In a world that now seems obsessed with blogs, social network sites, review sites etc we here in Glencoe are not to be outdone. The people at The Clachaig Inn in Glencoe have come up with the Glencoe Scotland Social Network http://glencoescotland.ning.com this is a networking site for all those who are interested in the famous Glen. Whether you are a regular visitor, live here or dream of visiting one day, it is an ideal place to post your comments, pictures or just talk to others who share you interest in the stunning surroundings.
Why not go on the site and sign up and find out what's going on!!

Another new site that we here at Loch Leven Holidays have signed up for is http://mycottageholiday.co.uk this is a review site like Tripadvisor for self catering accommodation. It lets guests post their comments on places they have stayed and also look for holiday accommodation. It is still quite new so there aren't that many places on it yet, but it is getting more popular all the time. So if you have stayed with us in the past www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk
and we like to air your views, good or bad, please do. We would love to hear what you had to say about us and it may help others decide where to stay in the future.

We are getting very technical here at Loch Leven Holidays, we now have a Wi-Fi hotspot on site. So for those who can't live without checking their emails or those who just have no choice and need to check them, then you can now do it here!! The Wi-Fi facility is not available in all the chalets so to make it easier we have designated a hotspot in the laundry area. You can go in there at any time and get online. Because of where we are situated here, we are miles away from the exchange, so our connection speed is not always great, so we ask that our guests respect that and don't spend hours surfing the net. The more people that use it at once the slower it will get! A small price to pay for living and holidaying in such a fantastic place!

Also, next week we should be getting our digital televison system fitted, this will give us a much better TV picture and also several more channels. Unfortunately, for those mad on sport it is simply Freeview and not Sky so no Sky Sports I am afraid, but a much better system than we have currently.

With the weather being so good we decided the painting and bookwork could wait!!!!

We would take advantage of the glorious weather and take a trip over to Ardtoe Beach on Ardnamurchan.
Arnamurchan Penisular, for those who have never visited, is situated on the remote West Coast of Scotland due west of Fort William. Ardnamurchan is a long, narrow peninsula along the shores of Loch Sunart and marks the most westerly tip of the British Mainland. It has some of the best beaches in the country, with clear blue water and white sand.
So we packed a picnic and a little disposable BBQ and headed off. We decided to go the long way round through Fort William to get some shopping in town. We headed to Fort William and then on to Glenfinnan on the A830, the road to the isles,(you can stop here for a coffee and a comfort break, if necessary!!) www.nts.org.uk
Follow the road until you come to a sign for the A861 and this takes you onto Ardnamurchan and towards Acharacle round Loch Moidart and Loch Ailert. You will go throught some of the best scenery in Scotland. There really isn't much in the way of cafes etc before you get to Acharacle so you are best to pack some food to take with you.

Near Kinlochmoidart you will see "The Seven Men of Moidart" These are 5 beech trees (originally 7) planted about 200 years ago to commemorate the seven men who accompanied Bonnie Prince Charlie on his way to raise his standard at Glenfinnan in 1745.www.moidart.org.uk
Carryin on we headed for Acharacle where there is a shop, tea room, hotel and public toilets. The turning for Ardtoe is just before the village centre signposted to Kentra (B8044), carry on this single track road for about 3 1/2 miles and you will come to the end of the road. There is a tiny little car park which costs 50p and you can park there.
We stayed there for several hours enjoying the sunshine and even had a swim in the sea, very cold as it was!!!!

Heading home we decided to go back the other way, which takes you through Acharacle towards Strontian about 12 miles. A lovely place to stop, just before Strontian, is Sunart Woodland,you can take in the breathtaking views of the loch and watch for seals and otters. www.forestry.gov.uk

We stopped again a bit further on at the Strontian hotel www.strontianhotel.co.uk for a refreshing drink and decided although the menu looked nice we were still full from our BBQ!!! Heading to Ardgour we picked up the Corran Ferry which takes you over Loch Linnhe (costs £6.40 for a car and only takes 5 minutes). You are then back on the A82 and you can go left to Fort William or right for us, home! www.lochabertransport.org.uk/corranferry

We had a fantastic day and arrived back about 8pm, having seen some great views, stunning weather and lots of wildlife!!

Well done to Dougie Lampkin, who won the 2009 Scottish 6 Day motorbike Trials. It was a great achievment considering the weather was so bad. It was wet and windy all week even resulting in fresh snow on the hills. The trial route had to be changed last Thurs. because the ground was so wet!!!! And well done to all the people who stood and cheered the riders on, that can't have been very pleasant in those conditions.

Typically the weather has been fabulous this week and we have had glorious sunshine and warm temperatures, here's hoping it continues for a while!!

Sticking to 2 wheels, the UCI mountain Bike World Cup comes to Fort William and the scenic Scottish Highlands on the 6th-7th June.

In addition to the ‘Gravity Gathering’, a showcase of world-class Downhill and 4Cross biking competition, this year’s event also features two brand new elements set to wow the crowds and give them a taste of the action.

Now in its eighth year, the event is expected to attract more than 400 competitors and up to 20,000 spectators, and has been voted best mountain bike event in the world three years running. It is a great weeked away for those who love bikes or just love the thrill of watching people do amazing things on bikes!!

