If this very odd year has taught me one thing it is to appreciate everything and everyone I have in my life and where I am. With that in mind, staying at home this summer, as much as I am still dreaming of a little more sunshine, has made me thankful to live in such a beautiful country and encouraged me to grab any opportunity to make the most of it.
My friends and I booked the Luss Cottages at the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel when the tourism industry started opening up again. I was so ready to get away for a couple of days and appreciate the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond- it turned out to be the most perfect few days. In typical Scottish fashion, it was raining when we arrived, but we didn’t mind having a cosy evening in the pretty cottage, making dinner, drinking cocktails and eating birthday cake from the postponed 21sts (1999 babies have really missed out this year).
The cottage had a little picnic table and a stream right next to it, perfect for breakfast outside which we thankfully got to do the next day. It was also a 2 minute walk away from the centre of Luss, the cutest little village. We booked in to do the faerie trails in the morning, which was the most magical walk for kids and adults alike, and then we had a picnic at Luss beach, one of my favourite places. There are so many different water sports available there which I would love to go back and try another time, but this time we just sat for a while and enjoyed the scenery and sunshine around us. There were a few little shops in Luss to browse in, (with a mask on of course) and also lots of cafes, ice cream shops and restaurants- lots of vegan/ vegetarian friendly options available. We ate out for dinner at a very cute restaurant called The Village Rest which served very delicious food and great service.
It was actually great experiencing village life for a couple of days, having everything a 2 minute walk away. Even though we were only an hour away from home, staying somewhere different did the world of good, especially somewhere with the most beautiful scenery.
If you are in a similar position and are ready for a change of pace and place, I couldn’t recommend staying in Luss enough. I also really enjoyed the stress-free nature of a staycation- not having to worry about airports and language barriers, especially during covid.
Scotland has so much to do and see so let’s go out and appreciate our beautiful country for all it’s worth!
Sincerely,
Stephanie
