Carbisdale Castle - Facilities & Information

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The Essentials

  • 54mls

  • 4.5mls

  • £1 per 20min

  • £2 per wash

  • Licensed

  • B, L, D

  • B, L, D

  • 4.5mls

  • 140 beds

  • 0.25ml



Information

 

Dates: 19th March - 26th October 2010

Tel: 01549 421 232

 

Reception opening hours are between 7.30am - 11pm daily.

 

We serves breakfast, packed lunch and excellent dinners all year round

 

Continental Breakfast: £4.25 (served from 8am - 9:30am)
Cooked Breakfast: £5.95  not always available, depending on demand (served from 8am - 9:30am)
Packed Lunch: £5.00  available on request (Please book before 8pm the night before)
Evening Meals: £11.50  starter, main course and dessert (3 courses - served from 7pm - 8pm)

 

Please note that we do not accept stag or hen parties at any of our hostels.

 

Local Attractions

 

The Falls of Shin
Dramatic waterfalls and the famous, natural Atlantic Salmon Leap can take your breath away.  
Achany Glen, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, IV27 4EE,
Tel: 01549 402231
Visit Website

 

Lairg archaeological trail
Cairns or stone burial tombs built by New Stone Age provide the earliest evidence of habitation in Lairg.
Visit Website

 

Dunrobin Castle
The most northerly of Scotland's great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands. Dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland.
Golspie, Sutherland, KW10 6SF
Tel: 01408 633177
Visit Website

 

Dornoch Cathedral
The Cathedral is a 13th Century Parish Church set in the heart of the royal burgh of Dornoch. The setting for the wedding of Madonna and Guy Ritchie!
Visit Website

 

Skibo Castle
Glorious Highland castle and estate.
Dornoch, Sutherland

 

Tain Museum
Home to an extensive and varied collection of objects, photographs and archives of local, regional and national significance.
Visit Website

 

Ferrycroft Countryside Visitor Centre
This purpose-built centre guides the visitor through the changes in land use in the area from the ice age to the present day.
Tel: 01549 402160

 

 

Eating and drinking

 

Carbisdale Castle Restaurant and Coffee Shop

 

Invershin Pub

 

The Takeaway
Home of the award winning Caledonian Curry Company!Fish & Chips, freshly baked pizza, curries to take away.
Open Tues – Sat, 5pm – 8pm
South Bonar Estate, Bonar Bridge, IV24 3AQ
Tel:01863 766766

 

The Crannag Bistro
Fully licensed restaurant serving delicious local seafood and steaks.Booking advisable.Open Tues – Sat from 6pm last orders 9pm.
Dornoch Road, Bonar Bridge, IV24 3EB
Tel:01863 766111

Visit Website

Families

  • Excellent self-catering facilities
  • Restaurant and coffee shop
  • Family and private rooms
  • Games room
  • TV lounge
  • Mountain Biking
  • Walking

We understand better than anyone the implications of travelling with young children. That is why we are doing all we can to make your hostelling experience memorable for all the right reasons.
 
Children and families are welcome at all our hostels, although we have  highlighted a number of hostels within our network as being “Family Hostels” as they are particularly well-suited to travelling with and entertaining younger children. 

 

Family hostels not only have private rooms available, many with en-suite facilities, they also carry practical items such as travel cots, high chairs, microwaves and toys. In addition there is normally a TV and games room as well as extensive private gardens on site where the kids can let off some steam. Close to great attractions and activities, these family hostels offer a great base from which to explore the area. Our helpful staff are a great source of knowledge on places to visit and things to see and do. 

 

Hostelling is a very friendly and relaxed way to travel and our ethos actively involves children.

Groups

DunrobinCastle
The most northerly of Scotland's great houses, dating back to the early 1300s, and home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland.
Golspie, Sutherland, KW10 6SF

Tel: 01408 633 177

Visit Website

 

Timespan Heritage Centre

A vibrant meeting place between past and our future linking culture, heritage, the arts, people and their ideas. 

