I would say that prior to Coronavirus, Scotland’s beauty was sometimes taken for granted by us residents! When we were asked to stay at home, and away from our beautiful hills, lochs and glens we realised how lucky we are to have so many beauty spots in our wee country. When the doors were finally opened, Scottish locations were at the very top of our list.
What can we do? Support Scottish tourism in any way we can.
I have been to the Lodge on Loch Lomond several times now, and it never disappoints. It is modern with Scottish touches, and with the most breath-taking views. When we arrived we parked in the car park and had to stop for a second to take everything in; we were blessed with a sunny day. Our room had the very same view with a balcony, and an in-room sauna! We left our bags and went to the bar area, ordered Bramble cocktails and sat and chatted while enjoying the views. As is typical for Scotland, the weather had changed and it was now raining, but just as beautiful. We were almost shocked that there were swimmers in the water but nothing stops us Scots. We chuckled as tourists at other tables stared in confusion. It was a such a relaxing afternoon, one I have often reminisced about during lockdown.
Dinner at the Lodge was also a great experience; waterfront dining at Colquhoun’s. It was a hearty traditional menu with a twist! As they say on their website “Our new mantra is to embrace the shimmering aspic of tradition whilst giving the classics just enough backspin to turn heads as they come out of the kitchen.” That couldn’t ring truer!
After dinner we sat in the comfortable, dim lit bar and enjoyed the atmosphere, which was buzzing even on a week night. We retired quite early as we were excited at the thought of a sauna and relaxing in the spacious room! It was the perfect evening catching up on our favourite shows on their big screen television in our hotel robes and slippers!
The next morning, we had a cuppa on the balcony, not bothering that it was a wee bit nippy outside. The mountains reflected on the water and we sat and took it all in. It’s almost as if we knew that in a few weeks time a view like that would only be possible via a picture. We headed to breakfast which was also in Colquhoun’s. I had my favourite Eggs Benedict and Ben had a Full Scottish Breakfast; both hit the spot! Their coffee was also phenomenal! We left the lodge with a such a great feeling, our only regret is we forgot our swimsuits as they also have swimming pool facilities.
This is an establishment we will definitely be supporting again this year, and we hope we have convinced you to do so too!
