News

Things to see around Rhumhor Holiday Lodge – The Grey Seals

August 16, 2011March 8, 2012 / Bayleaf

One of the great things about staying on Loch Goil is the wild life on your doorstep. We saw some of our favourite creatures yesterday as on the loch between Carrick Castle and Lochgoilhead is a grey seal colony.

The easiest way to see the seals relaxing on the rocks is to hire a motor boat and view them from the sea. The boats are easy to drive, have a cover and take up to eight people so they are ideal for a day trip out.

The seals are just a few minutes away from the boat hire jetty and they really do let you get quite close. Provided you are quiet they lie there and pose for photos, maybe raising a head to look at you or flapping their flippers. We counted 14 seals in the colony yesterday, some of them obviously young pups.

When you stay at Rhumhor Holiday Lodge you’ll find details of how to book a boat in our information pack, or you can visit the website www.lgc-motorboathire.co.uk for more details.

Things to see around Rhumhor Holiday Lodge – The Waverley Steamer

August 2, 2011October 31, 2011 / Bayleaf

The Waverley is a beautiful sight as she turns in front of the castle, showing off her towering funnels and deck packed full of people.

The Waverley was built on the Clyde in 1947 to replace the original Waverley that sunk off Dunkirk in 1940. In 2003 she underwent a major restoration project that returned her to original 1940’s style.

Currently we have the pleasure of a visit from The Waverley once a week, as she explores the sea lochs and west coast of Argyll.

Things to see around Rhumhor Holiday Lodge – Search for Clappy Doos

July 29, 2011November 2, 2017 / Bayleaf

If you are coming to see us at Rhumhor Holiday Lodge you can search for Clappy Doos!

Whatever are those I hear you ask? Clappy Doo is a name for the large black mussels that were found in huge amounts around the shores of Loch Goil, people used to travel from Glasgow to collect them. Researching the term on the internet shows that it is probably from the Scottish Gaelic words of ‘clab’ meaning enormous mouth + ‘dubh’ meaning black.

You’ll find clappy doo and mussel shells everywhere. In the garden, on the road and of course on the beach. The sea gulls here like to take the shellfish and drop them onto a hard surface to access the tasty morsels inside.

Of course while you are out on one of the lovely walks around Carrick you may wish to collect some mussels or even Clappy Doos if you find them, for yourself! If you just fancy a tasty meal of mussels without cooking them yourself then why not visit the famous Loch Fyne Oyster Bar which is a short drive away.

Things to see around Rhumhor Holiday Lodge – Carrick Castle

July 15, 2011October 22, 2013 / Bayleaf

I am going to write a short series of things you may see when you visit us here at Rhumhor Holiday Lodge.

The first, and most obvious thing to see is of course the castle which gives our village its name. It is thought that the current building could be the third structure to have occupied this site. The first being a Viking fort and the second possibly a hunting lodge for the Scots King. It was originally owned by the Lamonts but passed to the Campbell Earls of Argyll.

It has witnessed some significant moments in history. The castle was given to Henry “Hotspur” Percy by King Edward 1st however in 1307 Robert the Bruce drove Hotsupr from the castle.

The structure you see today was built in the 15th century and was the symbol of power for the Earls of Argyll in this area. In 1563 it was visited by Mary Queen of Scots.

In 1685 the castle lost its roof when it was bombarded by HMS Kingfisher during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against King James Vii.

Today the castle is privately owned and undergoing a slow restoration. It once again has a roof and glass in some of the windows.

Source: Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrick_Castle.

Rhumhor in Days Gone By….

June 26, 2011April 20, 2015 / Bayleaf

Rhumhor was built in 1890 and is typical of the villas that were built as holiday homes in Carrick Castle following the establishment of a regular steamer service on Loch Goil. Wealthy businessmen would bring their families to Carrick Castle in the summer months and commute on the steamer to Glasgow or Greenock. There was no road access to Carrick Castle as there is today. The road came through to Carrick in 1938, a year before the war started.

In the 1920’s the Duncan family owned Rhumhor and architect Magnus A. Duncan extended the house, adding several baronial features, including attractive turret windows.

Two of the bedrooms, the single room and the master double bedroom, have these turret windows. They are a beautiful addition to the property and really enhance its unique appeal.

The house was surrounded by carefully designed gardens and our large family room was originally a tennis pavilion that over looked tennis courts and an orchard beyond.

It is not hard to imagine members of a house party taking tea there on a balmy summer’s day while players in whites drifted in and out from the tennis court outside – now long gone.

This room is a place where our guests can gather, relax and enjoy each other’s company. They can still walk out from the French doors onto the decking and enjoy the garden and wonderful loch views. We think this is very much in the spirit of the way the room was intended to be used.

Today Rhumhor Holiday Lodge is once again a holiday home for the discerning holiday-maker. A house full of history and character in a location that retains the peace and tranquillity of times gone-by.

Staycations – Loch Goil is the ideal destination!

June 8, 2011August 12, 2011 / Bayleaf

A recent survey of UK holidaymakers reveals that in 2011 there will be 10% more holiday makers choosing to stay in the UK for their annual holidays and short breaks. The threat of ash clouds, airline price increases and unrest in many foreign countries has turned the UK holidaymaker’s eye back to their very own British Isles. Tourists are looking for destinations that offer a little bit of everything – a place for relaxation, entertainment, coast and country and here on Loch Goil we offer all that.

Loch Goil is not only a stunning location, it is also incredibly peaceful. Forget the constant buzz of traffic and human activity, here you find the peaceful sound of the birds and wildlife. You could be a million miles away from your everyday life, and yet you are only just over an hour away from the cosmopolitan city of Glasgow.

While Loch Goil offers peace and tranquility it also has a myriad activities to suit all ages. For family entertainment head off to the Drimsynie Estate down the road where you will find an indoor swimming pool, a nine hole golf course, ice skating and amusements. For walkers the area is a delight – you have a large number of walks for all levels that offer wonderful views and vistas. Nature lovers will be keen to spot the seals in the loch and seek out the red squirrels in the ancient woodland between Rhumhor Holiday Lodge and Lochgoilhead. Meanwhile anyone interested in fishing or those that just fancy a cruise can hire a boat and explore Loch Goil from the water.

While there is never a guarantee of weather we do find that quite often you will more than one season in a day, so while you may wake up to find a shower within an hour or so the sun will be peeping out. Whatever the weather you will find the views from Rhumhor are just breathtaking. If you do have a rainy day then you will find plenty of activities in our big family room. There is a pool table, plenty of family games both traditional and modern and a Wii games console. We have a DVD library and both fiction and non-fiction books.

Why not join the growing number of people choosing a Staycation this year and visit us a Rhumhor Holiday Lodge – a self catering home in a stunning location.