Standing at the foot of the Glenfinnan Monument (yesterday's post) looking right, across Loch Shiel, is the Glenfinnan House Hotel where we stayed on Thursday and Friday night last week. A special treat.
The hotel has just re-opened after being closed for a two-year renovation. I have to say they've done a great job. The interior fabrics are all quite wonderful. Rich, colourful and tasteful. They also recovered all the seats and sofas, rather than replace them. Curtains are lined, thick and sumptuous - very useful in Scottish summers where the daylight wakens you any time from 4am onwards, and cosy in Scottish winters.
A bit of history of the building - it was built as an inn between 1752 and 1755. Later it became a tenant farmer's dwelling until about 1842. Around that time, Angus MacDonald, the proprietor, converted it into a mansion house and then doubled the size of the building to its present form. The house and lands passed out of the family in 1916. The present owners, the Macfarlane family, came to Glenfinnan in 1971 by which time the house was in a state of disrepair. They converted it into a hotel. Charlie Macfarlane's daughter now runs the hotel, and Charlie, who is now 93, it seems, came into the hotel bar on Thursday evening, in his kilt, as we were listening to the traditional music. He knew all the locals in the bar, and we were told that he often takes out his fiddle and plays along with the traditional musicians. He's clearly quite the character, likes a chat, and is very popular.
Another wonderful capture of this beautiful scene and lush landscape. Such an amazing history the hotel has, so happy to hear how well they have renovated and that you loved it. Sounds like a great place to stay.
I pretty positive we parked our caravan on there……it was nothing like it is now of course but there was camping etc I’m sure. I spent my twelfth birthday there. I remember walking down the road to the monument with my little box camera. Dad gave me a book he had signed…a rare occurrence, perhaps that’s why I remember it. The older we get the more early memories come back. Thanks for helping me remember!
@happypat I love reading your 12-year old Pat memories, and am very happy to have helped remind you of those precious moments. :-) Onich is our next trip!
Awesome photo too.