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Silver Birch Lodge

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Kyle of Lochalsh
Silver Birch Lodge

It is surrounded by stunning scenery with views across to the 5 Sisters of Kintail.
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Silver Birch Lodge offers self catering accommodation (max occupancy 6 - 3 bedrooms) in the village of Ratagan on the shores of Loch Duich on the west coast of Scotland.

08/06/2024

It might be June but there was snow on some of the hills in Scotland this week. I took the opportunity to have a look at the winter photos I took over New Year. They are few and far between due to rubbish weather and my injured knee (now thankfully recovered). However, there are some worthy of a facebook post. Although the long warmer days of summer are very welcome, I love Scotland in the autumn and winter. The colours, changes in light, sun rises and sunsets are superb. There are less people on the roads and walking paths, the night sky is littered with stars and there is a greater chance of seeing the aurora. I think the 5 Sisters look at their best when capped with some snow. There are still some weeks available for an autumn/winter break at Silver Birch Lodge so why not book a week to enjoy the area in a different season.

24/05/2024

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is on this week. Within day trip distance from Silver Birch Lodge are 3 RHS partner gardens - Attadale Gardens - www.attadalegardens.com
Dunvegan Castle gardens - www.dunvegancastle.com and
Inverewe Gardens - www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/inverewe
Each of these gardens is well worth a visit and there is much to see in bloom throughout the open period (normally April to October). The drives to each garden from Ratagan are also superb and pass through some beautiful scenery.
Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend!

05/05/2024

Glen Affric is only about 15 miles from Ratagan via the Affric-Kintail Way on foot via Morvich and Glen Licht - a day's walk in itself! The easy route in the car is an hour and a half via Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit and Cannich. Glen Affric is beautiful and makes for a great day trip from Ratagan. Glen Affric is stunning - Scots Pines, lochs, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and view points - there is something for everyone here. We visited on a weekday in April and it was really quiet with very few visitors. There are 4 main stopping points, each with a car park and walking routes - https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forests-in-glen-affric
Highlights for our day out were the Scots pines and mountain views from the River Affric, the view from the view point (white extension on the route card) for the Dog Falls trail and the vertigo inducing view from the walk way hanging out over the top of Plodda Falls.

19/04/2024

We headed over to Applecross on Wednesday. A great drive across Bealach na Ba - snow at the top. In Applecross we made use of the great walking path network they have put in place and visited the village, Milton, the Heritage Centre and walled garden. Stunning views all the way! We have purchased the set of walks booklets and left in the cottage for guests to use. We thoroughly recommend a trip to Applecross when staying in Ratagan - either a straight out and back across Bealach na Ba or the round trip of the headland via Shieldaig.

16/04/2024

First proper sunshine of the week today so headed to Sligachan and Dunvegan on Skye - amazing views but don’t let the sunshine fool you - it was blowing a keen and cold north westerly wind!

14/04/2024

We are pleased to be back up at Silver Birch Lodge. Not so pleased with the current weather or the long drive up yesterday made worse by a fallen tree on the A82 which meant a long diversion. However, we have been for a lovely walk this morning up along the forest road in Ratagan and admired the spring blooms in the garden - the marsh marigolds and clematis are doing very well and the rhododendron (in next doors garden) is out and looks stunning. We are hoping for some better weather later in the week but in the meantime there are some jobs that need doing inside. A pine marten was sighted in the garden by last week’s guests so we will keep an eye out as it turns dusk tonight…..watch this space!

15/03/2024

It's the end of another week and the weekend is in touching distance! Only 4 weeks until we are back up in Ratagan - I can't wait! We still have one unbooked week over Easter - commencing 30th March. This is the last week available until the end of July. If you would like to book visit www.sykescottages.co.uk - we are property number 1044458. This is a great time of year to visit - the landscape is full of the browns, golds and reds of the winter, there is still some snow on the mountains but there are many signs of spring. We look forward to welcoming you to Silver Birch Lodge.

