I normally am all too eager to go anywhere my editor Jo wants to send me. But when I was asked to go spend a long weekend at a caravan park…….in Scotland……in Autumn I had some reservations. Namely the weather and the fact I had never actually stayed in a caravan before.
I am pleased to tell you my reservations were unfounded. I had been booked into the Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge and Glamping park, Crieff and we would be staying in one of their 2 bedroom Traditional Lodges complete with an electric hot tub. And I have to say we were not disappointed.
The lodge itself had everything you could need or want for a long weekend. One bedroom had a very comfortable double bed and the other had two equally as comfortable single beds. A bathroom with shower and fitted kitchen that may have been small (it is a lodge after all) but had everything you could possibly need in it. There was also a living room with pull out sofa bed, dining table and television.
As we had arrived fairly late on the Friday evening (quite a drive from Yorkshire) we used the self check in service at the parks main entrance and everything was where I was told it would be so finding the keys and the lodge was a breeze.
Having arrived in dark (it is very dark at Braidhaugh due to practically zero light pollution considering its close proximity to the town but more about that later) the following morning was our first chance to see exactly where we were and take in the magnificent scenery that surrounds the park. The park itself has far more to offer than luxury cabins and lodges. If you are lucky enough to own a camper van, you will
find ample pitches with everything you would anticipate including log-fired hot tubs.
The park also boasts a light and airy reception area and a shop that stocks any essential items you may have forgotten, there is a bar that offers alcoholic drinks and coffee that can be taken on the deck in summer or by the fire in the colder months. And if fishing is your thing (as mine is) then you can purchase a fishing permit from the park allowing you to fish the river Earn for Grayling, Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown trout (check for seasonal availability). And as a keen fly fisherman, I can say these are some of the clearest waters I have seen.
There are plenty of hills and walks to choose from in the area. The Knock of Crieff, a wooded hill with a short but very steep walk stands guard over the town and is accessible from the town centre.
The Sma’ Glen is a scenic glen in central Perthshire, located 5 miles (8 km) to the north of Crieff. The fast flowing River Almond runs along the narrow valley floor and the glen itself, is rather small, at only 4 miles (only?) in length. The Romans built a fort and watchtower here, General Wade built a military road here in the 18th century and the glen featured in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire.
If mountain biking, hiking or climbing are your thing, then this is the place for you. There are guided tours and activity centres in abundance or you can hit the trail yourself.
However, for us it would be something more sedate and less “hilly” or so we thought. A short drive from Braidhaugh there is the village of Comrie that sits on the river Lednock. From the car park in the west end of the village, you can follow this path to visit the Little Cauldron, where the river cascades into a deep pool in a low rocky gorge; it is well fenced.
Following the path and a flight of steps leads down to the viewpoint for the Deil’s (or Devil’s) Cauldron itself, where the river Lednock emerges from a rock-walled gorge in a double cascade into a wide pool. The autumnal colours in the trees made this waterfall even more spectacular.
Now, from here you can walk up a fairly steep incline to the Melville Monument. But seeing as the fittest member of our group was a Pabs (a small terrier with energy levels far beyond his diminutive stature) I decided we should go back the Braidhaugh and explore the Crieff in further detail.
A short and rather scenic walk from the park you can find Crieff town centre. A spa town popular for well over 100 years with any number of amenities you could hope for. Bars, restaurants, galleries and shops adorn the streets. As we had walked for nearly a full two hours, we decided to try one of the many local eateries. We opted for The Meadow Inn. This was a lovely local pub and even though they were busy
with large party booking, simply couldn’t do enough for us. I can highly recommend the chicken Balmoral and the Cruzcampo (a Yorkshireman who likes fishing and beer, who’d have thought it?).
We then went to the local supermarket to stock up on “supplies” before returning to our lodge to try the Hot Tub. This was once again a new experience for me. But after a day of exploring, walking, eating and drinking, it was the perfect way to end a perfect day. With a crystal clear sky and, as I mentioned little to no light pollution, sitting in that hot tub with a single malt in hand from the Glenturret Distillery I was more relaxed and at ease than I had been in long time. This may have been the whiskey, the food the autumn walk or the drive from Yorkshire. But id like to think it that, being a city boy, to feel as close to nature and to be able to see as far the Andromeda Galaxy, I truly felt unwound.
Sunday was a late start (obviously) and with a cooked breakfast of Scottish heritage, it was time to take in Crieffs many attractions. The choices were abundant. The many artisan shops one of which was entirely dedicated to chocolate AND whiskey as if you needed any other reason to go there??? One of several distillery tours including the oldest distillery in Scotland, galleries, museums and even a shop dedicated to Christmas. As a man who likes to put his Christmas decorations up(…….in the loft until no sooner than a week before Christmas) imagine my disappointment when this was closed.
Finally, my wife and I agreed to tour the shops. A more pleasant afternoon and relaxing Sunday afternoon I could not imagine. With a final walk along the river we returned to our luxury lodge to prepare for the
drive back on Monday.
In short the point is this, if you are looking for adventure, thrills, culture, fishing, fine dining, hiking or simply a reset you would be hard pressed to find a more comfortable location than Braidhaugh Holiday Lodge and Glamping Park in Crieff. It truly has it all and the best part is there are no flights involved. A late booking on a spur of the moment decision or a long pre planned break this park is perfect. I cant
wait to see it in summer!
Braidhaugh Holiday Park, South Bridgend, Perth & Kinross, Scotland PH7 4DH www.facebook.com//braidhaugh/
Words By Dan Riley