Sips & Trips with Molly

When we knew we had four days for our first trip to the Highlands in Scotland, we knew it was going to be difficult to know where to stay. I had no clue for one, how big the Highlands were and how spaced out it is.

We started off my mapping out where we wanted to visit – yes we used that Google Map where you can add pin points on places to visit. Each place we wanted to visit was coded in specific colours and we then marked each Airbnb we liked in a different colour. I’m a nerd of organisation I loved it.

Why We Chose Balmacara

Once we rounded up all of the things we wanted to do initially, lots of these activities were close by (by close I don’t mean round the corner!) a pod in Balmacara. We had never heard of this place, but even the name itself just sounds magical and cute.

Balmacara is a village along the north of Loch Alsh and has the most wonderful drive down to it and has epic views of the Loch. There isn’t a huge amount in the village which makes it perfect for a getaway and to be partially isolate. The village has a few shops to grab some groceries, a restaurant and a hotel.

It really was the perfect base for us as it was close to everything we wanted to see, and our pod had the most gorgeous views of the Isle of Skye.

Where Did We Stay?

Me and my boyfriend always try to get a hot tub with each Airbnb we stay in so that applied to Balmacara. Through the list, the Cosy Toes Pods run by the lovely Caroline just matched us perfectly.

It was easily one of the best Airbnbs we have stayed in, it was super cosy – hence the name, had the comfiest bed and Caroline left us some goodies to enjoy. The hot tub of course was a massive plus.

We stayed for 2 nights (wish it was more) and paid £229 for both of us which we thought was a pretty fab deal and totally worth the price. The pod includes heating, wifi, smart TV, cooking facilities and a beautiful decking. The hot tub cost £65 which is to be paid in cash – this tends to be the same sort of price in the area and we used it all the time.

Things To Do in or Near Balmacara

Grab Fish & Chips

It might be weird to read the first thing on the list is to grab fish and chips, but hear me out. There was a van in front of the Loch called Shonzeys and if theres a queue its usually good, they also had a picture of Ian Beale aka real name Adam Woodyatt so just another good reason to try it. The food was amazing, wasn’t greasy but still had that amazing taste. It was about a 10 minute walk max back to the pods and we enjoyed our meal overlooking the Isle of Skye. They have specific days they visit Balmacara, so it might be something you need to check before.

Eilean Donan Castle

Being in Balmacara, you are only a few minutes away from the instantly recognisable Eilean Donan Castle. A landmark highlighted in many films and an important part of the history of the Highlands.

It began as a 13th-century defense against Vikings, before being a Mackenzie clan property before it was destroyed in the Jacobite rising. It got rebuilt in 1932 and is run by the The Conchra Charitable Trust.

Tickets to enter the castle are £12 and warning you aren’t allowed big backpacks if you go inside as there’s valuable items that need preserving. There is plenty of information to be digested about the castle itself and you get some beautiful views of the village.

Walks

You are in a prime spot for lots of hikes from Balmacara. The Estate has over 17 miles of walking trails depending on the time and sort of walk you want to have giving you the chance to explore more of the village.

Some of the walks are dog friendly but be aware of any livestock that reside within the land.

Drive To The Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye was a lot closer than I thought to Balmacara which made everything a lot better. To get to The Fairy Pools was just over an hours drive and you can’t complain because the road and landscape is just captivating. We only spent one day on the Isle of Skye and again, didn’t realise how big it is. You can really spend 5 days here and not see it all. But we did The Fairy Pools & Old Man of Storr in one day and these were top of the list for a good reason!

The Five Sisters of Kintail

Now these next two top tips on things to do we didn’t really get to explore and I was gutted but it just means we have to go back. Luckily, there were plenty of views of the five sisters, a famous mountain ridge in the Highlands. It makes a great opportunity for avid hikers who want to go across the famous terrain.

Get Driving

We just wanted to drive across the NC500 as you have the most incredible views of Scotland. Heads up, warning, I did want to do the Applecross Pass. I can’t lie, this was top of my list but unfortunately due to time we weren’t able to get to this. It’s about an hour or so away from Balmacara but it’s one of the most famous roads within the Highlands. I didn’t realise until recently it’s known as one of the most dangerous roads in the world due to it’s incline and corners so do take that into consideration when you plan your drives. Most of our drives we chose the safest/easiest route over the quickest.

Overall, we definitely would go back to Balmacara again and it for sure should be on your list of areas to visit in the Highlands. Hopefully, you got some good tips from this blog – I’m aiming to update my blogs the more I go back to places I’ve been to. If you do go to Balmacara, I hope you can completely unwind!