21/02/2024

We still have 3 weeks free in March - 2nd, 9th and 30th. Head to www.sykescottages.co.uk, property reference 1044458 and book to enjoy amazing views such as the ones below. We look forward to welcoming you.

31/01/2024

It's 31st January - the end of the longest, darkest month of the year! Time to look forward to enjoying the longer days, better weather and all that 2024 has to offer! Our first guests of 2024 are due at Silver Birch Lodge this weekend - we wish them a lovely stay. February at Silver Birch Lodge is booked up but there are still 3 weeks free in March, including the Easter week. March is a great time to visit - the days are starting to properly lengthen, the daffodils are starting to appear but the landscape is still showing its amazing winter colour. There are some good sun rises to be seen in March - the sun rises pretty much straight across the loch from the cottage at this time of year. And if you are lucky the nights are still dark enough to see the Northern Lights. So get booking and fill up the remaining spaces we have for March! Attached are some memories from 2023.......enjoy!

02/01/2024

Happy New Year from Silver Birch Lodge in Ratagan. We wish you all the best for 2024.

25/12/2023

Thank you to all the guests who have stayed at Silver Birch Lodge in 2023 and to all those who have booked so far for 2024. We wish everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas and all the very best for the forthcoming year. We hope that many happy holiday memories continue to be made at Silver Birch Lodge. Merry Christmas!

20/10/2023

A massive thank you to all of our guests for the great reviews of Silver Birch Lodge. We really appreciate the feedback. It is great to know that people have had such a good holiday at the property. We have just received a certificate from Sykes Cottages - a “perfect 10” certificate for receiving a minimum of 6 perfect reviews in the last quarter. We are really chuffed with this. Thank you once again.

20/10/2023

It has been blowing a hoolie up here in Ratagan - but some great light and dramatic skies!

19/10/2023

Great views from Plockton today - just a bit gusty!!

16/10/2023

I travelled up to Silver Birch Lodge on Saturday for the week. I am by myself so took public transport to Kyle then hired a car from Skye Car Hire for the week. Decided this time to take the train to Glasgow then the West Highland line from Glasgow to Spean Bridge where I picked up the Citylink coach to Kyle. The West Highland line is stunning - have attached some of the best photos taken from the train and coach (but they could have done with cleaning the train windows!!). Added in a photo of the Five Sisters taken from Ratagan on Sunday. Have done some gardening (loads more to do) and spent this morning trying to work out why toilet brushes aren’t universally measured and hence easy to buy replacement heads for (the joys of holiday home ownership!!).

20/09/2023

Tomorrow is the autumn equinox - the days will get shorter and the nights will draw in. However, despite the long nights and the possibility of bad weather, it is actually my favourite time of year in Scotland. Here's why:
Good sun rises and sun sets
Great colours as the landscape changes from green to the yellows, reds, browns and oranges of autumn and winter
Ability to see the Northern lights (on a clear night and if you are very lucky)
Great night skies when clear - millions of stars in the dark skies around Ratagan
More time indoors to relax - play a board game, complete a jigsaw puzzle or just curl up with a good book
Wild life - greater chance of seeing wild life and also different wild life as the winter bird visitors arrive
The changing light - with the changing weather conditions and the sun lower in the sky the light can be amazing - makes for great photographs
Snow! A bit of snow on the tops of the mountains makes them look great (especially against a blue sky!). And when there is more snow the landscape looks stunning.
So I wish all of our autumn visitors to Silver Birch Lodge a fantastic holiday!

31/08/2023

I have posted about the Isle of Raasay before, but it is a fantastic island to visit - away from the crowds of Skye and really beautiful, both in its own right as well as the views across to Skye and the Applecross peninsula. On our last visit, we drove up to the north of the island where the ruins of Brochel Castle can be seen. Just past the castle is the start of Calum's Road - built single handedly by one man, Calum MacLeod. It is a beautiful road to travel and at the end of it you can take Calum's Path - a walk along the coast to the island of Fladda https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/torran.shtml
The walk is superb - great and varied scenery all the way with views back to Dun Caan (the highest point on Raasay) and across to the Isle of Skye. At low tide you can walk onto Fladda. Once inhabited by a thriving crofting community, there are only 3 cottages left on the island which are used during the summer months. There are great views of the Cuillins on Skye from the ferry. It takes approximately 1 hour to drive to the ferry terminal at Sconsor from Ratagan and makes a great day out from Silver Birch Lodge.

