Fort Augustus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Terry Nutkins also owned the Lovat Arms Hotel, a purpose built station hotel standing on the site of Kilwhimen Barracks, one of four built in 1718. The west curtain wall of the old fort, 34 metres long by 4 metres high in some places, still stands in the hotel grounds. The wall is pierced by a central gateway and ten gun embrasures. The monument is of national importance as the remains of one of the four Hanoverian forts built to pacify the highlanders after the 1715 & 1719 Jacobite uprisings.
Standing in the shadows of this monumental wall will conjure up images of the time Bonny Prince Charlie was in the barracks before he ordered the bombardment of the later Abbey Fort where the present day Fort Augustus Abbey now stands.
The first recorded date of the Lovat Arms being a hotel was thought to have been in 1869, known simply as "The Inn" & run by one Murdoch Bayne.
It was changed, however, in 1880 when the railway was built through Fort Augustus running to Spean Bridge, to "The Lovat Arms & Station Hotel." When the railway closed down in 1911, the hotel became "The Lovat Arms Hotel". It is the Gregorys that are now building on the hotel’s history, rebranding & marketing the hotel, as ‘Lovat Arms, Hotel Bar Restaurant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Augustus

Scotland is sizzling with MICE success

Nov-Dec 2007,
Geoffrey Cuthbert, Incentive Travel & Corporate Meetings

Highly appropriately, the Lovat Arms Hotel in Inverness-shire has adopted green policies in its major refurbishings which were completed this year. These include installing a fully-automated environmentally-friendly biomass wood chip burner using renewable energy, the latest computerised technology controlling the temperature of bedrooms and public areas saving heat loss, as well as energy-saving lamps, recycling and the use of recycled products. The hotel has meeting facilities for up to 50, but with its stunning views of Loch Ness, the Caledonian Canal and surrounding mountains, it is ideal for incentives offering fishing, hunting, shooting and golf.

http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk/newfiles/NovDec07/frame0607.html

New Year Celebrations in the Highlands of Scotland

The Lovat Arms in Fort Augustus
© Lovat Arms

999today - Where to Stay

20th November 2007

Celebrate the New Year in true Highland style and enjoy the warm and friendly atmosphere at the Lovat Arms in Fort Augustus.

Recently refurbished, this family-run Victorian hotel boasts a prime setting on the southern tip of Loch Ness overlooking the lochside village of Fort Augustus.

The three-day New Year break includes afternoon tea on arrival, cocktail reception and a five-course gourmet dinner featuring a wide selection of the finest local Scottish produce, champagne toast, entertainment and fireworks.

This exciting package will also offer plenty of daytime options to help you unwind or get you up and about.

Relax and enjoy this special time of year with the best of service in the most beautiful surroundings.

Three nights dinner, bed and breakfast from £367.50 per person (arrive Sunday 30 December, depart Wednesday 2 January). For more information, visit www.lovatarms-hotel.com.

Take The High Road To Save The Planet

Nov 18 2007

Mairi Mallon Takes Family On An Eco-Friendly Trip Round Scotland

It's not easy being green but my family are determined to try...even giving up our holiday in the sun for an eco-friendly break at home.
Rather than jump on an ozonedestroying flight to Mallorca, my husband Stephen, kids Katy, four, three-year-old Euan and I minimised our carbon footprint - and saved a few bob - by touring Scotland's bonnie landscapes.

Visit Scotland aim to make Scotland the world's first carbon neutral destination and have given eco-friendly accommodation a green grading.

They also give advice on which eateries use locally sourced food and how to use the car as little as possible.

The first stop on our road trip was St Andrews in Fife for a stay in the Rufflets Country House Hotel.

The luxurious complex became Scotland's first official carbon neutral hotel this year and backs green projects, such as the reforestation of the Caffran Valley in the Scottish Borders.
It is also offsetting its carbon footprint and has a scheme to use rainwater to flush WCs.
The hotel is terrific for children, with teddy bears on the beds and friendly staff. Our room had an antique bed, a large family bathroom and connected to a twin room for the kids.
The hotel's smart Garden Restaurant also gets the thumbs up thanks to its excellent adult and children's menus.

Nothing is too much trouble - a glass of milk is presented on a silver platter - and when Euan played up after our first course, the rest of our meal was sent up to our room with a smile and no fuss.

The next day, we braved the cold wind and headed to Elie beach armed with buckets, spades and wellies.

The kids loved picking up tiny pink shells, while I adored the fresh local fish we ate for lunch at the Ship Inn.

