Self-catering chalets, log cabins, and cottages on a beautiful 38-acre estate.
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Self-catering chalets, lodges, log cabins, and cottage in a beautiful 38 acre estate in the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
18/11/2024
LONG . TABLE . FEAST . DISCOUNT .
Enjoy a ten per cent discount on a Long Table Feast this weekend – add a warm and cosy stay in one of our Lochend cottages and you’ve got the perfect winter treat!
The Long Table Feast this Saturday and Sunday offers the ultimate dining experience – sit back and enjoy a welcome drink and canapes and watch the chefs prepare your three course, Mexican themed meal, with 10% off the usual £59pp.
Starter: BBQ king prawn taco, guacamole, pico de gallo, jalapeno sour cream
Main: Proper beef chilli, Mexican rice, queso fresco, coriander and lime
Dessert: Tre leches cake, dulce leche, whipped cream
Our proud new addition to Lochend, the classily designed Cormorant, offers super views, gorgeous interiors – and a cosy getaway all year round.
It’s in its own wee nook, next to the Goodie Burn and woods; you can bathe in the hot tub while gazing at the stars or snuggle indoors in luxurious comfort!
Cormorant is a modernist box with all the high tech gadgets you’d expect, plus gorgeous designs from Scottish artisans and Swedish style masters .
For us it’s been a labour of love and years in the making, we hope our visitors love it as much as we do.
Our cosy cabins will keep you warm inside whatever the weather – and there’s availability this winter for a last-minute get-away-from-it-all break by the lake.
Heated, insulated, comfy and snug – nae wonder our visitors keep coming back, often just curling up inside and looking out at the trees, lake and wildlife. And we love reading your comments in the visitor books!
And we’re really lucky that within our estate is the amazing , now open Thursday to Sunday with menus combining modern Scottish cooking with global cuisines in relaxed, welcoming surroundings.
It’s a perfect start to the next half century at Lochend with the arrival of Orla – the first of our family’s fourth generation!
It all began in 1958 when Grandma and Grandpa Abell set up a park for caravans on the lake shore. Fifty years ago, their daughter Irene and her husband Jimmy Nairn bought the place and put in the first self-catering chalets overlooking the beautiful Lake of Menteith.
Now, Irene and Jimmy’s children and grandchildren are all working in the business in some capacity – while chef Nick Nairn runs the acclaimed Cook School on the estate and his wife Julia has a gorgeous lifestyle shop under the same roof.
We hope you like our wee photo of four generations – Irene, Victoria, Bunty and Orla.
31/10/2024
ULTIMATE . DINING . AT . NICK’S .
Check out the events on offer during November and December. From long table to the ultimate chef’s table dining experience, you can treat yourself or give a unique gourmet gift this season.
Long table events are the ultimate dining experience with Nick and the team in the Cook School Kitchen. Sit back and enjoy a welcome drink and canape and watch the chefs at work as they prepare your 3-course themed dinner.
Chef’s table events are a not-to-missed experience for up to 8 guests; it’s a culinary adventure as the chefs prepare a five course tasting menu showcasing the finest seasonal produce. Find out more: https://cstu.io/b66712
30/10/2024
PLAYING . AT . LOCHEND .
Autumn, winter, spring and summer – we love to see bairns of all ages enjoying the water, woods and play areas around Lochend.
The wee yins love the play houses, swings, giant chess set and trees – in sight of the cabins and just a shout away when it’s time for tea!
All ages enjoy a game of tennis or a match in the games room – table tennis, table football, pool and air hockey. And paddling, sailing, swimming, our brave guests are in the water no matter what the temperature!
Gorgeous colours on the lake and hills – and not too chilly for a wee dip!
No matter what the weather, our visitors love to take to the water and paddle, row or swim out across the lake. With only the ducks, geese and heron for company - plus the occasional leaping trout, it’s great nature therapy!
24/10/2024
GEESE . OVER . LAKE .
It’s a bonny sight when the geese fill the skies over Lochend, honking as they go and often resting on the lake, before taking off again on their travels.
We’re surrounded by sae much wildlife… ducks, cormorants, bats, deer, foxes, Osprey – not to mention the fish, which attract fishers from around the world for the National Trout Fly Fishing Championships .