09/08/2023

We had a lovely day out from Ratagan when we were up there the other week. We headed across the mountains to Invergarry - normally somewhere we just pass through on the way up or back from Ratagan. However, it was the flower festival at the church in the village and the flowers had been supplied by Loch Duich plants so we headed over to have a look. The theme was Coronation and Commonwealth. We were given a lovely welcome and a tour of the floral displays by the residents of Invergarry who had put so much effort and imagination into the displays. We were then fed tea and homemade cakes! So a huge thank you to all at Invergarry church - the flowers were beautiful and included floral crowns, the coronation chairs (together with stone of destiny), a pair of floral coronation chickens and a stumpery in tribute to the one at King Charles' home at Highgrove.
We then walked off the delicious homemade cake along the banks of the River Garry - a lovely walk through woodland, ending up at the White Bridge where there are many rapids. There were a lot of canoeists there making the most of the white water.
On the way back home we took a detour down the road to Kinlochourn. It is a beautiful road, especially towards the end of it (it is 22 miles one way). At the end of the road is Loch Hourn which is very scenic. There is a bed and breakfast with tearoom (open 11-4 in season). There are some good walks from along and at the end of the road, including long distance paths into the wilderness of Knoydart (although it feels very wild and remote at Kinlochourn - let's put it this way - if you live there it's a long way to go if you need a pint of milk urgently!) As the crow flies Kinlochourn isn't so far from Ratagan - about 12-14 miles. However, there is a large ridge of mountains in the way! We spotted deer along the road back - both fallow and red deer. It is definitely a road worth travelling down.

21/07/2023

It’s been a lovely day in Ratagan today - what better than to just go for a walk along the loch admiring the amazing views? We will miss Ratagan when we leave tomorrow but wish all of our guests for the rest of the summer an amazing holiday. Ratagan is certainly a special place.

16/07/2023

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted anything to the Silver Birch Lodge page. It has been so busy! Ratagan is in a great position to access other areas of Scotland, so why not take a 2 week holiday - stay at Silver Birch Lodge for one week then visit another stunning part of Scotland for the second week. That is what we have just done. We are delighted to be back in Ratagan (though not so delighted with today's weather!) However, we have just had an amazing week staying on the Orkney Isles. Orkney is a superb place to spend a holiday. It has everything - amazing wildlife, wild flowers in abundance, great scenery, stunning coastline and so much history right from Neolithic times through to the islands' role in the First and Second World Wars. So much to see and do - it is a fabulous place. Attached are some photos of our week (and I think we even did well with the weather compared with other parts of Scotland and the UK!) Now looking forward to our week in Ratagan (and the weather perhaps clearing up??)

11/06/2023

Happy Sunday! The weather in Scotland has been amazing although the lack of rain is now starting to be a big problem. There is a high risk of wildfires at the moment, so please everyone be really careful when out and about. Balmacara is a great place for walking and only about 15-20 minutes from Ratagan. There is a good network of paths which can be linked together for longer or shorter walks depending on your mood. One good walk is to park up at Loch Achaidh na h-inich, on the Achnandarach road between Balmacara and Plockton. From there is a good footpath back down to Balmacara Square where you can have a snack at the Cosy Corner Cafe, a look in the homewares shop and see what is on at The Steadings gallery. After a break you can take the same way back or head up the Balmacara forest walks path from which there are a couple of options for a medium or longer walk back to the car. With fine views all the way and some beautiful woodland with old gnarled trees covered in lichen this makes for a lovely walk in any season. Walk Highlands describes the long route starting from Balmacara, but we think the walk down to Balmacara for some refreshment before heading back is a good way of doing the walk. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/kintail/lochachaidhnahinich.shtml

