ForbesCroft Huts & Motorhome Aire

15/09/2024

Thanks to one of our guests who stayed this week and put his drone up in the sky for us. A cracking view of our setup from up there.

12/09/2024

What a week thus far 😵‍💫 it's so so busy up here in the North we can't quite believe it. We've been inundated with campervans/motorhomes and lots of bookings in the cabin also :)

The two photos below submitted by some of our guests show the contrast.... From Stephs double rainbow to Mirjam and her husband sitting out on the sun 😂 great meeting everyone and having our first Dutch 🇳🇱 motorhome stay.

Our first guests in the cabin were over from Canada 🇨🇦 so we really are getting a huge mix of people and a great insight into what next season is going to be like! Great to meet everyone.

Give us a shout if you want to book in, always fun chatting and discovering people's stories!

10/09/2024

And so it begins......

Reminder folks, this is a wee tickle in comparison to some of the winds we get here during the winter months. So don't be too alarmed out there and drive safely.

😅

Orkney & Shetland are in for a wild day.

Gales developing
Persistent rain
Gusts to 65 mph possible, especially for Orkney this afternoon
Caithness also becomes very windy with 50-55 mph gusts

Rain eases from Orkney in the afternoon but not Shetland.

09/09/2024

Our first cabin is now available for booking via air bnb, details available below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️😊

As with the motorhome aire we will be open all year round.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1240664809027666188?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

28/08/2024

We often get asked if we accept dogs. Just to confirm that not only do we accept dogs but we also accept cats on site. We just ask that your pets are kept under control and that you clean up after them whether on the site or in the surrounding areas. If you don't have a pet but still like animals then Lucy (the resident Labrador) will always be happy to say hello 😁🐶

24/08/2024

A brilliant resource put together by our friends at Aberfeldy Aire - Motorhome Stopover

If you're looking for more CAMpRA UK Ltd accredited aires in Scotland please check this map out in the attached post. Campaign for Real Aires UK - CAMpRA CAMpRA Scotland

As you can see we are the only accredited aire in Caithness but hopefully more aires will appear along the route over the coming years to give travellers more options alongside some of the amazing campsites up here.

This is a map of all the 39 CAMpRA UK Ltd Certified Aires in Scotland. It's taken from the Searchforsites website.

We are pretty much in the centre of the map and are the only CAMpRA aire for miles around.

Most of these sites only charge around a tenner or less per night and many are in fantastic locations. If you are planning a trip to Scotland please consider searching for, and using, CAMpRA aires.

If they are successful, more will follow and with many public car parks closing to overnight stays, they are needed now more than ever.

There is a large button on Search for Sites website that allows you to see the UK wide network, or you can 'search up' just Scotland using this link:

https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/advanced.php?partners=18&browse=true&country=Scotland&

If you use the Search for Sites App. Please consider syncing it so you have all the latest sites and reviews. If you haven't synced since June, you won't find us and many other great sites on it.

22/08/2024

Just wanted to say a quick hello to all our new followers who have liked the page recently. We have only been open a few months so it's been great to have met so many of you already and hopefully we get to meet more new faces over the coming months and years.

WHO WE ARE - ForbesCroft Huts & Motorhome Aire We are a small 3 space motorhome aire and let out our small cosy Shepherds Hut. We are based 2 miles from the village of a Lybster on the North East Caithness Coast, 15 miles south of Wick and 6 miles south of Whaligoe Steps

OPENING TIMES - We are open ALL YEAR ROUND

MOTORHOME COST - We have 3 price bands available to suit guests & cover your varying needs & setups ⬇️

£10 - overnight parking & freshwater ✔️
£15 - overnight parking, freshwater & EHU ☑️
£20 - overnight parking, freshwater, EHU & full bathroom facilities (rest assured you can stand in the shower for as long as you want, it'll only turn off when you press the off button 😅) ✅

*NO black waste disposal, but we do hope to add this service over coming 6 months

SHEPHERDS HUT - fully licenced with 👇

🛏️ 1 double and 1 single bed (bedding provided)
🍳 Cooking setup
🍷🍺 Small fridge
🚽🚾 Your own private bathroom block next to the hut (towels included)
🔥 Fire pit

**Will be advertised via air bnb as soon as our heating is installed 🔥 (in next couple of days)

FIND US ON - Facebook, Google, Instagram, Park4night, search for sites. Reviews available accross all these platforms.

If you have any questions please drop us a message and we will answer as quickly as we can. Happy travels

Aidan & Jess

20/08/2024

GREAT NEWS for ForbesCroft Huts & Motorhome Aire 🥳

We have finally been granted our short term let licence from Highland Council for our Shepherds Huts 😁

Jess and I have been super busy putting the finishing touches to our first hut and are just waiting on a few bits arriving to finish them off. Will share booking link in coming days.

A massive step forward and now sets us up for the remainder of the year, but in particular 2025, where we can continue to build on the success of the motorhome aire over past few months. We have more plans for the site but one step at a time 😅

Here's some pictures to give you a flavour of our sheperds Huts and the surrounding countryside here in Caithness.

19/08/2024

A couple of weeks back Sasha and her family found us via Park4night app when touring the NC500 in their motorhome.