It’s a haven for furry and feathered beasties – as well as for the humans who love the peace and beauty of the place and often share fantastic photos from Lochend, which we love to see.
20/10/2024
CORMORANT . INTERIOR . DESIGN .
Take a wee peek inside Cormorant – with gorgeous designs from and and a few additions from some of our own creative family!
Book here: https://cstu.io/4205b2
Our architect Darran Crawford helped us to create a modernist setting including a cantilevered first floor with seating area – and we wanted the décor and fittings to match.
Leading on the décor was Victoria, who fell in love with the eel design at Timorous Beasties and bought a pink velvet cushion and tea towels, which decided the colour palette and led to the idea of using the wallpaper down the double-height living space.
Cooper made the elm coffee table with an inset chess board, using wood from an ash tree near Topher’s house, which had to be felled. He also made the coloured ply-wood stools dotted around the house.
Huge congratulations to Bunty and Ralph on the arrival of beautiful Orla, first grandchild to Chris and Victoria - starting the next generation of our Lochend family!
Baby Orla arrived yesterday, causing loads of excitement among us all at Lochend! We’d like to say a massive thank you for all the love and good wishes – mum and baby are doing well and Orla is enjoying lots of cuddles as you can see in the pic with her papa Chris!
14/10/2024
CORMORANT . NOW . OPEN . FOR . BOOKINGS .
Cormorant is now available to book! Our licence has come through and we’re so excited to start offering stays in this very special chalet, tucked away at the edge of the estate, in its own private nook next to the Goodie Burn.
It’s been our dream to create this luxury chalet and after a few delays it’s finally ready for guests. With a totally secluded hot tub next to the burn and panoramic double-height windows looking onto the lake, it’s the perfect wee getaway for lovers of nature. And we hope you like the fabulous décor, chosen by Victoria to reflect the surrounding woodland and water – and a few other wee touches fashioned in wood by Cooper!
EELS . WALLPAPER . CORMORANT .
We love people’s reaction to Cormorant especially when they see the eels wallpaper from the clever folk Timorous Beasties
A pink velvet cushion and tea towels from Timorous Beasties became the colour palette and the eels wallpaper drops down the full height of the building on either side of the windows looking out on the burn.
Victoria designed the décor and brought in eels as these amazing creatures used to migrate in their thousands from the lake through the Goodie Burn that runs alongside Cormorant. A writhing mass would funnel through and in one night they’d flit off to the Sargasso Sea to spawn.
Around October the eels turn silver and about three days before the darkest night they set off. If there’s been heavy rain they can move out of water across the sodden land. When they arrive they spawn and shortly after the baby eels - “elvers” - set off on their journey back thousands of miles to the Lake of Menteith.
It’s a heroic journey but sadly the number of eels world-wide has dropped by as much as 90%.
We’re hoping to work with conservationists and build a new eel trap in the Goodie Burn next to Cormorant so we can monitor their movement. Guests are welcome to have a look in the trap and watch the start of this epic journey.
A big cheers and weel dane to the fab bands who entertained us ! And to everyone who came and enjoyed our first fringe event in the Callander Jazz and Blues Festival. Some of us had a wee jig too! Shall we do it again next year?
The fab bands playing in the Nick Nairn Cook School were:
The Allan McKeown Quartet
The Konrad Band
The Swell Belles
JazzMain
29/09/2024
AUTUMN . COLOURS. LOCHEND .
Awfy bonny here by the lake in the autumn…
29/09/2024
WATERSPORTS . AT . LOCHEND .
Paddleboarding has really taken off on the lake and it’s easy to see why… calm water (most of the time!) and stunning scenery. If you paddle far enough, you’ll get a peep at the ruins of a 13th century priory on Inchmahome Island – once a refuge for the young Mary Queen of Scots, fleeing from the English.
If you don’t have your own paddleboard or kayak you can get in touch with Roll Outdoors in Callander who provide all the equipment and will bring it down and also provide a lesson if you like .outdoors
28/09/2024
QUICK . UPDATE
Hello All - just a note to say that the time for the Allan McKeown Quartet Jazz show at Nick's on Friday 4th October is now 7pm.
All the shows are 2 hours. The performances will be inside in the Cook School (unless the weather stays fabulous).
