, strayed too far into the world of plasticised and homogenised star grading and silly requirements from matching cutlery and carpets onwards, Tom and Allyson stood apart.  " Thanks, but no thanks!" or words to that effect. I remember them so clearly.

Tom, with David & Juan Carlos at an
impromptu jam session at the Lazy Duck

Since those days of near conflict these organisations and the VisitScotland whip which attempted to drive them have stepped away from such folly.  Our hostels surely are a statement of ourselves.  If, as was Tom, we are happily unusual, healthily idiosyncratic even and hanging on to our authenticity in what we offer guests and how we welcome them, we are being true to ourselves.

To Tom, Valery and I owe a debt of real gratitude.  In our setting up the Lazy Duck Hostel in 1998 we were blessed with every encouragement possible together with strong role modelling from Carr Bridge Bunkhouse.  Tom with our other good friend, Ian Bishop of Slochd Mhor Lodge Hostel, ate with us here only weeks ago.

Thanks for everything Tom; hostelling owes you.

For an appreciation, which moved me much, one of far greater depth and some real history on Tom I suggest a read of this blog "Tom Jones RIP- My mate, family man, PTI, Outdoor Man, Prankster and great human being."