They contacted us on their return home to Yorkshire to share some photos and left us an amazing comment. It really does make all the hard work worthwhile when you get feedback like this. So glad they enjoyed their night with us and look forward to meeting them again in the future.

Check out what they had to say about ForbesCroft Huts & Motorhome Aire in the photos below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

18/08/2024

We had this beautiful little stone left behind at our site recently by some guests to help spread some cheer. Just to confirm, Jess was delighted with the discovery and whilst she would have liked to keep it we did the right thing and let some guests discover it for themselves.

Delighted to say it's been taken on a journey by 4 youngsters from Barcelona who discovered it during a recent stay with us.

Not sure where it made it's way too but it's not the first time we have discovered these types of stones. Such a great idea and simple way to put a smile on someone's face during their travels.

15/08/2024

We missed our business of the week post last week so here it is.... Another gem to check out if you like the finer things in life, the amazing Northshore Pottery

Just 2 miles before the village of Lybster and directly opposite our previous business Forse Of Nature please check out some of Jennys amazing creations. Jenny and Bob are always on hand to help you out and answer any questions you may have and there's some truly beautiful and unique items available for purchase. Well worth a viewing when passing.

13/08/2024

Last night's skies

12/08/2024

Just wanted to do a quick post regarding chemical disposal.

At this point in time it is the one facility we DO NOT have in place for the Motorhome Aire but we are looking into it for the winter and going into next year if we can identify a suitable spot🤞. Please bear this in mind if you plan to book with us over the coming months.

We have had a couple of people empty it in our toilet which is disappointing as the chemicals required for black waste kill the natural bacteria needed for our septic tank to function properly (both blue and green chemicals). We have since put up signage to clarify this within our toilet blocks.

Thankfully this hasn't been a major problem but we just wanted to give some further info on the impact. We appreciate your understanding.

08/08/2024

It's always great welcoming people to our small site and having a wee blether. We often welcome people from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 but tonight's a bit different. So far we have a European duo with a van in from France 🇫🇷 (ideal when your wife is French) and our first Belgian 🇧🇪 motorhome.

Great to see so many Europeans out and about in the area, using the facilities and enjoying our amazing country. Think they are struggling with the temperatures but at least there's no midgies 😅

30/07/2024

In amongst the madness of the NC500 we also have loads of amazing local businesses in the area. We are going to give a shout out to one of them every week over the coming months and give you all some more ideas for places to see and things to do when visiting the area.

First up and literally 2 miles before the village of Lybster check out Forse Of Nature a great spot for some lunch, cakes or coffee/tea. They also have a large arts and crafts store and outdoor walks.

Check them out next time you are visiting. The cakes are delicious 😋

24/07/2024

With lots of people planning their NC500 trip over the coming months just another update.

For people who have asked we will be open ALL YEAR round to help cater for those of you who are travelling out of season. Still plenty availability over coming months as well if you'd like a nice overnight stop 😁

Prices Below ⬇️

Hardstanding & Freshwater - £10 per night
Hardstanding, EHU & Freshwater - £15 per night (& toilet subject to availability)
All of the above and full bathroom facilities - £20 per night (subject to availability)

Located on the North East Caithness Coast, 2 miles off the main route near village of Lybster. Find us on Google/Facebook/Search for sites/Park4Night to check out our location and reviews.

Amazing skies in summer and lots of chances to spot aurora during the winter months. Also just 5 miles from the world famous Whaligoe Steps

Message us to book your stay. We look forward to welcoming you on your tour of the Highlands.

22/07/2024

Epic night last night with a stunning sky and lots of deer roaming about the common grazing around the site 🌅

Can you imagine yourself sitting down here with the fire roaring and a nice little tonic. If the answer is yes then give us a shout and get yourself booked in.

21/07/2024

Toilet Blocks and Showers

I read about challenges people have had when touring and using showers at campsites. When I say challenges they were having to keep pressing the shower button to keep it running (talk about 1st world problems, albeit I feel their pain😂)

Anyway rest assured if you choose full bathroom option when visiting ForbesCroft Huts & Motorhome Aire you'll only need one press to get your shower going and only one press to turn if off again! No time limits, no hot water running out, just one consistently hot shower 🚿🚿🚿.

AND GUESS WHAT...... if you forget something in your van your travel partner can post it through the letterbox meaning you don't have to step out the bathroom block. The advantages of upcycling 😅. We knew the letter box front doors were going to serve a purpose 😂🚿🚾🚽🪥

Finally heres some photos of the two showers we have depending on what bathroom is allocated during your stay.

08/07/2024

Big sunset last Wednesday

06/07/2024

We get some absolutely amazing skies up here in Caithness, big red skies in the summer and amazing auroras during the winter. Here's a wee photo caught by Kevin one of our guests during the week. We will be sharing a couple more of Kevin's photos moving forward as he can definately capture a better photo than me 😂

04/07/2024

Summer holidays have kicked off here in Scotland and the NC500 will be kicking into peak season any day.

So if you need a a quiet rural overnight stop during your trip then keep reading as we only have space for up to 3 motorhomes/campers per night.