There will be drinks and snacks to order. The full menu is also available in the restaurant.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
26/09/2024
FRINGE . AT . PORT . OF . MENTEITH
Come join us for a weekend packed full of great music and food.
We're excited to be counting down to our first fringe event with and !
Lochend Chalets and Nick's are hosting four fabulous jazz and blues bands over the course of the weekend after next.
Friday 4th - 7.00pm: The Allan McKeown Quartet�
Saturday 5th - 1.30pm: The Konrad Band�
Saturday 5th - 6:00 pm: The Swell Belles �
Sunday 6th - 1:30pm: JazzMain
Bands will be playing in the Nick Nairn Cook school where you can order drinks and snacks whilst watching live music.
Nick's restaurant will also be operating as normal through out the weekend. Each band will be playing for an hour so if you are wanting to eat a meal before or after then you can do so.
As we do expect it to busy we recommend booking via the link below.
Book for Nick's at Port of Menteith – Nick Nairn(nairns.co.uk)
Lochend has a long history and our story is just a wee slither of that history BUT the family have packed a lot of hospitality into the last 60-ish years of ownership!
Before Jimmy and Irene took over from Bill and Jenny (Abell) and built the Log cabins, there were caravans…and up to 16 jetty’s…motorised watersports were on the rise but sailing dominated.
So it’s always wonderful to welcome back customers who enjoyed Lochend under Great G & G Abell!
Anne Macfarlane, who now lives in Australia, has just come back for a visit for the first time since staying with her family the 70’s, who had a 4 berth caravan on a plot across from the, now, games room. She brought photos with her from 1972 when she stayed with her family…how cool are these!!!
We are so glad that even after all these years accommodation at Lochend still brings people back to stay!
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Videos
GEESE . OVER . LAKE .
It’s a bonny sight when the geese fill the skies over Lochend, honking as they go and often resting on the lake, before taking off again on their travels.
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We’re surrounded by sae much wildlife… ducks, cormorants, bats, deer, foxes, Osprey – not to mention the fish, which attract fishers from around the world for the National Trout Fly Fishing Championships @LakeofMenteithFisheries.
It’s a haven for furry and feathered beasties – as well as for the humans who love the peace and beauty of the place and often share fantastic photos from Lochend, which we love to see.
#lakeofmenteith #Holidays #tourism #chalet #scottish #LochendChalets #scotland #visitscotland #Lochend #edinburgh #glasgow #trossachs #Nicks #fishing #geese
CORMORANT . INTERIOR . DESIGN .
Take a wee peek inside Cormorant – with gorgeous designs from @timorous_beasties and @wallism_com and a few additions from some of our own creative family!
Book here: https://cstu.io/4205b2
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Our architect Darran Crawford helped us to create a modernist setting including a cantilevered first floor with seating area – and we wanted the décor and fittings to match.
Leading on the décor was Victoria, who fell in love with the eel design at Timorous Beasties and bought a pink velvet cushion and tea towels, which decided the colour palette and led to the idea of using the wallpaper down the double-height living space.
Cooper made the elm coffee table with an inset chess board, using wood from an ash tree near Topher’s house, which had to be felled. He also made the coloured ply-wood stools dotted around the house.
It’s been a long while in the making and a true labour of love… we hope our visitors love it as much as we do!
https://cstu.io/56f2a0https://cstu.io/b0eebe
#lakeofmenteith #Holidays #tourism #chalet #scottish #LochendChalets #scotland #visitscotland #Lochend #edinburgh #glasgow #trossachs #Nicks #wallpaper #interiors #architecture
Cormorant walk-through
CORMORANT . NOW . OPEN . FOR . BOOKINGS .
Cormorant is now available to book! Our licence has come through and we’re so excited to start offering stays in this very special chalet, tucked away at the edge of the estate, in its own private nook next to the Goodie Burn.
.
.
.
.
.
It’s been our dream to create this luxury chalet and after a few delays it’s finally ready for guests. With a totally secluded hot tub next to the burn and panoramic double-height windows looking onto the lake, it’s the perfect wee getaway for lovers of nature. And we hope you like the fabulous décor, chosen by Victoria to reflect the surrounding woodland and water – and a few other wee touches fashioned in wood by Cooper!
