Highland Club, Fort Augustus, is located on the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland. The former monastery and Fort currently have a range of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom holiday apartments (Image: Highland Club)
The enchanting fortress reminiscent of Hogwarts overlooks the infamous lake for its resident monsters – is there a more magical environment for a family vacation? This was the background as they embarked on their children's first adventures to Loch Ness in Scotland.
Our base was an audacity highland club at Fort Augustus, located at the southern tip of a vast and fascinating body of water. It is said that the opportunity to get a glimpse of mythical creatures is to live in brooding lakes. Nessie's topic ruled our long drive north, with boys creating their own theories about eel-like beasts.
Read more: “The Most Magical Forest in the UK” makes you feel like the “Lord of the Rings”
Huge chess inside the Highlands Club (Image: Highland Club)
Arrival at the Highlands Club added another layer of excitement to our trip. We quickly found a huge chess committee from the traitors, before we went through the corridors of an ancient monastery, where we entered the old monastery church to find our apartment.
Built in 1876, the magnificent Abbey of Fort Augustus (although the original fort dates back to 1729), is an important landmark in the area. Report Manchester Evening News, enhance the fairy tale charm of this unique Scottish destination, providing a majestic background and majestic background.
The Sandton Group took over the building in 2012 and invested a whopping £30 million to transform the once-rotten abandoned in into 109 apartments and cottages. The selection of these apartments was held by the group and turned into award-winning, self-selling LET.
Surrounded by its own 23 acres of land, guests staying at the Highland Club will explore the gardens and enjoy breathtaking views of Loch Ness. All accommodations are self-sufficient and offer families a luxurious holiday experience without a large hotel bill.
I was privileged to stay in one of the two apartments on the site, which boasts a rooftop terrace, offering an unparalleled view of Loch Ness. Other rooms on the site offer views of the lake, the Great Glen, or the adjacent Caledonian Canal.
The stunning roof terrace of the apartment. (Image: Highland Club)
Our apartment is located in the quirky tower of the old church and spans sixth floors. Features from the period have been preserved and restored, including original stained glass windows in the main living and dining room areas.
Our bedroom is on the top floor and the kids were excited to find a gift bag in the bed.
Guests at Highland Club can enjoy a variety of amenities, including an indoor pool, steam room, sauna, club lounge and snooker room. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are tennis courts, soccer pitches and forest playgrounds that children worship.
Stained glass windows in the holiday apartment where Diane and her children stayed at Loch Ness (Photo: Male)
On one of the rainy days during our stay, we made the most of the site's unique products, including a multi-sport simulator room with a huge video screen. I exploded for 15 minutes at 40 pounds per hour playing tennis at Wimbledon and pretending to do a penalty shootout at the Bernabéu.
Club staff can also arrange additional activities for those looking for more adventures, such as archery, kayaking, rafting, and fishing.
Given the long drive (a whopping 6.5 hours) from our home in the northwest to Scotland, we wanted to explore the Ness region of the lake. Naturally, this included boat rides. The boat departs daily from a mooring adjacent to the Highland Club at Fort Augustus.
We were on a boat across the lake (Image: Highland Club)
I chose a £65 family ticket for my Ness trip to Cruise Lake. The approximately one hour journey took us along the lake, with knowledgeable sailors providing plenty of information about the legend of Loch Ness.
Interestingly, the tour even includes a glimpse of the sonar radar under the boat, revealing underwater activities that burned countless theories about creatures lurking in the depths of the lake.
Nessie Mania proved to be attractive to my two young people, so we scooped towards Drumnadrochit, a place famous for its Nessie-themed attractions. Our little adventure took us to the charming, unpretentious Nessierland. This cost just £25.99 for a family ticket.
The kids loved Nessyland (Photo: Male)
There were interactive exhibits, plenty of giant snakes and dinosaur toys, and even a perfect play corner. I added my education in the film room, screening a Ness Monster film on the Lake that completely captivated the spinning tales of a shadowy figure who stirred my 9-year-old imagination.
Not too far from there, immersed in the glory of the film, there was a staple in countless traveller albums.
Jaunt in February treated us with something with a lot of weather, but the “low season” timing at Fort Augustus meant closing the doors, including the Highland Club's boathouse restaurant, to prevent many local facilities from reopening until April.
With fewer meal options, we turn to home cooking and a rather friendly choice for our wallets.
Diane's son Freddie admires the views of Urquhart Castle (Photo: Male)
The village has a small grocery store and a gas station. If you're looking for something even more, Inverness is just a 45-minute drive and boasts a considerable supermarket and a large selection of eateries and retail outlets.
My two young boys and I had a truly enchanting first visit to Scotland, especially due to the magical environment of the Highland Club.
Travel Fact File
Diane was a guest at the Highlands Club in Fort Augustus, Scotland. Apartments range from £300 per night to £1300 per night, depending on the size and season of the apartment.
Highland Club (Image: Highland Club)
There is an on-site reception and optional daily cleaning services at no extra charge, just for use with apartment guests with complimentary fruits, drinks and snacks.
We recommend booking directly to get a 10% discount at www.thehighlandclub.co.uk.
How to get there
The journey from the northwest to Loch Ness is very long, and it takes 6 hours and 40 minutes to cover 360 miles by car.
Alternatively, you can fly directly from Manchester to Inverness Airport, followed by a 43-mile drive to Loch Ness.
Inverness also has mainline stations with direct services to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, London Kings Cross and Euston.
