Cologin Blog

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON!

2010-01-08T10:59:00.000Z

Hogmanay was fantastic. Cold, dry, clear and a partial eclipse of a 'blue' moon (pictured) all added to the atmosphere. The midnight bonfire and fireworks were great. The Brass Monkeys (as ever) were fab and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves despite the sub zero temperatures. We have not had a day above freezing for weeks!

Very happy to report that New Year's Day dawned sunny, bright and very, very cold and I at least did not have a hangover! Just as well as last year I missed our BBQ at the point and with such glorious weather I did not want to do the same again.
We have now drained down most of the lodges as there are not too many folk venturing north for a break with the conditions so severe and travel so difficult across the country. One or two burst pipes already but fortunately to lodges that were due for new kitchens and carpets this winter. It may be very pretty with the snow and frost but it is certainly challenging to try and keep the water flowing. I hope we have a thaw soon!

Alfie enjoying his first white Christmas

2009-12-26T20:46:00.000Z

Alfie, our Great Dane puppy enjoyed the snow - he tryed to catch snow flakes as they fell on the patio! The weather has been great over Christmas - sunny days bringing the frost to life and making the snow covered hills glow pink. It has been very, very cold. Minus 7 during the day and probably minus 10 at night. The ski resorts are all open and we may head up to the hills tomorrow. We spent a lazy Boxing Day recovering from too much food and drink on Christmas Day - just the one walk around the field for the dogs and then back to the fire. It was a lovely day and even better as we went out for lunch so no washing up!

Still some late vacancies for Hogmanay - and we intend to bring in 2010 with gusto. I for one will be glad to see the back of it as it has not been the best year for me health wise. Hopefully next year will be far better - it starts well with my 50th birthday bash at The Barn. I'm looking forward to it already.

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS

2009-12-16T08:56:00.000Z

The Christmas spirit must be getting to Jim as he rarely (if ever) gives anything away and today he has agreed that I can give customers a holiday from credit/debit card transaction supplements!

There have been such problems recently with cheques going astray in the post (a regular occurence during the Festive season) that we really want to encourage more of our customers to book and pay via the secure server. It seems only fair that we should make that cost free for guests - you can even look upon it as a saving as you don't have to post us a cheque. Of course, we can still take payment in the traditional way (including postal orders) but if you are reading this blog you are already online so presumably already familiar with online booking and payment.

We do have a couple of cancellations for Hogmanay week so if you have not yet booked there are a few spaces. The Oban Hogmanay Street Party may have been cancelled but at the Barn our celebrations are going ahead - and it's all free for our guests. Live music, midnight bonfire, fireworks - our usual Heath Robinson bad weather extension for the kids and pets etc and our usual excellent house party atmosphere.

We hope to see you over the Festive Season - if we don't have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Hogmanay Menu

2009-12-04T11:42:00.000Z

Just had a look at Andrew's Festive menus and both Christmas and Hogmanay look very tasty! I think we might just book ourselves a table for Christmas to save on all the bother or cooking a turkey. Hogmanay is usually a 'family hold back' situation as guests come first and tables are in big demand. We will probably do what we usually do and have dinner at home first and then go up to the Barn when the music and dancing starts. Our midnight bonfire this year will be spectacular as it is huge - I don't know where all these pallets have appeared from but they should certainly burn even if we get rain. Fingers crossed as ever for some good clear cold weather. Some vacancies left for both Christmas week and Hogmanay and this year for the first time we are accepting short breaks (4 and 5 night stays).

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE!

2009-11-21T11:47:00.000Z

Ironically, when the heavans have been more than generous with the supply of free water in the form of rain here are Cologin we have been battling with the construction of a new water treatment plant and all the groundworks that go with laying new water pipes from our collection well in the hills (fed by a natural spring) and the main tanks feeding the park, the Barn and all our houses. In fact, the loch at the top of our hill - Loch Gleanabhearaigh - forms the water resorvoir for Oban. So in a way we have the same water supply as the town centre - we just don't have a mains connection!

