Chocolate River at the Bobbin Mill

The Bobbin Mill, our very lovely four star self catering house, is on the banks of the River Earn in Comrie, Perthshire. The location is truly wonderful looking like something from a traditional Scottish postcard, and as we live next door we share similar views of the river in all its natural glory. It never looks the same twice and living beside it means that the view from my kitchen window is always interesting. Obviously the size of the river is dependent on the weather and since, remarkably, there has been little rain over the last few weeks, it has been reduced to a very low level. The weir, built to power the mill wheel which cut the wood for the Bobbins originally produced at the Mill, has been exposed almost to summer levels and a salmon which must have died after being stranded on the weir has been clearly visible for the last few days.

Now, overnight there has been a dramatic change. Gone are the bright, sunny winter days and the accompanying hard frosts which turned the landscape into a magical fairyland, and instead a temporary covering of snow and subsequent heavy rain has swept the salmon off the weir and turned the river into a chocolate coloured roaring mass. The ducks which seem to play on the weir have taken themselves off to more accommodating water and the heron has deserted us for an easier standing point. There have been no sightings of otters for a while though their tracks are still around so they are here.

The location of the Bobbin Mill is one of its biggest selling points and is one of the reasons why our guests return regularly. A self catering break in Scotland is always going to be a gamble on the weather, but feedback from our guests tell us that really, when the house is so lovely, warm and comfortable and well equipped, it doesn't matter if it rains or is cold outside. The lucky ones who encounter snow enjoy the beauty it creates in this already stunningly beautiful part of the world and when you do get the sunshine there is nowhere like it.

We offer short breaks between October and April and the fact that we are pretty much always busy is a testament not only to the wonderful house but also to where is is. People come for all sorts of reasons - because we're easily accessible from the larger conurbations of Scotland and their airports; because this is a great area for golf with 33 golf courses in the county including the world famous Gleneagles; for walking because there are so many beautiful walks and and Munroes; for biking with our off road tracks and local challenging mountain bike trails; for water sports since Loch Earn is a short drive away and offers everything from waterskiing to banana surfing; for the history and the culture; to hang out with friends and family in a beautiful and comfortable environment and just for the peace and tranquility, the wildlife, the stunning countryside, and the river which, whatever the weather, can lull even the most confirmed insomniac to sleep.

November short breaks available cottages in Scotland

Many self catering properties have availability at low prices for November - some have vacancies in October for October. Follow the link below for 12 of the best ones and click on the cottage you fancy to obtain their low price deals.

In our property, the lochside cottage near Glencoe shown in the photo we have three short breaks available in November. The weekend of Friday until Monday on November 7th is free, and again on November 14th, also we offer a four day break from Monday 10th to Friday. These breaks are at £195 each, four people can sleep in the 2 bedrooms for a cost of around £10 per person per week. That is an incredible low price.

The warm and cosy cottage is in a stunning location, mountains and lochs all around. The roads are quiet at this time of year, the restaurants and facilites are open, it is a glorious time of year for touring around or light walking.

This is a link to our cottage site, you can e-mail us from there.
Lochside cottage for self catering in near Glencoe

Here is the site for these other top class properties around Scotland. The owners are wonderful and will all look after you.
Short holiday breaks in 12 top properties, special last minute deals, self catering Scotland

Here are some other links, mostly related to the Glencoe area which you may appreciate.
Thanks for looking
John
Availability for the lochside cottage near Glencoe always up to date
Autumn Breaks October November December Glencoe
Winter breaks January February March in Glencoe
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Tourist information Glencoe and Ballachulish
Facilities for visitors to Glencoe, Appin and Lochaber
Prices in the cottage including low season rates
How to lower your holiday costs
Events and entertainment in Glencoe and Appin
The best way to find your holiday cottage on the internet
News and stories of Glencoe, Appin and Lochaber
Travellers Tales of the Highlands of Scotland blog site
Special self catering offers in Scotland blog site
Helpful guide for holiday home owners with their web sites blog site
Misconceptions about Scottish weather
Wonderful walks in the Glencoe area

Many short breaks being offered now at very low prices in Scotland

Do you want a weekend away from it all, cosied up in a warm cottage in the Scottish highlands?

Two days/three day breaks at special low prices, and available for last minute bookings. Read on.

How about a few days skiing in February - Aviemore, Nevis Range, Glencoe, why not?
Some wonderful high level walks in the rolling hills of Perthshire?
Visit Edinburgh and then have a few days off around the East of Scotland?
The South-west is all set up for visitors, good night life, lots to do and no one around to do it. Why not you?

Scotland in Winter is ubelievable. No traffic, no queues, good roads, cosy fireplaces, eating out, what a break.

The countryside is stunning, the views unbelievalbe. Sunsets? They'll take away any breath you may have left.

Try this site.

John
ps Did I mention that some of the prices can be as low as £8 per person per head per night?

