Garmoran Square

10/09/2026

09/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Days 8 & 9

Well… the last two days have been a bit of a disaster timing-wise! 🤦‍♀️😂

Both days have been busy from morning right through into the evening, which has meant my walks haven't happened until after dark.😢

But — and this is the important bit — they DID happen! 🙌

Unfortunately, walking in the dark isn't particularly helpful when you're trying to share beautiful photos of the area! 😂 And there haven't even been any spectacular skies to rescue me.

So, rather than subject you all to two days of photographs of darkness, I thought I'd use the opportunity to remind you that the scenery inside Garmoran Square is rather lovely too.😍🏡

After all, exploring Moidart is wonderful… but coming back to somewhere warm, comfortable and cosy afterwards is pretty good too. ❤️

Days 8 & 9 complete ✅

Nine days in, nine different walks — although I'm definitely hoping Day 10 happens while there's still some daylight! 🤞😂🥾

07/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Day 7

I think today might be my favourite of the challenge so far… if only because Strava seems to think I went swimming rather than walking!🤣🤣

Tonight was a combined driving lesson and walk. We headed down to Castle Tioram, walking out across the bay and back again.

And apparently, although your son can be old enough to learn to drive, he is never too old to play in the sand!😂❤️

Rather than simply walking straight across the bay, we ended up zig-zagging our way around the beach looking for the clay pool he remembered playing in when he was younger.

With the tide out, there was plenty of squelching through wet sand and water along the way — which perhaps explains Strava's decision that this evening's activity was actually a swim! 🏊‍♀️🤣

I could, of course, share a beautiful photo of Castle Tioram looking magnificent this evening… but somehow I think this photo sums up our walk much better. 😍

Muddy feet, childhood memories, a bit of exploring and a lovely evening spent together — exactly the sort of walk this challenge was meant to be about.

Day 7 complete ✅ — that's the first week done! 🥾🙌

And apparently I can tick off a swim too… 😂

06/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Day 6

Today’s walk was a bit of a trip down memory lane — one of my favourite walks from childhood. ❤️

This lovely woodland walk in Salen takes you through the beautiful ancient oak woods, with views out over Salen Bay. About halfway round there’s a wee viewing seat where you can stop, take in the view and just enjoy the surroundings. 🌳🌊

When I was a child, I remember this walk feeling like a huge adventure that took practically all day! So I was slightly surprised as an adult to discover you can actually have it done and dusted in around 40 minutes with a wee stop. 😂 Funny how different distances seem when you’re little!

The weather wasn't exactly encouraging me to linger today, so there was no long stop at the viewpoint — a quick look at the view and then onwards! 🌧️🥾

There’s also a little picnic table near the start of the walk, so on a nicer day it would be a lovely spot to bring a picnic, have some lunch and then head off for a wander through the woods. Or after the walk you could pop down for a wee treat from Salen Jetty Shop or pop in to Salen Hotel.

Not the longest walk of the challenge, but a really lovely local one — and nice to revisit somewhere that holds so many childhood memories.

Day 6 complete ✅ — 24 to go!

And thankfully, it was a little bit longer than 20 minutes… so no running up and down the garden required tonight! 🤣

05/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Days 4 & 5

Two very different walks for Days 4 and 5 — and I think I’m already discovering the point of this challenge! 😂

Day 4 – Singing Sands 🏖️

After work yesterday, I headed out for a lovely walk to the Singing Sands at Gortenfern.

This is always a favourite with guests staying at Garmoran, and it’s easy to see why. A beautiful walk through the woodland before coming out onto that gorgeous beach, with fantastic views across the water. It was around two hours, so definitely not something I’m going to manage every day, but such a lovely way to finish the day.

I did, however, manage to prove that I can get lost absolutely anywhere… 🤦‍♀️

There is basically one path in and one path out, but while looking at my phone and answering a message, I somehow wandered off on another track before realising what I’d done. 😂 If you look at my Strava map, you’ll spot the random wee dogleg where I went exploring unintentionally! It certainly made me chortle when I saw it afterwards.

Day 5 – The woods at Garmoran 🌲

Tonight was much more about simply getting it done.

After a busy day, I squeezed in a quick walk in the woods across from Garmoran Square. And this is exactly why sharing the challenge on here is working — without it, I suspect tonight might have been one of those evenings when I thought, “Ach, I’ll just leave it.”

Even better, when I got home I realised I was five minutes short of my minimum 20 minutes - so there I was, running up and down the garden for another five minutes! 🤣🙈

But 20 minutes is 20 minutes, and Day 5 is officially complete! ✅

I know every day can't be a two-hour adventure to a beautiful beach. Some days it will be a proper hike, some a local wander, and some days it might simply be squeezing in 20 minutes wherever I can.

But that’s really what this challenge is about — getting outside every single day, clearing my head and making the time for something that is so easy to let slip when life gets busy.

5 down, 25 to go! 🥾🙌💪

03/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Day 3

The walking challenge is going well so far! 🙌 Two city walks done over the first couple of days, with around 15k steps each day, so I’m definitely getting the miles in!

Today’s walk, though, was somewhere I have wanted to visit for ages — Jupiter Artland just outside Edinburgh.

Okay, so it’s definitely not close to Garmoran 😂, but I still wanted to include it in my 30 days as quite a few of our guests spend a few days in Edinburgh either on their way to us or on their journey home.

And it did not disappoint! ❤️

What a really special place has been created there. Set within a beautiful rural estate, you can wander through the grounds, woodland and gardens, discovering incredible pieces of art as you go. It’s one of those places where the walk itself is lovely, but you’re also constantly wondering what you’re going to find around the next corner.

