Dark skies in the Highlands

Imagine being able to see a full 360 degree view of the night sky. Imagine it being so dark you can pick out the constellations and see the wispy trail of the Milky Way stretch out before your eyes.

Well, imagine no more. Come to the Highlands and see for yourself. For the Highlands are dark sky country, a rural, wilderness area with a serious lack of light pollution. The result is night time skies that are inky black, not suffused with an orange glow from myriad street lights.

Get out of the main urban areas and street lights are relatively few and far between, with the result that it’s all too easy to get a crick in the neck trying to take in all the stars. Unlike in built up areas, where you are left with a small patch of sky between buildings, in the Highlands you can see the night skies from horizon to horizon.

According to Dark Sky Scotland, a partnership body led by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh Visitor Centre, Scotland has some of the largest areas of dark sky in Europe. And the Highlands are by far the largest. So much so, in fact, that in March 2009, Glen Nevis, near Fort William, became one of the world’s first two Dark Sky Discovery Sites. The status, awarded by Dark Sky Scotland, has now been extended to ten other locations.

Dark Sky Discovery Sites are places that:

• are away from the worst of any local light pollution
• provide good sightlines of the sky
• and have good public access, including firm ground for wheelchairs.

These sites can be found at Cabrach in Moray and in Skye and Lochalsh at Trumpan, Stein Jetty, Knockbreck, Kinloch Forest, Kylerhea, Camas na Sgianadin, Clan Donald Steadings, Clan Donald back lawn, Clan Donald front lawn and Glen Nevis.

In reality, though, pretty much everywhere in the Highlands as can be seen from the Dark Sky Scotland map enjoys starry nights, free from urban sprawl and its inevitable dull glow of street lights.
The sites selected by Dark Sky Scotland, all handily located for Gael Holiday Home properties, have their top “Milky Way” rating. These are sites where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye and are much darker sites found only in more rural areas.
So what is the big difference between your back garden and the Highlands of Scotland?
On a clear night, most people will be lucky if they can see a hundred stars with the naked eye. Come to the Scottish Highlands and you can easily multiply the number of visible stars by a factor of ten!
Head to the northern most reaches of the Highlands and, if you are lucky, you may even get the opportunity to witness the celestial wonder that is the Aurora Borealis. Also known as The Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis is an iconic natural light show caused by the collision of charged particles directed by the Earth’s magnetic field.

You don’t need to be Sir Patrick Moore to appreciate the night sky in its full glory in the Highlands. To the layperson, seeing a ‘high resolution’ night time sky is a bucket list activity. To the astronomer, it may even be a good reason to up sticks and head north to live. In the meantime, check out the Highland Astronomical Society website and plan to get here before the long summer days kick in.

The Highlands in Winter

The Scottish Highlands, it is often said, are an outdoor playground. Perfect for self catering holidays, the biggest secret is that they are ideal for holidays at any time of year – even in winter.

For the jaded palate of today’s urban dwellers in need to fresh air, open space and dramatic skies unspoilt by the built environment, the Highlands of Scotland are the much needed antidote to stress, pollution and overcrowding. If you are tired of commuting, traffic jams and all the other ills of modern urban living, then set your sights on holidays in the Scottish Highlands. Your lungs – and spirits – will thank you. Trust me on this.

As someone who regularly plays host to people from ‘down south’, and that’s very much a catch all phrase in reality, the one thing that strikes them most is the gentle pace of life. Even mañana has too many connotations of urgency about it.

The laid back environment we are so good at creating clearly makes holidaying here a rare pleasure, a chance to completely unwind, recharge the batteries and enjoy the moment in all its 360 degree splendour. In fact, on more than one occasion I’ve been told, “The Highlands are the one place I feel I can completely relax.”

And who’s to disagree? The Scottish Highlands are a huge wilderness itching to be explored. They are a heather-clad wonder of mountains, glens, wide open spaces and deserted beaches. So why put it off and miss this unique, iconic region? For, if anything, the Highlands are at their most dramatic in winter.

While we do boast some of the most outstanding scenery anywhere in the UK, there are tons of things to do and see.