Our next stop was the Highlands and a warm welcome greeted us at the family-run Lovat Arms hotel in Fort Augustus, right on the banks of Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
Their central heating and water system uses a revolutionary biomass wood chip burner - very eco-friendly.

The food was excellent and we devoured a fabulous high tea, fish and chips and local lamb.
The Lovat Arms staff even arranged a babysitter so Stephen and I could get a night out at the lively and friendly Lock Inn, where they serve west coast mussels and seared steak to locals and the Nessie-hunting crowd. Definitely worth a return visit.

The Heavens opened the next day, so we headed into Inverness and let the kids loose in the impressive leisure centre which boasts a large indoor and outdoor pool, flumes and rapids.
Thankfully the sun was shining the following day, so we ventured to the beach between Arisaig and Mallaig. It was a two-hour drive but well worth it.

The gorgeous white sands wouldn't look out of place in the Caribbean - although the ice-cold water and pale holidaymakers certainly would!

Our next stop was the Nevis Range north of Fort William, which has a gold grading from Visitscotland for its environmental policies.

The kids screamed with laughter and fear when we took a gondola up to the summit of the Ben, where you can see for 50 miles across the islands.

The small swing park was also a hit, as was watching the daredevils on the downhill mountain bike track - the UK's only World Cup venue for the sport.

On to see the magnificent mountains of Glencoe. We took the easier paths at the foot of the famous Three Sisters and the kids had a ball running through the heather and jumping over streams.

From here we travelled to Oban, where all the accredited green venues were full, so we checked into the friendly and great value Kelvin Hotel.

A boat ride took us to Tobermory on Mull, the setting for our wee ones' favourite telly show, Balamory. They loved wandering the colourful narrow streets looking for their favourite characters and their homes.

Being environmentally friendly on holiday was not that hard. We fell off the green wagon a few times - we drove further than expected and succumbed to the lure of fast food - but when we checked our footprint on the special calculator at www.climate care.org, we had done quite well.

A flight from Glasgow to Palma for four produces 1.68 tonnes of CO2, while our trip produced 0.24 tonnes. We may have come back a bit damp and minus a tan but we minimised our impact on the environment - and on our wallets.

I LOVED
exploring the lush hills of Glencoe.

I HATED coming home without a tan.

SCOTLAND MAILFILE
For details on eco-friendly trips and VisitScotland's green tourism business scheme, go to www.green-business.co.uk
For more information on places to visit in Scotland, log on to www.visitscotland.com
We stayed at Rufflets Country House in St Andrews (www.rufflets.co.uk), the Lovat Arms Hotel in Fort Augustus (www.lovatarms-hotel.com) and The Kelvin Hotel in Oban (call 01631 562 150).

In the News

LOVAT - JUST LOVE IT
08:50 - 17 November 2007
Press & Journal
I Would like readers to think it's my fabulous investigative skills which allow me to reveal the following about the Lovat Arms Hotel, Fort Augustus.

Last month was a hectic time, what with a wedding, an 80th birthday celebration and a fundraising Playboy-themed party taking place.Keen to know the secrets of head chef Jim Murphy's delicious Baked Fillet of Lochaber Salmon and Cassoulet? I can reveal that, too.

By now, you may be thinking one of two things: this restaurant spy is really good or - and this is far more likely - the spy has logged on to the hotel's website. These days, any restaurant worth its low-sodium salt has a website allowing potential diners the opportunity to give the menus the once over.Two items made the Lovat's website better than most. First, it included a "blog" - a chatty news page revealing, in a homely style, details of recent and forthcoming events at the hotel. Secondly, and very unusually, it had a page of downloadable recipes for a two-course dinner party for four people.In a world where hi-tech, instant information is king, it's a brilliant idea and certainly helped persuade my little party of three that it would be worth making the trip along the beautiful, but rather twisty, road from Inverness to Fort Augustus.

While the website may be uber-modern, I was delighted to find that the family-run Victorian hotel is not and retains much of its original charm and character.The first recorded date of the Lovat Arms being a hotel is thought to have been in 1869. Since then, it has provided hospitality for generations of visitors and locals alike and witnessed lots of change. The most recent took place earlier this year when Caroline Gregory, manager of the hotel and daughter of owners David and Geraldine, oversaw a total refurbishment which introduced hi-tech and chic style but kept lots of the old-world charm.

We opted for the promotional Dine Around menu, which offers three courses for £25. As the hotel has just received its first AA rosette, it seemed good value for money.When our meal was ready, we were shown into the formal dining-room, a charming traditional room simply decorated and furnished with objects d'art and a lovely grand piano topped with framed family photographs.