Our water has often been praised by guests as it is incredibly soft and as spring water it has a beautiful flavour. However, it can occassionaly take on a hint of colour from the peaty earth through which the spring emerges. The new filtrations system should sort this out and take the quality of our water to a standard that meets the latest EC regulation! Of course if we just bottled it at source we could sell it as Cologin Spring Water and it wouldn't need to meet any minimum standard! Such is the incomprehensible nature of the red tape that surrounds the EC.

First Frosts of 2010 at Cologin

2009-11-12T09:14:00.000Z

The Hash House Harriers filled the site to bursting last weekend and after they left on Monday morning Cologin appeared very quiet and tranquil! Personally, I love this time of the year. The Barn is on winter hours (Thursday pm to Monday pm) and mid week all I could see when out walking our (now very large) Grate Dane puppy were stars in the sky. It's been clear and cold at night with the first morning frosts appearing. Weekends still attract guests who come at this time of the year to relax and recharge their batteries. They can certainly find plenty of scenic spots to do that.

HASHERS DESCEND ON COLOGIN

2009-11-06T18:02:00.000Z

Edinburgh Hash House Harriers are here in force once again for their annual Oban weekend of fun and frolics - and a little bit of running! The group is 100 strong this year with a couple of overspill lodges down at Lagnakeil as well as taking over every chalet and lodge at Cologin. The byre has been cleared for a pre-dinner party (the group is too big for the Barn to feed in one go so all odd numbered chalets go first whilst the even numbered kick back in the byre and they they swop over). The band is booked for the post dinner bash and I will have to bring the horses in as this close to firework night there is bound to be fireworks!

DERBYSHIRE WEEKEND

2009-10-12T14:52:00.000+01:00

The Whisky Olympics (how the locals affectionatley refer to the National MOD) is in full swing and the weather is being kind with sunshine and blue skies. We're just back from a weekend away in Derbyshire and thoroughly enjoyed the change of scene. We were celebrating my father's 80th birthday with a surprise family get together (at Dove Farm Holiday Cottages) and came away impressed both with the countryside and the farm cottages. So much so that we are now looking at adding a private dining room/conference room to our facilities at Cologin. We have many family groups coming to us and whilst The Barn is a great location for everyone to get together, it has to be booked privately if you want to hold a conference/give a presentation of just have a bit more privacy. It really is good to get out and about and pick up other ideas from other businesses. If this one comes off it will be thanks to Dove Farm at Ellastone for the idea!

MOD WEEK MADNESS

2009-09-22T17:12:00.000+01:00

The MOD is just a few weeks away now and any choir that has left it until now to book accommodation will surely struggle in Oban. We have a small one bedroom chalet left but out large lodges have been booked for a year! It's 4 years since the MOD was last in Oban and it's fitting that it should return to its birthplace during Scotland's Year of Homecoming.

The End of Summer.....

2009-09-05T14:35:00.005+01:00

As I write this van loads of students are struggling to unload their kit in the driving rain that seems to have been a common theme of the last few weeks. August was a wash out weather wise and I can only admire the fortitude of those holidaymakers that 'dress for the weather' and manage to have a good time despite it. Certainly today is Autumnal and the longed for Indian Summer seems a long way off.

For my sins, I have been away in Glasgow from Monday to Friday for the last 6 weeks having treatment at the Beatson Centre. It's weird how you don't get a true feel for the weather in a city centre. Here you can see the weather changing as the clouds roll in and out. As I look over the hills I am guessing that within a few hours the present rain will have blown through. The disadvantage of living on the west coast is that we get the Atlantic fronts first - but then it does make good whisky and I have never watered a patio pot yet!

Alfie, our Great Dane puppy is now bigger than Lui the Lab - I guess I notice him growing as I am only home at the weekends. Katie, our eldest, did well in her exams and is off to Aberdeen Uni at the end of this month. The twins are back at school in Perth and the long summer holidays are becoming a memory. Jim and I need to sit down and work out our prices for 2010. We'll try to keep increases to a minimum and our returning customers will be able to cash in vouchers for all bar July and August bookings. If you don't get your voucher by email within the next month - get in touch. Technology is not infallible and sometimes emails go astray.

Max is now Alfie!