Tickets for the event go on sale on the 23rd March. For more information on this year’s programme, tickets, the course and competitors as well as travelling to the event and accommodation in the local area please visit: www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk

Other news from the area: Dragons Tooth Golf Course, Ballachulish is up and running again, the lovely 9 hole course is just on the edge of Loch Linnhe and it enjoys stunning views. You can simply go along and pay and play, it opens at 8am till 10pm. you can enjoy a great game of golf in fantastic surroundings then enjoy a meal or just a drink in The Gathering Place Cafe. It's well worth a visit!! email: dragonstooth@live.co.uk for more details.

Well, with just about all of the snow gone from the hills, Nevis Ski Resort are reporting an increase of 5757 visitors to the slopes just in the month of February. So that must be good news for the area, you might not be able to ski now but you can visit Nevis range and have a go on the gondola and take in the breath taking views from the top. http://www.nevisrange.co.uk


This week our guests have been enjoying lovely bright sunny weather with some of the kids even venturing into the Loch!!!! Very brave!! Or temperatures have hit a mighty 18 degrees, not bad for April.

Not only are the guests out and about but the wildlife seems to be making an appearance, the Pinemarten has been seeking out his favourite jam and bread and was photographed on the balconies just the other night, he has also been in our wheelie bins, scattering rubbish everywhere!
The red squirrel has been enjoying the warmer weather and feasting on our nut feeders.

The area is starting to get busy now and we are well and truly up and running for the season. There is plenty going on in and around Loch Leven Holidays
http://www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Dragons Tooth Golf Course is re-opening, after being bought over, with an open day on Sun.19th April. You can have a game of golf and then enjoy the free BBQ on offer. The golf course which is in an amazing setting is perfect to while away a few houres email them at dragonstooth@live.co.uk for more info.

We also have the Scottish Six Day trials in a couple of weeks which is on in and around Fort William with a couple of days in Kinlochleven. Even if you aren't into Motor Bikes it is a great day out and you will be amazed at what can be done on those bikes. This takes place from Monday 4th May to Saturday 9th May, starting and finishing in Fort William's West End Car Park each day.
There is also the Pre 65 event which takes place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May 2009, based in and around Kinlochleven. This features older bikes and is equally exciting. Check out the website for more details
http://www.ssdt.org

We still have availability for the week beg. Sat.2nd May so give us a ring 01855 821272 or email enquiries@glencoeselfcatering.co.uk for more information.

Well what a week of weather we had last week, the first day of Spring was certainly a good one! We had several days of clear blue skies and sunshine and it actually got quite warm
The daffodils are coming out in force and we have even seen some lambs in the area.

The following pictures were taken round the site and as you can see lots of the plants coming alive after a cold winter, we will need to start cutting the grass soon!!!!!!

It has dropped a bit colder again this week and we have even had some snowy showers, so perhaps it was to early to celebrate the coming of Spring!!

Well we now have our very own "Brokeback Mountain"!!!!! Unfortunately Ian had an accident 4 weeks ago and has broken his back, he was up the back of the chalets when a tree was felled on his head, he was on a slight hill (not quite a mountain!!!!!!). He was very lucky, in that he had all his safety equipment on and his helmet took a lot of the impact, however he has broken a bone in his back and will be out of action for at least 12 weeks!

We managed to get some of the painting we had planned done before his accident, so
Tiranui Cottage bathroom is finished and one of the chalet bathrooms has been done and the laundry has been re-decorated with new flooring and worktops.

We had a quite a busy February with several repeat customers visiting and enjoying the snow, which there was plenty of! However, the cold weather has not put off the wildlife with the Pinemarten making a few visits to the chalets for his bread and honey.
The Woodpecker, although very shy, has been seen on several occasions on some of the nut feeders which are dotted about the site. A beautiful bird with amazing colours, it commands a lot of respect from other birds. They all disappear when he arrives!

The Red Squirrel has been less obvious, only really windy, cold or wet weather keeps the squirrels tucked away in their nests, but if the weather stays bad for a few days they will have to come out and search for food anyway. So they must have been out and about but we have missed them. Squirrels are most active first thing in the morning - one or two hours after dawn is the best time to see them!

The days are starting to get a bit lighter so you have more chance of seeing the fabulous wildlife that is about the site. Take a look at our website there is a wildlife page which tells you more about what you can find when you visit www.glencoeselfcatering.co.uk

Here are some pictures taken over the last few days, the 1st one is the grave yard at Blackwater dam where it was -5 degrees.
The 2nd picture is looking over the frozen loch to Caolsnacon narrows near Kinlochleven and the 3rd picture was taken just today of the chalets after a heavy snow fall.

I am sure most people are sick of hearing about the weather and all wishing for Spring to arrive. Well we haven't escaped the snow up here in the Western Highlands, although I don't think it has been as bad as other parts of the country.

The only consolation is our ski slopes have been having a great season and it looks to continue for a while yet! If skiing is not something you have tried it is great fun and the scenery from the tops at Anoch Mor & Glencoe are stunning. Have a look at their websites for weather conditions, prices etc. http://www.nevisrange.co.uk http://www.glencoemountain.com Here at Loch Leven Holidays we are situated just about in the middle of both ski ranges approx. 25 minutes driving time from each. With the schools off next week the area will get a bit busier with lots of people taking the chance to ski, ice climb, walk etc in the wintery conditions. It is a beautiful time of year to visit the area, with lots of bright , cold, sunny days!!!