29/05/2023

We aren't back in Ratagan until July, which I'm sure will come around quickly, but today it seems an awful long time away! The weather this week is due to be fabulous - much like it was when we were there in April. One of the walks we did was to Leitir Fura https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/skye-walks/island-walks/leitir-fura
It is at the top of the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye, just by Kinloch Lodge Hotel. The walk is varied and peaceful with some fantastic views across the Sound of Sleat to Loch Hourn and the hills of Knoydart. We thoroughly recommend it in any season. Just beware there isn't much shade on some of the walk and in the full sun you will need sunscreen and a sun hat! Although it was only a month ago, it was still looking fairly wintry - the leaves were only just starting to come out on some of the trees - amazing what a difference a month makes!

21/05/2023

There is a lot of wildlife to be seen in the area surrounding Silver Birch Lodge - including in the garden. Here are some photos taken by one of our recent guests - a keen amateur wildlife photographer she got some great shots of birds (and a vole!) in the garden during her stay. Love the fledgling Robin! Thanks so much for these and thank you for letting me share them with others. It is always good to hear that guests have enjoyed their holiday. I am always very happy to receive photos - interesting to see what others have seen and photographed and to witness through photos the changing seasons in Ratagan. These photos are great - enjoy!

10/05/2023

The gorse was out in full flower when we were up in Ratagan a few weeks ago. It made a great frame for some stunning views against a cloudless blue sky in what was an unseasonably warm week.

26/04/2023

With everything going on last week at Silver Birch Lodge, I didn't post the final section of the Trotternish Peninsula on Skye - so better late than never, here it is!
Next stop after the Museum of Island Life is Uig. This is the harbour for ferries across to the Western Isles of Harris and North Uist. Next to the harbour is Uig Pottery - they do some great painted pottery, some of which is in the lounge at Silver Birch Lodge, including the puffin lamp. Just along the way is the Isle of Skye Brewing Company - great beers and also the home of Skye Gin which is one of my favourites! From Uig you can walk out to the Idrigil viewpoint with views over Loch Snizort.
Just up the hill above Uig are Uig woods with a walk to Rha waterfalls - ancient woodland and off the beaten track - much quieter than the next stop which is the magical Fairy Glen. We first visited the Fairy Glen about 15 years ago - there was nobody else there and it was truly a magical place with numerous conical mounds. Now, like many parts of Skye, it has been found by the tourists so now has its own car park (with a charge) and there are many many more people there. Best times to visit are early morning or late in the day once people have moved on. It is, however, still a magical place - a very unique landscape. For hillwalkers, the Fair Glen car park is also the starting point for a walk up Beinn Edra, the highest point on the northern edge of the Trotternish ridge.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/beinnedra.shtml
Just south of Uig, at Earlish, is a walk to Hugh's Castle on the shores of Loch Snizort. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/caistealuisdean.shtml
After Earlish the road winds back down south to Portree.

22/04/2023

On our way home from Ratagan - exhausted (I thought going away was supposed to leave you rested????). Very sad to leave Silver Birch Lodge this morning. We had a fantastic week of weather - 5 days of wall to wall sunshine - 20 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Hopefully that’s not summer over!! We have worked hard in the garden. A new back gate is in place. Gunnera has been planted in the bog garden. We have had the side decking replaced - it is looking amazing. The back patio has been pressure washed. We have dug a trench and installed a drainage pipe along the back of the garden to capture some of the water coming straight off the hill behind and hopefully make the backs bit less soggy. Couldn’t test it this week - no rain 😀. Gutters have been cleaned out and the window frames cleaned and some painted. Pots have been planted up and we have added some new plants to the garden thanks to Loch Duich Plants.
We have had a bit of time to enjoy the sunshine and have found a few more stunning walks to share on future posts. We hope our guests for the next couple of months have a great time in what is a beautiful part of Scotland. We will return in July….