2009-08-01T10:01:00.002+01:00

The puppy has been renamed! Max just didn't do it for him and he refused to answer to it. We've gone with Alfie and he is much happier. Alf for misdemeanors, Alfie for praise and affection. Having had his second jag this week he has been allowed to meet a few of our visiting pets, including two huge Great Danes staying in one of our lodges. They were so big they simply put their heads over the stable door and looked out! At the moment as you can see from the photo, Alfie is still quite small. I wander how long that will last.

MAX JOINS THE COLOGIN CREW!

2009-07-26T20:31:00.002+01:00

Great excitement at Cologin this week as Max - our Great Dane puppy - took up residence at Cologin. He has already met most of the locals and is being shown the ropes by Lui (our old black lab) as he learns the rules of 'meet and greet' with our customers and more importantly their dogs. Lui is still top dog and ambles round the site checking out new smells and making friends with children. (Lui must be responsible for many black labs joining families on their return from Cologin!) We hope Max will follow his example and live up to his breed's reputation as a 'gentle giant'. Max's brother - Digby - is just down the glen at Lagnakeil, the pair together will be quite a sight.

Summer Season Starts

2009-06-15T18:58:00.003+01:00

After a busy last weekend in May and the welcome return of the Waverley seagoing paddle steamer to Oban , June got off to a relatively slow start despite superb early summer weather. Oban has pulled its finger out and the town has scrubbed up well for the busy season ahead with new banners, hanging flower baskets and a long overdue clean up of pavements and shopfronts.

It's always difficult to encourage business owners (and the Council) to spend money when times are uncertain but we must make sure that visitors come to Oban and leave happy and impressed as they then become Ambassador s for our town.

Bookings have been very up and down so far with everyone looking for a bargain and leaving it as late as possible to book. Many of the guest houses and B&Bs in town are full now for the summer but we still have a few properties left to sell. We held all our 09 prices at last year's level and online bookings trigger a late booking discount so those that are prepared to gamble can get a really good deal. Our summer rates in the two bedroom lodges are £550 - £625 peak season which is around £20 per person per night for a family of 4. Even cheaper just now. Add to that the Barn's excellent prices for drink (£2.80 for a gin and tonic, £2.70 for a pint and £2.95 for a glass of wine - those are the ones I know off by heart so don't tell my doctor) and a menu that makes the most of local produce and why go anywhere else!

On a personal note, I'm up and down the road to Oban rather more than I would like just now and as I write this I'm recovering from surgery - so if you book next week and you don't see me around Cologin you'll know why. Jim has no such excuse and he is holding the fort in my absence.

Arduaine Gardens Saved for 2009

2009-05-21T11:12:00.002+01:00

The campaign to fight the threatened closure to Arduaine Gardens near Oban has had an initial victory with the news that the Gardens will remain open for a year so that an endowment can be raised. The NTS announced today that The Jeniam Foundation has generously agreed to fund the deficit of the property for this period, enabling strenuous efforts to be made by all interested parties to fundraise. There is also a very generous offer from the McCoss family of an annual donation for the next 25 years. The Trust is in talks with the Loch Melfort Hotel to explore marketing opportunities and a new Friends Group has been formed to champion the garden. Anyone interested in supporting Arduaine Garden should contact the development team on development@nts.org.uk, or donations can be sent to Arduaine Garden, co Development Team, Wemyss House, 28 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4ET.

Help Save Arduaine Gardens

2009-04-02T15:10:00.003+01:00

The National Trust for Scotland is trying to 'mothball' Arduaine Gardens - one of the most spectacular gardens on the west coast - in a cost cutting exercise. You might be able to throw a dust sheet over an antique table but you can't just ignore plants and leave a garden to its own devices.

If you would like to join the fight to save Arduaine then please follow this link and sign the online petition. There is a one month consultation period and we hope that NTS will reconsider this ill thought out move.

www.ipetitions.com/petition/arduainegarden

Save Arduaine Gardens

2009-04-02T15:03:00.000+01:00

One of the glorious gardens of Argyll - Arduaine Gardens - is currently under threat of closure. The National Trust for Scotland is trying to save money by 'mothballing' some of its properties. How on earth they expect a garden to be mothballed I don't know. You can't just throw a dust sheet over the rhodies and expect them to survice. Gardens needs constant care and attention if they are to thrive and develop. If you have not been to Arduaine I would urge you to go now. This is a classic West Coast garden with some very important plant species and spectacular displays of rhododendrons. The setting itself is magnificent with some of the best views in Argyll. Many of our visitors make Arduaine a regular trip on their holiday itinerary and it seems very short sighted of NTS to even think of closing it.