As we tucked into a selection of warm rolls, our starters arrived. Two of us plumped for the smoked Lochaber salmon served atop a warm blini with creme fraiche, lemon and a caper and endive salad, while the younger member had the spring roll stuffed with shredded duck and bean sprout served with a hoi sin dressing.The salmon, lots of generously cut slices with a strong, almost peat-smoke, flavour, was superb and went beautifully with the crisp salad.Spring rolls can be dull as dishwater, but this new version of an old Oriental favourite was highly praised, both for the lightness of the batter and the sweet, tenderness of the duck. For mains, I ordered the fillet of pork, my partner requested stuffed chicken and my son the best end of Highland lamb.

The sweet smell of the roasted lamb wafted across the dining-room, whetting our appetites and making me wish I'd ordered this dish instead.Thankfully, our family policy of always trying a little of each other's dishes meant I did get a wee taster.The lamb, tender and beautifully pink on the inside, was served with clapshot, Lochaber haggis, roast cherry tomatoes and a rosemary and malt whisky jus. A feast for the eyes and taste buds alike, it looked every inch an award-winner.My partner's roast chicken, stuffed with spinach, garlic and Parmesan cheese and accompanied by champ potato, peppered leeks and sweet pea puree, was also declared a winner - although the puree was rather like posh mushy peas. My pan-roasted fillet of pork came with braised Savoy cabbage, pancetta, herb-roasted potatoes and a flavoursome Madeira jus. It's a long time since I've seen cabbage on a menu, possibly because it's not the sexiest veg on the block, but its absence made its return all the more welcome.My pork was slightly dry - more to do with my preferences than the chef's skills - and I could have done with a splash more gravy, but that aside, it was very good, especially when washed down with a warm glass of Shiraz.

From the sweet menu, I was tempted by the sound of the sticky toffee pudding served with cream and a rum and vanilla toffee sauce. The pud was as light as a feather and there was just enough rum in the sauce to raise it to the next level. The contented sighs coming from my companions let me know the caramelised lemon cream tart, served with raspberry water ice and berry coulis, and the chef's extra creamy cheesecake were hitting the spot, too.

Our bill for three meals, plus two soft drinks and a glass of red wine, came to £84.70. The Dine Around offer ends on November 30 and meals must be pre-booked.

November News

Well, November News actually covers a little of October since our Playboy Bunny Pink Night & our Pink Dinner Party, both raising money for Breast Cancer Research, were held at the tail end of October. Money raised is in excess of £5200.00 so a huge, 'Thank You' goes to all those who attended the events, raised money on the casinos, got involved in the raffle & also the impressive auction. The generosity offered by so many individuals is staggering & without so much support & assistance, my job would have been quadruple as difficult!

With the Pink Weekend going with a bang we rolled into the following week somewhat shattered. However, energy was found to dress up yet again for our Halloween Party on 2nd November, followed by the Family Fun Day for our Bonfire Night on 3rd November. Both were a great success with the latter involving tarot card readings, face painting, magic, tricks, treats, an impressive bonfire & a firework display.

The first few weeks of November have proved to be busier than expected, noticeably so due to a few seasonal closures of local hotels. The restaurant is continuing to bustle with bodies over the weekend so we shall see what the next couple of weeks have in store. The staff continue to work hard with a few off on holiday. Next, is our preparation for full on festivities, whether private or corporate.

Biomass Heating

Biomass Heating - Green Tourism.

The Lovat Arms, Fort Augustus is a family run hotel with 29 bedrooms that offers a high class of comfort in traditional Victorian surroundings. The hotel employs about 15 full time staff. As part of a refurbishment of the hotel the owners sought to implement measures to improve the energy efficiency of the hotel. Including these measures has significantly reduced operating costs and reduced carbon emissions from the business. The hotel has estimated that it has reduced energy costs by about £2,000 and anticipates that annual energy savings will be in the region of £10,000.

Following advice from the Energy Savings Trust, the hotel installed a fully automated biomass heating system fuelled with wood chips. The installation of the heating system was supported with funding from the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme and Highlands & Islands Enterprise and an interest free loan from Loan Action Scotland .

The woodchips supply heat at a more favourable cost than conventional heating fuels and support a local wood chip supply company. The heating system is controlled individually in each room. In unoccupied rooms temperature is controlled at 12°C which rapidly rises to 19°C when guests check into the hotel. Room temperature can be flexibly controlled to ensure that the comfort of guests and energy efficiency are met at all times.

Energy efficient lighting is installed throughout the hotel. In corridors this is controlled with motion activated sensors. This has reduced the time that lighting is left on when not required, electricity consumption, costs and carbon emissions.

