My New Website

Just thought I should tell you about my new website, Loch Ness Cottages for years I have tinkered with my own self catering cottage website always using it to try out new ideas etc. Time came I just needed it to look a bit more presentable.
You know when there are only 2 barbers in town and one has nice hair and the other has rubbish hair you should choose to go to the one with rubbish hair because you could work out that he had cut the other barbers hair.  Perhaps that's not a good analogy but so often people in a trade don't have time to look after their own home, garden, decorating, or as in this case, website. I asked Steven from Redkite to do it while I was away on holiday, well I am so pleased he did it for me without any fuss and you know what's best about this site? it is simple to always know where you are on it.  Not so sure about the content though! i am working on it, but I guarantee it is all totally honest!! well see what our visitors have said about us if you doubt me Tripadvisor    

Google street view at Loch Ness

Google cameras are out and about at Loch Ness, I was walking in Glenliath a very quiet lane on South Loch Ness and quiet here means just a handful of cars a day use the road and guess what comes past? the Google car with the funny tower of cameras atop. Well they really are getting into the nitty gritty now and good for them, I love it.

Midges and Ticks in Scotland

I have always been up front about midges and ticks in Scotland and in particular about midges and ticks around the Loch Ness area of Scotland, as this is where they most likely to affect us personally and our visitors.   I have a full page about the little blighters here - Midges and Ticks in Scotland Most people now know there is an Avon product that is now widely used as an effective repellent and is normally only available via mail order through Avon website. But hey, yesterday whilst window shopping in Inverness i saw Avon “Skin so Soft” for sale in a shop. If you forgot to buy midge repellent before leaving home for the Highland capital or if what you have is not working, you can now get this great, word of mouth product in town!  the shop called “The Body & Face Place” is selling it and you will find the shop almost opposite the Railway station entrance in Inverness.

By the way this stuff smells really nice so around the Highlands even the biggest butch type guys and their dogs smell sweet you know why!!    

Populating the Interactive maps

It could turn out to be a labour of love to have 4 maps, one for each area of Loch Ness and then have 8 icons for each means that if I just put one feature on each icon I still need 32 features!
It will build up but it is taking longer than I ever imagined. Still I have managd to take time out to write up some walks during last month, simple walks but some of our favourites which we do from our door when the time is right. Have a look for starters at Rosies Rambles on the area map http://www.visitlochness.com/mapping/index.php?region_id=3 Inverfarigaig it is great, especially pleasing when you can walk out your door to be at the start of the walk.
No sightings of Nessie this week. Strange because she does usually show herself more during the summer months the secret beach is always a favourite haunt. There was an unusually high number of RAF jets going up and down the lock recently though.

Breakfast in Jim Jams - never say no!

In reply to a recent question as to whether our self catering apartment included breakfast! The answer given was -
" Breakfast is not included but what is included are top quality facilities to create wonderful bespoke breakfast which also includes the privacy to enjoy your creations even in your jim jams if you so desire".
Nice one, she made a booking !

I always cringe when I hear tourism colleagues on the phone to potential customers uttering words like, "sorry we are booked" or "sorry we don't provide", this or that. The cardinal sin is saying, "I don't know". We all need to make strenuous efforts to be more positive by using words like, yes, i can, I will, I do if we want to even get close to treating our customers as well as they do in some other parts of the world.

My little piece of heaven in Scotland in Question

Loch Ness Blog: My little piece of Scotland

1st Jan 2009 Happy New Year everyone !

Well we took a well earned trip over to Canada this year (5 weeks) and have been surprised and eye opened at living life as a tourist as opposed to a tourism operator. It worries me a bit how easy it is to think how wonderful your little piece of heaven in Scotland is, until you see how well other places treat their tourist visitors that is!
Shortly after arriving back at Loch Ness in November I had to travel down the fast side of Loch Ness (A82) on business taking with me my trusty Credit Card which accompanied me all over Canada and New Zealand in 07 never giving any thought to carrying cash, what do we need cash for these days??
Well what a pain to find that the restaurant with the great reviews which i had eagerly been looking forward to trying was closed for winter Grrrr if they want a business how can they even consider closing down for winter! This just tells me that they overcharge all summer and then retire for the winter on the ill gotten gains. Restaurant prices in New Zealand are HALF what we have to pay for in Scotland.
Went on to the next establishment in the Nessie capital of Loch Ness only to be told there is a minimum spend of £10 when using a credit card Grrrr !!! I just wanted a sandwich and a coffee. Finally I decide to use the village shop, and guess what? they want to charge me 50 pence fee for buying a pastie and coffee with Old faithful CC.

Come on Loch Ness what are you trying to tell the world? as an accommodation provider I despair of my colleagues in tourism sometimes, but that's another story, well, i have several in mind really but I need to go cool off a while, which doesn't take long at the moment as it has been minus 10c outside recently, but a very reasonable minus 2c today, great for our neighbouring ski resorts at Aviemore and Fort William. Food for thought really when they are both at their busiest time of year, many of our Loch Ness businesses are closed for winter! well done Jacobite for doing something about that by continuing cruises on Loch Ness throughout the year.