Go to this web site, and try these others also

Short breaks,last minute, special offers self catering Scotland - the main site

Driving in Scotland is different

Touring Scotland by road the Right way

Touring the small Scottish Highland roads is different

Scottish weather in January, February and March

Scottish weather in April May and June

Scottish weather, misconceptions and good weather spots

Everything the Tourist needs to know about Scotland in one page

These properties participate in this short break special terms scheme

Luxury accommodation in an old mill, Perthshire

Holiday Cottages and Apartments in Largs, close to the Yacht Haven and beach on the Firth of Clyde

Cottages in a most beautiful West Coast location at Arisaig

A fine large house in Fife at Newburgh, midway between Perth and St. Andrews with a view of The River Tay

Cottages by Oban the wonderful West Coast holiday town with ferries to all the Hebridean Islands

Cottages on the Southern coast of East Neuk, in Fife in pretty mediaeval villages not far from St. Andrews

At Killin in central Perthshire, a most tranquil and beautiful spot on the North Shore of Loch Tay

Holiday cottages in Moray not far from Elgin and Forres in the fishing village of Burghhead

Three cottages, overlooking Holy Loch and Loch Long in Argyllshire. In the Loch Lomond National Park

4 bedroom villa and an apartment near the centre of Scotland's wonderful capital City Edinburgh

Dunbar is a historic town with its old harbour lying to the East of Edinburgh. Ideal for up to three people

and ours, as well,

Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland

Winter breaks January February March in Glencoe

Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe

For visitors, you might find this other blog interesting.

Scotland how to find your ideal holiday property

Last minute Christmas Break Scotland self catering

The new last minute page offering selected properties still available for Christmas and New Year breaks is doing ok on its opening debut. (Isn't an opening always a debut? Must look up my book on tautology)

It was put in the website as a new page on Wednesday, two days ago. Google has indexed the new page already, we have managed to get on to page one for one or two good search terms and people have already found us. 5 visits yesterday to the page and one click on one of the website links. Traffic will build a bit, maybe we'll get 150 visitors in total interested before Christmas.

"christmas self catering break scotland" is one where we have page one, and also the blog site also has made page one. Google is brilliant isn't she? Here is another search term - we are more or less top of the page "christmas last minute break scotland"

Mind you a big search term such as "scotland christmas break" is beyond us because we have competition from all the hotel sites and directories.

It is not going to be big this, but it might do a bit for someone. Can I suggest that the members of this blog might add a little piece in the top left or top right corner of your index page with the words "Christmas (or New Year) self catering break still available (name your area)" Even a small traffic site will be getting about 200 visitors a week. Half of these are no good - they are looking for something else and hit the site by mistake - but you might get one or two to stick and bookmark you if they see your little comment in the top. You can change it later to January break/ February break etc and each time Google will find you and you'll head the Google page for each month.

But the big advantage will be for Google to find your new comment about availability and list you in the pages when someone asks for a Christmas break, self-catering in your area. You will not have much web competition for that.

Then you have one more opportunity. You should have at least one other site to link to your new page saying something like "Christmas self catering break still available in (your area) That is what this blog is for, you can do it yourself. This link in to your page is what tells Google that something new is happening and that your site's page is important. Especially if you use the same keywords as you have used in your own index page. (I used four blogs to link to the new page in last minute. All short, took two minutes each. Nah, I lie. Ten minutes each)

It is important to use the keywords such as /self catering/your area/christmas/holiday or break, in any order. Use them in the link to you and in your page.

I know that most of you use someonme else to do your website and this is such a pain.
It costs money, telephone calls, arguments, waiting. Can you pay them to show you how to enter your own site, put in the little changes you need, and upload the site to the web? It is not difficult I promise. It will take you less time than a phone call to your web person.

Do you feel a New Year's Resolution coming on?

I did this by posting this blog rather than by e-mail because then I can get in some more links to help the new page in the last minute site.

Still available for Xmas and the New Year, self catering in Scotland

Here are links to more properties which have availability at Christmas and I'm going to be putting them into a second page on the web site Short breaks,self catering late availability, special offers for Christmas and New Year Scotland

Christmas in the Highlands proper near Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye,by Eilean Donan castle

Spend Christmas in Argyllshire in the Loch Lomond National Park

Christmas at a 4 bedroom villa in Scotland's wonderful capital City Edinburgh

John
Autumn short Breaks November December Glencoe

Well, one has to blow one's own......doesn't one?

Short weekend self catering break. A guest writes.

Anthony and his partner had a three day weekend in November at one of these cottages near Glencoe. He wrote:

We had a great long weekend. It's hard being back at work but at least the sun is shining.

We tried to go up to the Pap of Glencoe on Saturday. We got a bit lost due to the lack of a path, it got very boggy, and after about 90 minutes we realised it was going to take a long time to get to the top and back. We didn't want to risk losing the light so headed back after a while. We may well have gone the wrong way.

Weather was decent, on Saturday but poor on Sunday, rain most of the day. We slowly headed out to the Ardnamurchan peninsula as far as Salen, up to Lochailort, then back via Glenfinnan.

Didn't manage to get all the way to the end of the Peninsula because we left the cottage quite late and it gets dark so early at this time of year - next time! We stopped a lot for strolls and photo opportunities when the rain eased up a bit, and just to soak up the views and sounds.

Such beautiful and untouched countryside - just how we like it. On Monday we wandered up Duror Hill. Probably a bit less than two hours up and back in the boggy conditions and not rushing. Stunning views, and the weather gods looked down favourably on us by sending us sunshine with dramatic rain and clouds in the distance.

What a great way to end the weekend.

Anthony K

Touring Scotland by road the Right way

Scottish weather in January, February and March

Scottish weather, misconceptions and good weather spots

Winter breaks January February March in Glencoe

Travellers Tales from the Highlands of Scotland