If you feel strongly that this beautiful west coast garden should be kep open please follow the link and sign the online petition.

www.ipetitions.com/petition/arduainegarden

March Madness

2009-03-17T09:13:00.000Z

What a busy weekend! Jim had a big group of friends up from Glasgow and The Gaelic Singers were at Cologin for their annual weekend away. With a couple of lodges off for refurbishment (new kitchens and bathrooms) we only just managed to fit everyone in. Paddock Lodge was christened and appeared to offer very comfortable accommodation with new underfloor heating. Once we have got the hang of the system - initially it was a bit like walking on hot coals - the underfloor heating should maintain a pleasant ambient temperature. We think we have it cracked now and can't wait to test out the lodge for ourselves.

During the winter we try and sleep in every property on site. It takes some doing as there are 20 chalets and lodges and the farmhouse and cottage but we think it's important as, contrary to popular belief, people are usually reluctant to pass on 'negative' comments. We found a few beds that could do with new mattresses and noticed how much more condensation the 'new' double glazed window units produce. This is a big pain as the old windows were obviously drafty (which was bad) but that had a positive effect on keeping the properties aired and mould free. We had not appreciated that by improving the insulation we would increase the problem of condensation and we are now having to have air bricks built into the lofts to try to ensure that the chalets stay aired during the quieter winter months. You solve one problem and create another! If you are staying with us over the winter and you like your heating on full blast please don't close the ventilation slats otherwise you might find puddles on your window sills in the morning. Hopefully this problem will not be an issue in the summer, but in Scotland you never know!

Outwith Cologin the town is beginning to get busier as the yachting community get ready for the Spring. Sea kayaking has become big news in this part of the world and Oban is now a top destination for this sport. I love sailing but have not yet had a chance to try sea kayaking. My good friend Olga's husband Tony is a top kayak instructor so perhaps I will book myself a lesson once the weather is a bit warmer to see what all the fuss is about. Meanwhile my own husband is off on a bying trip for a new RIB. As usual I am completely in the dark and will have to wait and see what he appears back with.

Family ski holiday - Off Piste no but Pissed off certainly!

2009-02-20T12:35:00.004Z

Wow! Just back from skiing with the family and the bank account has been cleaned out. The strong Euro (or weak pound depending on your viewpoint) had made a huge difference to all those extra costs even for an inclusive chalet deal as we had. Lunch was never less than £100 for 5 of us and a beer in the evening cost £7.50 per pint. Wine was at least £20 per bottle and even the local dish of Tarte Flette (potatoes, bacon and Rebluchon cheese) was around £13! It was hard to enjoy eating out with prices so high but when your kids have been skiing hard all morning in -14 degrees you can't just ignore their lunchtime hunger.

So glad to be back in Oban - we went out for dinner a couple of days later to celebrate both being back in the home of seafood and shellfish (try eating fish in a ski resort - not a good idea) and having change left over after paying the bill. There was a time in Oban many, many years ago when you would struggle to eat our well in the winter. What a different story now. The range and quality on offer here (and open all year) competes on equal terms with the best in the central belt and as far as seafood goes, Oban is far superior. It's nice to see the restaurants here still busy in the winter. Visitors come to Oban all year round now and the tourism industry is far better geared to the off season than in previous years.

I hope the Europeans take full advantage of the weak pound and come and visit us - they will surely find us a very cost effective destination. If you are thinking of going to Europe for your summer holidays beware the costs! Even better, book a holiday in the UK - save money, get a gold star from the Green Lobby and do your bit to support the tourism industry. Go one better and come to Oban. Sometimes you have to go away to appreciate what you have on your doorstep but after a week in the Alps I am delighted to be back home.

