Neil C
August 2016
We spent a week in this bungalow in the third week in August. With our two children in their late teens, this was an excellent location for a number of reasons. Step out of the back gate and you are immediately on the tow path of the Caledonian Canal with the engineering wonder of Neptune’s Staircase in front of you. Turn left and you have a lovely walk along the canal which ends at the picturesque waterside village of Corpach (1 ¼ miles away but sadly no facilities there) or turn right to head inland along the canal. If you’re looking to climb Ben Nevis, it is a 10 minute drive to the Visitors Centre which is the best starting point. The bungalow is just off the A830 for the drive westwards towards Malaig. In terms of scenery, this is a superb drive, not only to take in the Glenfinnan Monument in front of Loch Shiel and the small village of Arisaig, but also the drive itself beside the various lochs. The Lochy pub is 10 minutes walk away in Caol. It was busy both evenings we visited and we end up eating in the public bar. Locals a little noisy but friendly. Service very good and the Mongolian Beef Curry was excellent. Caol also has a good fish & chip shop (Sammy’s) and a couple of doors way is a Co-op which provided us with all the food and drink we needed for the week.
The bungalow itself was outstanding. Everything we needed was there (including Wi-Fi) and it's far more clean and modern inside than the outside would suggest. It had a nice big kitchen table for meals, a large wooden-floored hallway, cosy lounge, an adequate main bedroom, a good-sized twin-bedded room and a spacious, contemporary bathroom with walk-in shower. There is also a small utility room as you enter the back door for dirty walking boots and coats. From the lounge window Ben Nevis looks down on you. Plenty of garden front and back, although the former is quite steep. However, there is a small patio area outside the front door. We would have no hesitation in staying here again.