Skye Wigwams


When we began to 'plan' our last minute Highland adventure, we found ourselves with about five days to secure accommodation in three different locations. Our only criteria were that they were available at short notice, affordable on a small budget (£20 per person per night) and, if possible, a wee bit different to the norm.

Our first night was spent at Morag's Lodge in Fort Augustus - a fairly standard (though apparently 'famous') hostel near the banks of Loch Ness. At £20 each it did just what we needed it to do - i.e. provide us with beds for the night and showers in the morning - and that was kind of that. Perfectly fine, but in no way remarkable. 

Our second and third nights took us to Portnalong on the North West of the beautiful Isle of Skye where, by complete contrast, we had booked ourselves into a tiny wooden wigwam!


There are dozens of these little wigwams across the length and breadth of the UK in locations ranging from someone's back garden to significantly larger campsites. Ours were situated on a picturesque 12 acre croft alongside a bunkhouse, bothies and camping ground, and the owners painted the most magical image of campfires in the summer overlooking Loch Harport.

Each wigwam is built from Scottish-grown spruce trees, fully insulated, with double-glazed windows and electric lighting and heating. The interior is equipped with a fridge, microwave, kettle, coffee table and two single beds (doubling as sofas during the day) which can be cleverly connected to form one larger sleeping platform, providing room for up to four adults to spend the night.

Inside our wigwam.
In addition to this, we had access to the bunkhouse and full use of its toilet, shower and cooking facilities, with free reign over the comfortable dining and lounge areas.. including the all-important stash of board games! It was the best of both worlds: the bustle of a self-catering hostel-like experience; and a comfortable, private 'glamping' space to retire to when we wanted to hide!

Inside the bunkhouse.
The owners and hosts at the croft - Theresa and Billy - gave us the warmest of welcomes and were incredibly helpful and accommodating throughout. Their love for the local area was so very clear in our interactions and they enthusiastically passed on recommendations of sites to see, pubs and restaurants to visit and a tiny little shed where we could purchase freshly caught seafood. I loved that sense of investment in their community and just listening to them talk about island life was a delight!


All of this cost us the princely sum of £16 per person per night - a price not to be sniffed at! - and provided us with the perfect cosy space to return to at the end of a long day. I thoroughly enjoyed my wigwaming experience and would certainly make use of them again, be it elsewhere in the UK or on a return trip here in the summer when the campfires are burning and the BBQs are go!


If you fancy trying out a wigwam for yourself - and I definitely recommend that you do - then wigwamholidays.com is your one stop shop for information on more than 60 locations across the UK. 

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