Be one of the first to experience our dream chalet – book at https://cstu.io/da3865
With thanks to @timorous_beasties and @wallism_com for their fabulous designs.
https://cstu.io/662e08https://cstu.io/eff9b6
#lakeofmenteith #Holidays #tourism #chalet #scottish #LochendChalets #scotland #visitscotland #Lochend #edinburgh #glasgow #trossachs #Nicks #luxurychalets
A big cheers and weel dane to the fab bands who entertained us @NicksatPortofMentieth! And to everyone who came and enjoyed our first fringe event in the Callander Jazz and Blues Festival. Some of us had a wee jig too! Shall we do it again next year?
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.
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The fab bands playing in the Nick Nairn Cook School were:
The Allan McKeown Quartet
The Konrad Band
The Swell Belles
JazzMain
#Holidays #tourism #chalet #scottish #LochendChalets #scotland #visitscotland #experience #Lochend #edinburgh #glasgow #trossachs #october #jazzandblues #jazzandbluesfestival #nicks
UPCOMING . JAZZ . AND . BLUES . FESTIVAL
After a very successful weekend at Nick's foodie festival we are getting very excited for the Jazz and Blues festival in October! Nick’s at Port of Menteith is a perfect location for events, with inside and outside space and being just a stumble away from our cozy cabins, it couldn’t be more perfect. Our cabins are booking up quickly for the weekend of the Jazz festival so if you are interested in joining us then book soon to avoid disappointment.
https://www.lochend-chalets.com/booking/
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#LakeofMenteith #stirling #portofmenteith #visitscotland #LochendChalets #Holidays #glasgow #scotland #lakeside #nicks #october #jazzandblues #jazzandbluesfestival #visitScotland #booknow
V I S I T O R . R E V I E W
Dianne P. visited us in March 2024 and had such lovely things to say about her stay! ☺️
If you are visiting us soon or have visited us recently, please leave a review where you can. Might not seem like much, but reviews help our team understand what works, identify what doesn't, and improve the overall guest experience. We want you to have nothing short of the BEST time visiting Lochend Chalets!
Book your next holiday:
www.lochend-chalets.com
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#Lochend #Chalets #LochendChalets #VisitorReview #CustomerReview #holiday #holidays #vacation #lakeside #scotland #loch #summer #visitscotland #scottish #stirling #glasgow #edinburgh
B E F O R E // A F T E R
When Great-grandma and Great-grandpa Abell first moved to Lochend there was still a lot of farm equipment and out-buildings, one of which was... The Piggery!
It was a big open shed which housed Grandpa Nairn’s catamaran and Uncle Topher's Cadillac (to name but a few of the oddities) when we were young! It was waiting to be developed but first it was used for the Lochend Millennium Party.
Days after (when everyone was less fragile) the build/conversion work started and the Nick Nairn Cook School was born! It was run just as a cook school until 2018, but over the last six years it has evolved tremendously. Pizzas by Paul through COVID lockdown... to a wonderful family restaurant... and now with fully refurbished Cook School!
It is a massive asset to have so close to Lochend -- and delicious, too!
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#LochendChalets #Lochend #Stirling #NickNairn #NicksPOM #scotland #holiday #beforeandafter #50years #chalet #lakeside #history
T H E . P L A Y H O U S E 🏠
Cooper has been busy! He is the brilliant mind behind the construction of our new playhouse, built to replace the old version that was sadly blown down during the storms.
Still have a bit of work left, but here is the progress so far -- and the original drawing that he has been working from!
Do you remember the old playhouse? Can you share any of your favourite memories?
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#LochendChalets #scotland #holiday #playground #newconstruction #rebuild #scottish #stirling #booknow
E a r t h . D a y 🌎
Tomorrow we celebrate Earth Day. At Lochend Chalets, our commitment to eco-friendliness and environmental stewardship remains steadfast. We encourage our guests to be thoughtful about our environment when staying with us, from recycling initiatives to being conscious of energy usage.
There is so much natural beauty at Lochend, and we want to keep it that way for as long as we can! If we look after our planet we get to enjoy everything it provides for us like our beautiful plants, amazing creatures and fresh air!
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#Lochend #LochendChalets #EarthDay #EarthDay2024 #Scotland #luxuryholiday #holiday #visitscotland #ecofriendly #sustainable #booknow
Happy Mother’s Day! 🌸
For us, Mother’s Day means a long lie and breakfast in bed with homemade cards and some freshly picked daffodils to give our Mum’s that little bit of relaxation that is much deserved… before they inevitably run around after us all again!