Commenting on the environmental initiatives at the Lovat Arms
Caroline Gregory, hotel manager said:

What I have done at the hotel feels natural to me – this is not an exercise I am just trying out because it is a trend…. I have been passionate about the environment for years and having the hotel is an added bonus because I can pass on the benefits of what we are doing and in turn what they are able to do. I have scary moments of what the planet could be like in a few years time and this has made me act. I am aware that the environmental performance of the hotel could be improved further, however we have made a start on this process and intend to continue.

Lovat Arms Green Toursim (pdf 110kb)

BEP Case Study

The Lovat Arms, Fort Augustus is a family run hotel with 29 bedrooms that offers a high class of comfort in traditional Victorian surroundings. The hotel employs about 15 full time staff. As part of a refurbishment of the hotel the owners sought to implement measures to improve the energy efficiency of the hotel. Including these measures has significantly reduced operating costs and reduced carbon emissions from the business. The hotel has estimated that it has reduced energy costs by about £2,000 and anticipates that annual energy savings will be in the region of £10,000.

Following advice from the Energy Savings Trust, the hotel installed a fully automated biomass heating system fuelled with wood chips. The installation of the heating system was supported with funding from the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme, and interest free loan from Loan Action Scotland and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. The woodchips supply heat at a more favourable cost than conventional heating fuels and support a local wood chip supply company. The heating system is controlled individually in each room. In unoccupied rooms temperature is controlled at 12 C which rapidly rises to 19 C when guests check into the hotel. Room temperature can be flexibly controlled to ensure that the comfort of guests and energy efficiency are met at all times.

Energy efficient lighting is installed throughout the hotel. In corridors this is controlled with
motion activated sensors. This has reduced the time that lighting is left on when not required,
electricity consumption, costs and carbon emissions.

Commenting on the environmental initiatives at the Lovat Arms Caroline Gregory, hotel manager said:

“What I have done at the hotel feels natural to me – this is not an exercise I am just trying out because it is a trend…. I have been passionate about the environment for years and having the hotel is an added bonus because I can pass on the benefits of what we are doing and in turn what
they are able to do. I have scary moments of what the planet could be like in a few years time and this has made me act. I am aware that the environmental performance of the hotel could be improved further, however we have made a start on this process and intend to continue”.

http://www.highlandwoodenergy.co.uk/pdf/Spring-07-Newsletter.pdf

Spean Bridge - Glasgow

When personal time is limited - it becomes the most precious commodity in ones life.
It was therefore with eager anticipation I embarked on a 3.5 hour train journey from Spean Bridge to Glasgow for a two day break. This would not only avoid the trauma of driving the A82 but also the mysteries of Glasgow City centre's traffic system.
Leaving the car safely beside the golf course at Spean Bridge the train duly arrived on time and my pre booked seat awaited me.
From the outset I was enthralled by the myriad of colours which greeted me at every turn. A natural palette of greens, yellow, red & russet, just breathtaking.
No wonder the programme 'Monarch of the Glen' was enjoyed by so many, as the train passed by the countless scenes it had portrayed .
So the journey continued, disgorging passengers at pristine white clad halts in the middle of nowhere so they could carry on the Great Glen Way by foot. like thousands of others before them.
Crossing Rannoch Moor was particularly poignant with the haunting echoing silence of passed battles in ones mind.
My reading matter remained untouched during the journey and arriving at Glasgow Train Station it was with dawning realization I would be returning exactly the same way. I could hardly wait!!

Perfect Picture

This picture, taken by a guest from the Fort Augustus Abbey tower illustrates beautifully the seasonal transition experienced around the hotel - just look at the Autumnal colours breaking through! There is certainly more to come as we creep through the month, getting closer to those bitter Winter months.

October has started with a bang - a Wedding Celebration for 40 guests, an 80th Birthday Party, local meetings & sessions as well as a steady influx of families & travellers taking advantage of some milder weather during the half term. Only just over half way through the month & there is still more to come - what with an annual corporate conference & of course the fun 'Wear it Pink' Playboy Party & 'Wear it Pink' Dinner Party to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

October has seen the launch of our Golden Autumn offer of 'stay for 3 nights, pay for 2', including Dinner Bed & Breakfast from £399.00 per stay. Dine Around is now available, offering the chance to indulge in a 3 course evening meal for a favourable £25.00 per person.

October is proving to be a month of intrigue & surprise with us being busier than anticipated. More staff have been employed to handle the steady growth of the business - who knows what November will hold?!