New Website for Oban

2009-01-30T15:56:00.002Z

In my role as chair of the local marketing group - OLTA - for the tourism industry in Oban I'm feeling pretty chuffed that our new http://www.oban.org.uk/ website is up and running. It's always been very popular but now the back end of the site has been redesigned so users can select not only the type of accommodation they wish to stay in but also refine their search by criteria such as: distance from Oban, star rating, wifi access, pets welcome, children welcome and disabled access.

OLTA has a new logo too - as you can see it's brighter, cleaner and more contemporary than our old one. The marketing group has a lot of exciting projects on the go in 2009. We are carrying out a re-branding exercise for Oban, which will be positioned as 'The Seafood Capital of Scotland'. We're running full colour half page ads in the Herald and Scotland on Sunday and rolling this programme out to regional papers in Newcastle and Yorkshire.

There's also other exiting projects underway in Oban which OLTA supports:

Oban Bay Marine have full planning permission for their developement of a short stay marina in Oban Bay.

Dunollie House has a major event planned for Homecoming 2009 and its Heritage Centre plans are well underway

The new golf course development to the north of the town centre (between Connel and Oban) looks likely to go ahead

The cycle route between Oban and Fortwilliam has many sections completed already and work is underway on joining the various routes up

Oban Hogmanay's event was voted 3rd best in Scotland and is now a firm feature in the calendar

Homecoming 2009 sees plenty of events and festival in Oban this year so check out their website for full details.

If you have not been to Oban for a few years you will see many changes for the better in and around the town. For that matter, if you have not been to Cologin for several years you will find us much improved as well. In this business, as in life, you can never afford to stand still - otherwise you go backwards!

Happy Hogmanay!

2009-01-02T11:56:00.002Z

What a Hogmanay! The bonfire at Cologin was huge and with no wind and a lovely clear starry night (albeit very chilly) we brought in the New Year with flames, fun and fireworks. The Brass Monkeys played to a full crowd in the Barn and our 'Heath Robinson' extension provided extra space and room for the kids who could enjoy the music without coming into the pub itself. My dancing feet gave up around 4am but there were still plenty of folk around with more stamina bopping away when I left.

I blame my bout of flu but New Year's Day passed me by and for once I did not make it down to the point for the annual Glen BBQ. Such a shame as the weather was glorious - thick frost everywhere and lovely winter sunshine. In Oban. the street party went off without a hitch and my daughters report that numbers were around 7,000 so well done to the organising committee as there had been doubts that the town could support an event of that size. Having the Red Hot Chilli Pipers as the star attraction helped bring in visitors to swell the local numbers and with good weather the party certainly was a festive finale to the old year and a fitting start to the Year of Homecoming 2009.

It's now the 2nd January 2009 and a couple of chalets have already left with the majority departing tomorrow. We will then be very quiet for a few weeks - always a shock after Hogmanay with people everywhere. At least the weather has warmed up slightly as the clouds have rolled in this morning. It's still dry and the sky is still blue but I guess we won't see such heavy frosts overnight tonight. Now all I have to do it to catch up with the emails and bookings. A lot of our Hogmanay guests book for next year as they are leaving - which is lovely as we get to know them better each year. And that's one leaving now so I had better get back to work!

Happy Christmas!

2008-12-26T13:21:00.002Z

Not a white Christmas but a great one all the same! We celebrated in the Farmhouse with the Mossman family from Lagnakeil and an enormous turkey. Still feeling full and today is Boxing Day. The Barn was busy with Christmas Lunches and the usual stream of locals popping up for a pint whilst the turkey cooked. Not sure what's happening next door in the Barn today as so far I have not managed to move from in front of the fire. Today is definitely one for rest and recovery. Tomorrow we are back in full swing as most of the Hogmanay arrivals are due in. Surprisingly we still have a lodge free - that's not happened in many years. I guess the credit crunch is responsible and no one can foresee what will happen in 2009 but we rather hope that we will fill up with Europeans enjoying our weak pound. With European holidays looking like being very expensive and people holidaying at home we may have a bumper year but there is just no way of knowing. We have held all our prices for 09 and in fact prices are cheaper having adjusted the VAT rate so we hope to be busy. Just now I am quite happy to have a few days peace and quiet before the mayhem and madness of New Year. Of course the internet means we are open for business 24/7 but that's the beauty of online booking!

