Well 2016, what a year you’ve been!
From the launch of our new website, to welcoming new and familiar faces during an extremely busy season, it’s been an amazing time. Our incredible dedicated team have worked tirelessly to provide all our guests with a warm, friendly and welcoming experience, giving advice and tips on places to visit and things to see. As we take our first steps into 2017, here are some of the exciting things to look forward to this year, just one of the reasons why you should make Loch Melfort Hotel your holiday destination.
Loch Melfort is perfectly situated on the West Coast to explore the abundance of islands spread up and down the coast. There are lots of fantastic events happening all across the islands, perfect for discovering the treats they have to offer.
The weekend of the 18th/19th of March is the Coll & The Cosmos Stargazing Weekend. This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy Coll, which is an officially designated ‘Dark-Sky Community’. The two-day voyage of discovery will include stargazing activities delivered by expert astronomers, available to those who have no previous knowledge or experience. Even if the weather turns cloudy, Coll has a six-metre indoor planetarium, providing a 360° immersive multi-media theatre experience of the solar system.
From the 9th to the 14th of April is the WalkIslay week. This is a chance to explore Islay, Jura and Colonsay, with organised walks ranging from easy, moderate, challenging to strenuous. The walks will take in the beautiful island scenery; across beaches, round lochs, and up over mountains and moors. A small fee will be charged for each walk, and each walker must bring their own suitable footwear and clothing.
If music or books are more to your taste, Mull and Colonsay will be perfect for you. From the 21st to the 23rd of April is the Mull Music Festival, a free weekend of music in the pubs and hotels around Tobermory. Featuring folk-rock bands, traditional fiddle and accordion dance, ceilidh music and Gaelic singers, it’s an incredibly popular few days of music. Why not stay with us at Loch Melfort before popping over for the weekend?
The Colonsay Book Festival takes place on the 29th and 30th of April, one of Britain’s most remote literary events. Colonsay is a stunning island, and its festival is small but mighty, attracting some big names from the Scottish literary scene.
Food and drink is so important to us here on the West Coast, we have festivals to celebrate it! The Loch Fyne Food Fair is on the 13th and 14th of May. Taking place on the shores of Loch Fyne, where some of our wonderful seafood is caught, expect to enjoy oysters, mussels and salmon from the nearby Loch, Scottish langoustines, venison and game from the local glens, locally brewed ales and an abundance of delicious home baking.
We’re not just looking forward to food festivals though, we’re excited about our changing menu and the exquisite seasonal produce we can show off! As the year turns rhubarb will come into season, perfect to showcase on our menu with dishes such as our Trio of Rhubarb Pudding, a firm seasonal favourite among our guests.
In celebration of Campbeltown’s three whisky distilleries – Springbank, Glengyle and Glen Scotia – the Campbeltown Malts Festival takes place on the 24th to 26th of May. From distillery tours, to masterclasses, local crafts stalls, live music and even special bottlings, this is a massive celebration of the success the three distilleries have enjoyed over the years. See if you can find the distilleries’ whiskies in our bar.
This is a just a taste of some of the fantastic things Argyll has to offer. We look forward to welcoming you in 2017!