Winter is here and that means snow. Skiing, snowboarding and hillwalking are just some of the fantastic range of activities the Highlands has to offer. Action and adventure await your inner adrenaline junkie. You can be assured of that.

There are five major ski resorts in the Highlands. They are world famous and attract visitors from across the UK and all over the globe wishing to experience the extraordinary variety of challenges and fun that can be had out on the slopes.

There is also a rich heritage and culture here that is sharply distinctive having been shaped by the twin influences of the Scots Gaelic language and the Old Norse of the Viking era. Even today these cultural factors still resonate in the place names, the music, story telling, the arts and the ceilidhs that take place across the region.

There is a regular programme of events the length and breadth of the Highlands at this time of year, thanks, in part, to the long winter nights. Celebrating a culture that is unique and special, the one thing you will be guaranteed of wherever you go is a warm welcome.

Locals and visitors enjoy a varied calendar of events during the winter, and you may even get the chance to sample a wee dram of whisky in its native home or have a go at some traditional Scottish dancing.

And the winner is

Following a recent trip to Inverness, staying at Apartment 404 By the Bridge in Inverness, Mr Lachlan Simpson is now planning another unexpected visit back to the Scottish Highlands. Mr Simpson, from Paisley, had been giving his feedback on a Gael Holiday Homes guest satisfaction survey following his stay, and was automatically entered into our prize draw. Said a surprised Mr Simpson: “I think this is the first competition I’ve ever won.  I wasn’t even aware I was even entering a prize draw, I just thought I was filling in the customer satisfaction survey.”

Winning a £250 evoucher for a future Gael Holiday Homes accommodation booking Mr Simpson remarked “The apartment was excellent, well located, and excellent for entertainment and restaurants. We were quite fortunate when we were staying in July that the Highland Games were on, so we took that in on the Saturday and it all worked in very nicely for us.”

Concluded Mr Simpson: “If the rest of Gael Holiday Homes properties live up to the standard of the one we were in – and I’ve no doubt they are – then no-one should have anything to worry about.”

Les Robinson from Gael Holiday Homes said “we are delighted with the response to our guest satisfaction survey over the last year. This gave us the information we needed to add guest comments and accommodation ratings to our website and feed suggestions and recommendations back to accommodation owners represented on our website. We will certainly continue with the programme and prize draw for next year and are very grateful to all those you responded”….read the full story on our website.

Short breaks in Inverness

Despite the current economic situation city breaks in Inverness are as popular as ever with bookings so far this year at an all time high. With guests coming from as far afield as China, Japan and Australia we are delighted to see Inverness and the Highlands in the top league for ‘places you must visit’.

Our By the Bridge  luxury city centre holiday apartments with views across the River Ness and Inverness Castle are a great place to stay for a few days or longer. New to our Gael Holiday Homes website are a couple of 1 bedroom apartment gems; King Street Apartment and The Old Court Apartment – both minutes away from the centre of town and both with free parking and free Wi-Fi internet access so you can keep up to date with your email or what’s happening on Facebook.

Also new for the Autumn and available to book from August onwards are Braevellie Apartments – 2 great fully refurbished apartments offering the best of quality. Located in the Crown area of Inverness the apartments offer modern facilities with contemporary styling set within a traditional characterful property.

For guests looking for something a little more out of town we have holiday cottages and self catering holiday homes in the city and on the outskirts.  Inverness has a wide variety of clubs, bars, cafes and restaurants to ensure you don’t have to cook if you don’t want to.

With prices from £55 per night why not come and stay in Inverness and see why everyone rates Inverness and the Highlands as one of the best places you can visit.

There aren’t many places left in the UK where you can enjoy traditional values and genuine hospitality in a modern, clean and safe cosmopolitan setting. Inverness has it all – book your break now.

Black Isle Wildlife Park – escaped Wallaby returned

A wallaby has been returned to a park in the Highlands after it escaped and was captured two days later.
The three-year-old called Joey sparked calls to the police from concerned motorists who saw the animal on roads close to the Black Isle Wildlife Park.
Park staff managed to catch the wallaby in a net and he was checked by a vet over the weekend.
He was treated for a cut to his nose inflicted during a run-in with a flock of sheep after jumping into a field.

Thanks to Richard Renwick for the picture.