If you are staying with us for Mother’s Day, then why not take Mum out for some lunch at Nick's or along to The Woodhouse Kippen for coffee and cake?
If you’re not staying with us, then here is a wee clip of the tranquil Lochend shores to help you relax!
Lots of love to all the mothers out there. 💕
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#MothersDay #Lochend #LochendChalets #Scotland
World Wildlife Day at Lochend
🌿 Happy World Wildlife Day from the enchanting shores of Lochend Chalets!
We're not just a destination; we're also a haven for Scottish wildlife! Nestled amidst the breathtaking Scottish landscape, Lochend Chalets is teeming with incredible creatures that make every moment here truly magical.
🦢 Glide through the day as elegant swans and playful ducks grace the serene waters, creating a symphony of gentle ripples. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive otters, their playful antics adding a touch of whimsy to the lake shore!
🐿️ Venture into the woodlands surrounding Lochend Chalets, and you might spot the rustle of copper-red tails—the charming red squirrels dashing through the trees with boundless energy.
🦌 As the sun sets, watch in awe as majestic deer gracefully emerge from the shadows, their silhouettes adding a touch of wild elegance to the twilight hours.
Share your wildlife experiences at Lochend with us! We love to see you discovering & meeting our natural neighbours.
And don't forget to reserve your chalet for your next holiday! ⬇
www.lochend-chalets.com
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#WorldWildlifeDay #LochendChalets #luxury #holiday #scotland #scottish #wildlife #booknow #outdoors #scottishwildlife
A sneak peek into one of our Nooks!
Heron and Osprey have these secret little spots -- perfect for curling up with a book and taking some time for yourself. Also makes for a great hidey-hole for the kiddos!
Tough to really appreciate them though video, so it might be worth you booking a holiday to experience them for yourself...!
www.lochend-chalets.com
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#lochend #lochendchalets #holiday #luxury #nook #scotland #scottish #visitscotlnd #edinburgh #glasgow #stirling
Lochend is a beautiful, 38-acre estate at the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, an area steeped in history and striking natural beauty. Hidden away on a tranquil corner of the Lake of Menteith, with spectacular views across the water to Ben Lomond, our waterfront self-catering chalets, log cabins, lodges and cottage have free WiFi throughout, and offer a peaceful countryside escape. Lochend Chalets has been run by the same family since our beginnings in 1974.
A perfect place to relax and unwind, Lochend also has a tennis court and games room, a bike park and rowing boats, and is home to the Nick Nairn Cook School as well as wildlife in abundance. Only an hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh, we lie almost right in the middle of Scotland, so it’s a great base if you're looking to tour the wonderful Scottish countryside, with the Highlands and Islands, St Andrew's and Cairngorms all just a daytrip away.
Our family has been at Lochend since 1958, when Grandma and Grandpa Abell set up a park for caravans. In 1974, their daughter Irene, and her husband, Jimmy Nairn, bought the place over, and put in the first self-catering chalets overlooking the Lake of Menteith.
Keeping the family tradition alive, Jimmy and Irene's youngest son, Topher, bought the business upon their retirement in 1987, and in 1996, was joined by me, his sister, Victoria, and my husband Chris, a keen woodsman. In 2003, our cousin Kate MacKechnie joined the team, returning to Lochend after a childhood split between Africa and Kent. On the odd busy Saturday, mum and dad - Jimmy and Irene - can still be seen brandishing a cleaning cloth!
Not far from our lochside cabins, cottages and lodges, in what had been a piggery when Grandpa bought Lochend in 1962, the internationally acclaimed Cook School was established in 2000 by my brother, Nick Nairn. A stylish, state-of-the-art building and five-star visitor attraction, the Nick Nairn Cook School is well worth a visit when you're here, if only for the small but dangerously tempting shop at reception.
From landscaping and gardening, to fencing and grass-cutting, we try to do as much maintenance as possible ourselves. However, having lived here at Lochend for over 50 years, we have an amazing troop of local tradesmen to call on when our basic skills let us down, as well as armies of keen Trossachs teenagers, who come in to clean at weekends.