WHERE - Set just 2 miles from the main route near the village of Lybster on the North East Coast in a lovely quiet rural setting.

Here's what we offer ⬇️⬇️⬇️

CAMPRA accredited ⭐⭐⭐⭐Aire with 3 hardstanding Bays

COSTS

£10 - Hardstanding bay ✅ freshwater ✅ bins & recycling ✅

£15 - hardstanding bay ✅, EHU ✅, Fresh water ✅, waste and recycling services ✅ toilet (*subject to availability) ✅

£20 - all of the above plus full bathroom facilities including toilet, shower, indoor sink & outdoor sink for dishes ✅ (*subject to availability)

Local sights: Lybster Harbour, Waterlines Heritage Centre, Tasty Toes Seafood, Whaligoe Steps, Achavanich Standing Stones, Camster Cairns plus LOTS MORE!

Driving Instructions: Turn off A99 just before Lybster signposted Achavanich. Drive 2 and a half miles down the single track until the road begins to dip. You will see a ruin on your left hand side and a small cottage set back on the right. Pass the access to this and 50 yards beyond you will see an access for entering the site.

Alternatively use the what 3 words location app: crumples.trappings.chained

Amenities can be found in the village of Lybster including the local village shop, post office, heritage centre, cafe and hotel, playpark, harbour and golf course. Just ask for some ideas when you visit and we will be happy to advise.

02/07/2024

Busy weekend again refurbing the old shepherd's Huts.

We now just have the top cuts to do before we move onto repairing windows and doors. These should be done over coming weeks before Jess and I begin painting and decorating.

Still no official update from licencing dept but we are continuing to work with council to get open. Realistically it's going to be another 4 weeks but PROGRESS IS PROGRESS....🙄😅

30/06/2024

Some more changes this afternoon. This signage will see us through the next year or so until we are ready to invest in something a bit more grand. Thanks to our friend Mike for helping design it to our specs. It should certainly make us a bit more identifiable.

28/06/2024

Holes to dig and then hopefully have our new signage in the ground over the weekend. Hopefully clears up the entrance location for new arrivals as the site is slightly hidden by the dip in the road.

Jess has also been busy painting posts for new site gates which will happen over coming months but it's another small job done on the never ending list 😂

On to more cladding of shepherd Huts this weekend.

25/06/2024

Where do you research your sites when planning a trip and do you use any of the apps below?

It's nice to understand how people plan and organise their trips.

We can be found on the following motorhome apps, any I'm missing?

Search for Sites
Park4night
CamperContact

19/06/2024

When visiting the area why not head down to Lybster Harbour and visit Waterlines Lybster Heritage Centre.

Great opportunity to find out all about the history of the town, the harbour itself and the huge fishing trade that once existed here. Cake and hot drinks available as well as crab rolls on a Wednesday (I think, check their page to be 100%).

17/06/2024

Looking for a quiet rural overnight stop on the NC500 in your motorhome or camper? We are set just 2 miles from the main route near the village of Lybster on the North East Coast. Here's our newly revised offerings ⬇️

CAMPRA accredited ⭐⭐⭐⭐Aire with 3 hardstanding Bays

COSTS

£10 - Hardstanding bay ✅ freshwater ✅ bins & recycling ✅

£15 - hardstanding bay ✅, electric hookup ✅, Fresh water ✅, waste and recycling services ✅ toilet (*subject to availability) ✅

£20 - all of the above plus full bathroom facilities including toilet, shower, indoor sink & outdoor sink for dishes ✅ (*subject to availability)

Set just 2 miles off the NC500 near the village of Lybster and just 6 miles from Whaligoe Steps. Lots of other visitor landmarks within a 10 - 15 mile radius.

Driving Instructions: Turn off A99 just before Lybster signposted Achavanich. Drive 2 and a half miles down the single track until the road begins to dip. You will see a ruin on your left hand side and a small cottage set back on the right. Pass the access to this and 50 yards beyond you will see an access for entering the site. Alternatively use the what 3 words location app: crumples.trappings.chained

Amenities can be found in the village of Lybster including the local village shop, post office, heritage centre, cafe and hotel, playpark, harbour and golf course. Just ask for some ideas when you visit and we will be happy to advise.

15/06/2024

This little beauty arrived courtesy of CAMpRA UK Ltd yesterday. Hoping our new ForbesCroft signage will also be arriving this week so that we can get posts in the ground and make it easier for people to find us.

12/06/2024

Check out CAMpRA Scotland and CAMpRA UK Ltd page for a list of accredited motorhome aires. Some amazing hidden gems to be found and lots of other small stopovers you can support on your travels. A great resource when touring in your motorhomes and vans.

All locations are listed and can be found on search for sites (Web or app)

Reviews either via the app, social media or Google help us to ensure we can continue to develop our small aires and welcome more new guests in the future.

10/06/2024

Summers arrived in Caithness and we are hitting the dizzy heights of 8 degrees today 😂 💥💦💨

Despite the weather it's still great to welcome our guests from England and Germany and also have all three motorhome bays booked.

Despite the weather everyone's in great spirits and making the most of it! Enjoy your night folks. Slainte 🥃