17/04/2023

It’s a busy Monday morning here at Silver Birch Lodge. Annual PAT testing, gas safety checks, painting wood for the new back gate, old decking being pulled up to be replaced by new decking and a new drainage pipe being put in along the back of the garden to stop the bank getting so wet from the hill behind. And all of this on a beautiful sunny spring day - it could be summer - birds singing, flowers in full bloom and blue skies overhead!

15/04/2023

On our way to Ratagan - it’s a stunning morning in The Highlands…..

05/04/2023

The penultimate section of the Trotternish Peninsula is one full of history. First stop is at Shulista where there is a walk to Rubha Hunish at the far north end of the Trotternish Peninsula with great views across to the Outer Hebrides on a fine day. https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/skye-walks/island-walks/rubha-hunish
Not too far further up the road is Duntulm Castle. Perched on a basalt promontory above the sea just before the road turns to head south back towards Portree, Duntulm Castle is now a ruin but was once the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat. There is room to park and the castle is just a short walk from the parking space.
Next stop is the Skye Museum of Island Life. A collection of cottages, this unique museum provides a glimpse of island life as it was 100 years ago. The cottages show how people lived and worked the land. Together with real life stories and old photographs the past is brought to life here. Open Easter to late September daily except Sunday 10-5.
Last stop on today's excursion to Trotternish is the grave of Flora MacDonald. It is just up the road from the museum in Kilmuir Graveyard. Flora MacDonald is best known for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie evade Government troops after the battle of Culloden and her story is told in a plaque at the cemetery.
Next week the final section of the Trotternish Peninsula and one of my favourite places - the Fairy Glen!

30/03/2023

Continuing our trip round the Trotternish Peninsula on Skye, next stop is The Quirang. A spectacular and unique landscape it was formed by a massive landslip which created cliffs and rock pinnacles. It is a photographer's dream in the right conditions and with the right light. There is a circular walk around the site - one of the "must do" walks on Skye. https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/top-ten-skye-walks/the-quiraing
If you can tear yourself away from The Quirang, the route around Trotternish continues north towards Flodigarry. Here there are 2 walks offering some peace and tranquility away from the crowds that you often find at peak times at The Quirang. The first is to see Fingal's Tomb and Fingal's Pinnacles. The second is to visit a stretch of shoreline known for its wealth of fossils. https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/fingalspinnacles.shtml #
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/flodigarry.shtml
The final stop on this leg is the Trotternish Art Gallery. Based at the top end of the Trotternish Peninsula on the main road at Kilmaluag it is the home of Bill and Susie Lawrence, both artists who use this part of Skye as inspiration for their work. Well worth a visit.
Next week a visit to some historic Skye buildings.

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Plockton - Storm Bahbet

Great views from Plockton today - just a bit gusty!!

On our way to Ratagan - it’s a stunning morning in The Highlands…..

We would like to wish all of our guests, neighbours, family and friends a very Happy New Year. Wishing you a safe and healthy 2023. Xx

I have reluctantly left Silver Birch Lodge - didn't want to leave! It was a week of sunshine and showers, but the light in between the showers was amazing and the autumn colours just blew me away. It is a great time to visit the Highlands - just be prepared for some of the wet stuff and have your waterproofs to hand, but you will be rewarded with some great sights. For those who have a spare 5 minutes, I have uploaded a video of some of the photos I took this week. Can't wait to return in December to see what awaits - hopefully some snow on the mountains....!

Summer in Ratagan

We have arrived back home after our trip to Scotland. Silver Birch Lodge is looking spruced up ready for our summer visitors. The decking is pressure washed and oiled, the garden tidied up and the bathrooms have been re-siliconed and grouted. Gardening in Scotland in the summer is not very pleasant - had to wear midge nets and still got eaten alive by the midges and mosquitoes! Attached is a video of some of our photos from the week. Can’t wait to return but will have to wait until the end of October…….

We hope everyone is staying safe in the heat today. It is a stunning day in Plockton….

Silver Birch Lodge

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