bank holiday Archives - Stirling Self Catering

August Bank Holiday – your late summer bonus

by ssc | Jul 20, 2016 | Blog

Show me someone who doesn’t like a Bank Holiday and it’s likely his name is Mr Ebenezer Scrooge. Bank Holidays are brilliant: they’re the perfect excuse for a Sunday night bottle of wine, a day in your jammies, or, even better, a week or more away in the UK that eats up only four days of your precious annual leave. What’s not to like? And the next one is just around the corner, on Monday 28 August!

Just one of our luxury apartments and cottages in historic Stirling

Craigvinean pine cone shelter Ronald Weir

Craigvinean Pine Cone Shelter, Perthshire. Around an hour’s drive from Stirling.

Chase away the post-holiday blues

For those of us who’ve already had our main summer getaway, The August Bank Holiday provides the perfect opportunity to chase away the post-holiday blues with a late summer break. Breaks like this remind us that we needn’t go far, or spend a fortune, to have a great time. Have a look at our budget accommodation if you fancy a great value city stay, or browse our luxury properties in the heart of Stirling for late summer availability too. Make Stirling your base for your August/September escape, and you have the whole of central Scotland, and a good chunk of the Highlands, within day trip distance too. Check out Destination Stirling’s guide to getting here and travel: http://www.destinationstirling.com/plan-your-visit/getting-here/

Events ideas for your late summer stay

Need some ideas for days out during your stay? There’s lots going on in Stirling:

Experience History at the Wallace Monument: One of Stirling’s most iconic tourist attractions, the Wallace Monument is running a whole host of captivating events this August, with costumed actors bringing Scotland’s turbulent history to life for visitors. Details of all their August events here: http://www.nationalwallacemonument.com/
Stirling’s Secret Gardens: a selection of private gardens throughout Stirlingshire are open until the end of September. Your small entrance fee is donated to charity and allows you to explore some of the region’s most beautiful, secluded and award-winning gardens. For more information, enter your desired postcode into the ‘search’ area of this website: http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/
Events at the Castle: Make the most of your visit to Stirling Castle by taking in its special events, all included in your ticket price. August brings ‘Flights into Scotland’s Past’ a beautiful exhibition of aerial photography. If you are here in September, enjoy ‘Renaissance Revelry’ at the Castle, with music, dance and drama bringing the Castle to life. Visit the kitchen and see the food they would have prepared and hear more about the past times of the nobility and Mary, Queen of Scots. For more information, visit: http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/whatson
Scotfairs Antiques Fair: Just before you head home, make some time for this Antiques Fair at Stirling’s beautiful Albert Halls on the first Saturday of each month. This fair is for everyone, from those who have an eye for antiques, to those who love a rummage for affordable collectibles and vintage nick-nacks. For more information, visit: http://culturestirling.org/albert-halls/
Theatre and music: If you fancy some theatre, music, or cinema during your stay, keep an eye on these listings at http://culturestirling.org/ and http://macrobertartscentre.org/

Gargunnock House Gardens, one of Stirlingshire’s secret gardens open until late September

Bringing history to life at the Wallace Monument this Bank Holiday

Photo credits:

Craigvinean Pine Cone Shelter, Perthshire, Photo copyright Ronald Weir
Wallace Monument: Photo kindly supplied by Ken Thomson at the National Wallace Monument
Gargunnock House Gardens: Photo kindly supplied by Scotland’s Gardens

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Spring and summer breaks in Stirling!

by ssc | Apr 13, 2016 | Blog

Life: it’s all about breaking it up into little enjoyable chunks, isn’t it? So, now that the Easter chocfest is over, and most of us have seen off our kids back to the school gates, we’re thinking about the next holiday!

Grade C Listed Victorian villa - Gladstone, perfect for a summer break

Relax by the log burning stove in Gladstone, in the heart of Stirling’s King’s Park

Grade C Listed Victorian villa - Gladstone's master bedroom

Master bedroom luxury, Gladstone

Short and sweet Bank Holidays

The English and Scottish May bank holidays coincide on 2 and 30 May – giving us two great opportunities for a week or more away for the price of a mere 4 days’ annual leave. The key thing about bank holidays is location – you don’t want to waste too much time travelling to your base. And once there, you want to squeeze in as many experiences as humanly possible in a short space of time. Slap bang in the heart of Scotland, Stirling is the perfect place for just such a break. Not only is it the gateway to the Highlands (heck, you can be in the wilds of Glencoe in under two hours!), but its central location opens up both Glasgow and Edinburgh as easy day-trip destinations too. From Stirling, you can even experience both Scotland’s east and west coastlines – either can be reached in around an hour by car. If you’re planning on using your holiday home as a day-trip base (and have an eye on your whole-year holiday budget), have a peek at our bright, beautiful and affordable apartments at www.budgetaccommodationstirling.co.uk. They might be just what you’re after. To find out more about why Stirling could be just right for your short spring or Bank Holiday break, give us a call on +44 (0) 7730 145 965.

Lazy luxury summer holidays

Summer holidays are all about feeling relaxed – kicking back, forgetting work and responsibilities. With longer breaks, it’s essential too that you feel at home and cared for in your holiday accommodation. That’s why our portfolio of luxury cottages and apartments have every comfort you could possibly wish. Unwind in front of Gladstone’s log-burning stoves with a glass of wine, or enjoy a secluded barbecue in its enclosed gardens – all in the heart of Stirling’s prestigious King’s Park. If you’ve a family or group celebration in mind, Park Terrace is the perfect property – comprising extensive gardens, a hot tub, sauna and even a bar area. Luxury comes in all sizes too – couples and small families will love the cosy cottage feel of Pear Tree House and Redcarr Lodge, for example, all with our warm and attentive customer service. Browse all of our fabulous properties at www.stirlingselfcatering.co.uk/properties

Our people

But why, when you’ve the whole word to choose from, should you choose Scotland for a holiday? After all, you can find nice views and a luxury apartment anywhere in the world. Well, we think that Scotland’s people are something special, and it seems that 2015’s visitors wholeheartedly agree. Nearly 6,000 tourists were surveyed by Visit Scotland* last summer, and their top three descriptions of Scots were ‘friendly’, ‘helpful’, and ‘welcoming’. More than 80 percent of visitors said that Scotland’s people actually added to their holiday experience. If you want to find out more about what makes us tick, look out for the hashtag #ScotSpirit on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see just what we mean about our brilliant, warm and helpful people. By the way, we’ve a few of them working right here in the office, ready to help plan your unforgettable holiday

Park Terrace has extensive gardens and facilities - perfect for a summer break

Park Terrace has extensive gardens and facilities perfect for a special gathering

Cosy cottage charm at Redcarr Lodge

*Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-35774291

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