AT RAINBOW’S END
Not a pot of gold... but a perfect family weekend retreat on the shores of Loch Ness
There’s just the merest hint of a tug on the end of his line and, quick as a flash, he whips back yelling ‘fish on’. The rod begins to bend as my excited nineyear-old son struggles to reel in whatever monster is on the hook.
Alas, something is not quite right. Despite talk of a remote loch filled to the brim with Arctic Char and Brown Trout, all he’s managed to do is snag his line on some reeds. Again.
No matter though, it’s just a joy to get the kids offline for a couple of days. After months of lockdown and online schooling, it’s great to get them away from screens and out into the wilds for some fresh air and fun.
As we make our way back to the car, we stop to take in one last look at the magnificent Loch Killin, only to see the water below us ripple as a fish pops up to catch a fly.
No sooner have we started driving when my daughter points to a bird soaring just above the trees on our left. We all sit open-mouthed as we are treated to a close-up view of a magnificent golden eagle skirting the treetops in search of a meal.
We begin the weekend with a trip up the spectacular A82 through Glen Coe, past Fort William and on towards Loch Ness. At Fort Augustus, we leave behind the seemingly endless procession of campervans and begin the climb on the single track road out of the village.
As the early evening sunlight bursts through a light rain shower, we are stopped in our tracks by the most magnificent rainbow any of us have ever seen.
sadly there is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. however, we may just have stumbled upon the next best thing.
Our home for the weekend is the Whitebridge hotel, nestled by the roadside between the southern shores of Loch Ness and the stunning Monadhliath mountains.
This charming hotel is run by Bella and Lesley, who are busily serving dinner as we arrive a little later than planned. No problem though, we have plenty of time to drop our bags and freshen up while a table is made ready for us. We’ve grabbed one of the hotel’s two family rooms, which is perfect, with plenty of space for all four of us to relax and unwind.
Our corner room has a large double bed flanked by two singles, with views to die for from its three huge windows. With bags dropped and tummies rumbling, we make our way down to the bar for dinner.
The menu is made up of a mixture of classic pub grub and an ever-changing range of special dishes, all sourced locally and cooked to perfection. We opt to try the Angry stag, a venison cheeseburger served with Jalapeno chillies, and the Chicken Balmoral from the specials menu.
The children plump for burgers from a kids’ menu that has a great selection of freshly cooked dishes.
Food is definitely one of the Whitebridge’s many strong points, doing simple, hearty dishes flawlessly. every dish we eat has been cooked to perfection from scratch, including the desserts.
My son demolishes an enormous slice of banoffee pie at a terrifying speed before declaring it the most delicious thing he’s ever eaten. high praise indeed.
After dinner, we somehow manage to waddle along to the hotel’s residents’ lounge. The children check out the well-stocked games cupboard, while we flick through the selection of LPs beside the record player.
As Annie Lennox begins to sing ‘sweet dreams are made of this’, I find my eyes slowly begin to close, and with a tired smile on my face I find myself thinking, who am I to disagree?