Stop and stay by the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
As a child from a large family, with two parents as teachers, I never expected to find myself in a luxury hotel, such as Cameron House, on the banks of a beautiful loch in Scotland. But for my grandparents – who bought a time-share deal giving them one of the luxury lodges, close to the hotel, for one week a year – it would never have happened. From that point on, year after year, for a week in October, the leaves turning golden and falling from the trees, that’s exactly where my brothers and I found ourselves. The place slowly became a piece of our childhood and a part of our lives. It became synonymous with autumn, for us, and no matter where I am now the crunch of freshly fallen leaves, the smell of autumnal rain, the occasional crisp blue skies and onset of early nights all remind me of this place by the banks of Loch Lomond, Scotland.
In spite of all the natural beauty of the place, the thing that most excited us as children, and still does to some extent, were the wonderful facilities at the hotel’s leisure centre: two swimming pools, one with a slide; a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna; and options to play table tennis and squash. As we grew older the well-equipped gym, golf course, Great Scots Bar, bike rentals, for rides to and from the lodges or round the loch, were all added to this list. There are many more things on offer, which I myself have never made use of: classes in the gym’s studio, a luxurious spa, and boat trips and seaplane rides round Loch Lomond, to mention just a few. The lodges themselves are modern but cozy and are a great place to relax, make use of the cable TV and Wi-Fi, play board games, read, and enjoy family meals.
For us, as children, it didn’t really matter if it rained the whole week, which of course isn’t unusual for an October in Scotland; the lodges and leisure centre offered everything we needed or desired. That said, it would be a great shame if it rained the whole time you were there; even walking from the lodges to the hotel you are treated to stunning views out across Loch Lomond. There are many longer walks you can do locally as well, either from the hotel or by driving a little way round the Loch to the villages, towns and parkland surrounding it.
With only a week here it was often difficult for our parents to drag us far from the confines and luxuries of the hotel and the comforts of the lodge but there are, of course, many wonderful places to visit. Glasgow, one of the UK’s biggest, most vibrant cities, is within easy driving distance; the grand, old castle at Stirling makes an excellent trip, for an insight into the history of Scotland; at Inveraray, there is another impressive castle and a jail, with costume actors portraying what life there would have been like there in the 19th Century.
There are also many hiking opportunities in the area: there are chances to follow in the footsteps of popular outlaws and folk heroes, such as Rob Roy and William Wallace; there is an easy circular walk at Doon Hill, Aberfoyle, believed by some to be a gateway to the world of the fairies, making for an atmospheric half-day excursion and chance to marvel at some of that beautifully rugged Scottish scenery. Bordering the highlands, there are many more difficult walks in the area, which as a family we didn’t get stuck into, but then there’s always time; Ben Lomond sits majestically overlooking the Loch and offers breathtaking views for those who make it to the top.
The last time I visited Cameron House was just under a year ago; it had been a long time since my brothers and I first stepped out of our car and clapped eyes on the old mansion, after a five-hour journey from the northwest of England. Since then much has changed in my life but, for my brothers and I, Cameron House and Loch Lomond has become a place engrained in our hearts and has come to be much more to us than just a luxurious hotel or your average family holiday.
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