And, of course, there’s a cracking café too — because I do love a walk that involves cake and coffee! ☕🍰😜

You can even book an outdoor swim while you’re there. I gave that a miss today, although I have to say the pool looked VERY inviting… maybe next time! 🏊‍♀️

I would thoroughly recommend Jupiter Artland if you’re spending some time in or around Edinburgh. A lovely few hours exploring somewhere a little bit different.

Day 3 complete ✅ — and this one has been on my wish list for a long time!

Tomorrow we head back towards Garmoran, so let’s see where Day 4 takes us… 🥾🌿

01/09/2026

🥾 30 Days of Walks – Day 1

When setting yourself a challenge, it’s always a good idea to check your calendar first… 🤦‍♀️😂

I have done my walk today, but as I’m not actually at Garmoran or even in the Highlands 🙈@, I thought for Day 1 I would share yesterday’s walk instead — probably the walk I do most often from Garmoran Square.

Heading along the road through Mingarry, you pass the church and village hall, then just after the bridge turn left through the forestry gate and into the woods. 🌲

It’s a beautiful woodland walk and, once you’re in there, there are several different routes you can take — some of which I’m sure will make an appearance later in the month!

For this one, I walked up to the middle bridge, carried on to the forest haul road, then looped round and back down to the road and home — just under 3km.

This is probably Oran’s most regular walk 🐾 and some days we do it twice, helping me towards my 10k steps and making sure he gets two decent walks too!

One of my favourite things about this route is the burn, especially after we’ve had plenty of rain and it’s in full flow. And there’s always the chance of spotting one of our local red squirrels along the way. 🐿️

So that’s Walk 1 of 30 complete! ✅

Today and tomorrow are going to be city walks, but Thursday’s walk is somewhere completely different. It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit and walk around for ages — absolutely not Lochaber, or even the Highlands — and I’m ridiculously excited about it!

Any guesses where I’m going?👀🥾

27/08/2026

Sometimes you just need to get outside, breathe in the fresh air and clear your head after a busy day. 🌿🥾🐾

I managed a lovely walk in the hills behind Garmoran Square this week, and it reminded me how much I’ve missed getting out for a good daily walk.

It’s been a particularly busy summer and, somewhere between changeovers, work and everything else going on, my regular walks have definitely slipped!

So, come September, I’m setting myself a little challenge… 30 Days of Walks 🚶‍♀️🍂

The plan is:
🥾 One walk every day for 30 days
⏱️ At least 20 minutes each day
🌿 A different walk every day

Some will be short local walks squeezed into a busy day, while hopefully others will be a bit longer and more adventurous. I’m going to try to share them here on the Garmoran Square page and take you along with me, exploring some of the many different walks we have around Moidart, Ardnamurchan and Lochaber — and perhaps a few a little further afield too!

Maybe it will give future guests a few ideas of places to explore while staying with us… and it will definitely give me the push I need to get those walking boots on every day! 😊

Just a wee note too: stalking season has now started locally, so I’ll be sticking to recognised paths and routes and being mindful of any local signs and advice — no wandering off-piste into the hills!

30 days, 30 different walks… starting 1st September. 🍂🥾

Now I just need to come up with 30 of them! 😄

23/08/2026

A very busy summer… and learning to get off the dance floor! 💃

It’s been a particularly busy summer here at Garmoran Square!

We decided to offer more short breaks this year, which has meant lots more changeovers and keeping everything running smoothly between guests. 🧹🛏️✨

Then there’s been plenty of taxi driving! 🚕 If you’ve been following the Lochaber Fèis Cèilidh Trail this summer, you’ll know that Coll has been playing with the musicians — so there have been plenty of late-night journeys and musical adventures along the way! 🎻🎶

And then there’s my other job… S&K MacDonald Homes has been busy too, with houses being finished and some lovely clients getting ready to move into their new homes. 🏡

And, in a moment of madness, I accepted a place on Highlands and Islands Enterprise's Impact Women programme. 🤦‍♀️

The course has been running throughout the summer and finishes this coming week with a residential in Nairn, where the 30 brilliant women who have taken part will come back together to make their final pitches.

Although I’ve done the programme under the banner of S&K MacDonald Homes, I’ve realised that so many of the leadership skills I’ve learned are just as relevant to Garmoran Square.

It’s been hard work juggling everything, but I’m so pleased I said yes. I’ve meet the most amazing, inspiring ladies, learned a huge amount, had the opportunity to work with an amazing mentor and, perhaps most importantly, realised that I don’t actually have to do everything myself! 😂

So… the new me is going to be much better at delegation.

Anyone who has done anything around Adaptive Leadership will know the idea of getting off the dance floor and spending more time up on the balcony — stepping back, looking at the bigger picture and not getting caught up in every single thing that needs doing.

I’m looking forward to a bit more balcony time and a little less time on the dance floor! 💃😂

It’s been a busy summer, but a really rewarding one — and I’m very excited to see what the next chapter brings for both Garmoran Square and S&K MacDonald Homes. ❤️🏡

18/08/2026

🌿 **Something special happening locally – 29th August!** 🌿

If you’re staying with us at Garmoran Square towards the end of August, there’s a lovely local event happening right on our doorstep – the **Moidart Produce Show** on **Saturday 29th August**. 🥕🌸🍰

The Produce Show is a wonderful celebration of the people, skills and produce of our local community, with everything from home baking, flowers, vegetables and preserves to crafts, photography and lots more.

There will be plenty happening throughout the afternoon, including stalls, raffles, competitions and activities for children – and, of course, the chance to see just how talented and creative our local community is! 🌿

It’s one of those lovely traditional Highland community days that we’re very proud to be part of. ❤️

📅 **Saturday 29th August 2026**
📍 **Moidart Produce Show**

So if you’re staying at Garmoran Square that weekend, why not pop along and experience a little bit of local life during your Scottish holiday? 🏡💚