When our guest Frau Weigelt from Bavaria said this to us recently she got the point exactly. We may be close to the A82 rather than on the top of an Alp, but what we are trying to do is to capture some of the feel of a continental mountain refuge.
Obviously our guests are free to leave the building at night to go the local hotel or just take a walk. They don’t run the risk of falling off a cliff or freezing, but we prefer it if they stay in. Even with all 26 beds filled, our dining room can fit everyone in and our lounge and reception can cope too. That means that we can recreate the feel of a cosy hut in the high mountains when it is full. At breakfast, the dining room is set up refectory style so that our guests mix with each other, and the aroma of coffee from our espresso machine is like being at a communal hut breakfast. And we, the guardians, also live above the guest accommodation.
As for not being in the mountains, our altitude may not be high but we are in the midst of some serious hills. The hills of the Great Glen rise above us and there’s no no mistaking the fact that we are in the Highlands. The summits round here may not be high by Alpine standards but they rise from not far above sea level and at our latitude hillwalking should never be taken lightly. This year we’ve seen snowfall as late as June!
So come to Saddle Mountain Hostel, Scotland’s premier faux mountain refuge.