01/11/2026
October slipped in with the first proper chill of the season. Mornings opened crisp and clear, the loch dark and glassy beneath a low sun that cleared the ridgeline late and left early. Birch trees along the Caledonian Canal had turned amber and copper, loosening leaf by leaf, while the first frosts silvered the grass and the mountaintops took their earliest dusting of snow. The sky was painted in pink hues morning and evening, and rainbows coloured the daytime. Woodsmoke drifted from chimneys, and stags roared across the glens. It was a month of stepping briskly toward winter, with a drama only nature can conjure.
We were delighted to spend an afternoon with Sean Kelly, head chef at Station Road, foraging in the local woodlands. Our bags filled with winter chanterelles, the last of the golden chanterelles and a few other wild mushrooms, and all of it found its way onto the menus over October.
Our team were delighted to accept the Best Hotel award at the Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards, what an achievement for everyone at The Lovat and Station Road! We have everything crossed for the November national final.
Our housekeeping team enjoyed catching up with Aberdeen Laundry Services Limited talking all things linen, The Lovat and Coftie. Great linen is a big part of a good night’s sleep, and we love working with suppliers who share our values.
Our creativity team have dressed The Lovat porch for the season, with dried leaves, pine cones and pine needles adding a warm autumnal feel and a lovely woodland scent as guests arrive.