Some of our guests are heading in to Oban for the 'Year of Homecoming' Hogmanay Street Party in Tesco carpark , but for most (many of whom have been coming to Cologin at New Year for generations) the bells will be brought in with our traditional bonfire and fireworks with live music supplied by The Brass Monkeys and booze supplied by the Barn. Hangovers are optional but a good brisk walk to the point at Loch Feochan usually does the trick on New Year's Day.

I am already looking forward to it and just in case I forget on the day itself - Happy New Year!

Winter is Here...

2008-12-02T12:30:00.002Z

Wrap up warm if you are heading our way this week. Clear skies mean cold nights and whilst the main roads are well gritted the single track road into our glen requires care so don't speed! It's nice to see a bit of snow before Xmas. I can't remember a Christmas at Cologin when we haven't had a few flakes of the white stuff either before, during or after the turkey. I never make promises but my young neices assume that if they come to us for Christmas they WILL be building a snowman.

VAT change - new prices!

2008-11-24T18:20:00.002Z

Following today's announcement of a new VAT rate of 15% until January 2010 we have adjusted our accommodation rates to reflect the reduced rate. Let's hope it does stimulate business and encourages more bookings! Don't forget there are reduced VAT rates for long stays so if you are looking for a winter let whilst up in Oban on extended business give us a call and we can discuss your needs. We're open all year round at Cologin and although the Barn runs on winter hours (open from 5pm Thursday to 11pm Monday during the winter and open every day and night throughout the Christmas school holidays) there are always folk around and about.

Perhaps you want to get away from it all - we may be only 3 miles from the hustle and bustle of Oban town centre but at Cologin you truly do feel as if you are in a rural idyll away from the crowds.

Spa Break

2008-11-23T19:53:00.003Z

Just returned from a totally indulgent Spa break at nearby Isle of Eriska Hotel. Beppo's staff were wonderful and his lovely hotel justly deserves its five star status and reputation for understated luxury. With good company, superb food, a five star bedroom (with wonderful views) AND a relaxing ESPA hot stone body massage, swin, sauna and steam I have returned renewed, refreshed and reinvigoured -ready to face another week. We didn't see the legendary Eriska hotel badgers, but sitting in the bar after a fantastic dinner, sipping port and watching the snow gently falling outside the window was good enough for me. Slept like a log - surprised to find the gentle knock on my door was at 9am - I could have slept on. Breakfasted like a King this morning and pretended to swim it off in the pool. (It would take more than a few leisurely laps to work off black pudding, sausage, bacon, poached egg, tomatoe and mushroom. I should have stopped after the fresh fruit and yoghurt but how can anyone resist.) Got back to Cologin and considered the possibility of adding a sauna and steam room! Strangely enough Henry (who owned Cologin for 25 years before selling to us in 1999) had planning permission for a sauna - I guess that will have lapsed now but just might be worth having another look. In the meantime, guests here will just have to make do with our wildlife (loads of deer have come down off the hills to graze at lower levels this week), peace and tranquility. They can always pop into Oban and grab a sauna at Atlantis Leisure - I hear Oban Bay Hotel also does a very good massage in their Spa!

'Winter Warmers' - Special Offer and Price News

2008-11-13T18:00:00.003Z

Book any property from now up to 20th December and get an extra night for free! Book online and add Winter Warmer in the booking notes and we will adjust your rate to give you 3 nights for the price of 2 or 4 for 3 etc. So far we have not been able to incoroporate this into our online booking system so you will have to bear with us whilst our computer boffs work on the technical stuff! The late booking discount is already in place if you do only want 2 nights but if you want to stay on an extra night please book the correct dates online (or give us a call on 01631 564501) and we'll do the rest.

You'll also notice that we are no longer charging for extra bed linen - we'd like to! It just all got too complicated. If you are booking to use the sofa beds we will provide the extra bed linen for free - if you don't book the sofa beds, bed linen is only provided for the main beds (and they will be made up for your arrival).

All prices have been held for 2009 and in some cases we've applied a 'credit crunch' beating discount on off peak weeks and even early summer.