Dunrobin Street, Helmsdale, Sutherland, KW8 6JX

Tel: 01431 821 327

Visit Website

 

Boots n Paddles

Activities on offer include  open canoeing, archery, climbing, abseiling, hill walking, orienteering, winter mountaineering, winter skills, mountain biking, gorge walking, canyoning and weaseling!

14 Cabrich, Kirkhill, by Inverness, IV5 7PH

Tel: 0845 612 5567

Visit Website

 

Fallsof Shin Visitor Centre

Watch in amazement as the Atlantic salmon battle their way upstream to return to their birth place.  The centre also boasts a children’s adventure playground, mini golf, restaurant, gift shops and picturesque forest walks.

Achany Glen, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, IV27 4EE

Tel: 01549 402231

Visit Website

 

Assynt Visitor Centre

Displays about the wildlife, history, geology and cultural heritage of Assynt as well as information about the North West highlands Geopark.

Main St, Lochinver, Sutherland, IV27 4LX

Tel: 01571 844 654   

Visit Website

Mountain Biking

Bike Hire No Longer Available at Hostel.

 

We have excellent mountain biking trails (10.5 mls) at Balblair and Carbisdale Woods 

 

Carbisdale & Balblair Trails
View Route

 

The Far North West - Kyle of Sutherland
An easy start in wooded country - no difficult hills.
View Route

 

Kyle of Sutherland
Quiet river valleys with natural woodland
View Route

 

The Far North West
Mostly a gentle climb into wonderful scenery
View Route

 

The Far North West
This final section takes in part of the National Cycle Network, Route 1.
View Route

 

Highland Wildcat Trails

View Website

 

Learnie Red Rock Trails

Visit Website

Difficult

The Far North West
190 miles in the wildest and most rugged scenery in Scotland. If you like hills to get your teeth into, this is for you!
View Route

Walking

Moderate

Carbisdale Castle Walk
A pleasant walk in Sutherlandshire, overlooking the Kyle of Sutherland.
Distance: 4.43km/2.8miles Duration: 1 1/2 hours Height Gain: 130 metres/429 feet
View Route

 

Ferry Wood, Lairg
Two routes, including an all abilities trail through a forest on the shores of Loch Shin.
Distance: 2km/1.25miles Duration: 1 hour Height Gain: 20 metres/66 feet
View Route

 

Shin Falls Forest Walk
Short and fun forest walk for all the family.
Distance: 2km/1.25miles Duration: 1 1/2 hours Height Gain: 30 metres/99 feet
View Route

 

Achany Glen, Lairg
Two short forest trails near to the Falls of Shin - a famous salmon leap.
Distance: 1.5km/0.9miles Duration: 1/2 hour Height Gain: 50 metres/165 feet
View Route


Longer walks

Golspie's 'Wee Mannie' & 'Big Burn'
This walk rewards you with views along the Sutherland coast and across the Moray Firth.
Distance: 9.18km/5.74miles Duration: 2 1/2 hours Height Gain: 415 metres/1369.5 feet
View Route

 

Disclaimer: All walking routes are hosted on external sites, therefore SYHA can hold no responsibility towards their accuracy. SYHA would also like to acknowledge the British Mountaineering Council Participation Statement: "The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions".

Wildlife

Osprey, Otters, Pine Marten, common seal, oystercatcher, wigeon, shelduck, single flowered wintergreen, twinflower, ptarmigan, raven, red deer, heather, knot, lapwing, redshank, bar-tailed godwit. 

 

Loch Fleet 
In summer rare and attractive flower species can be seen from scenic coastal walks through dune grassland and mature pine woods. 
3 miles north or Dornoch and 2 miles south of Golspie, off A9
Visit Website

 

Ben Wyvis 
Panoramic views of the northern Highlands await visitors to this mountainous reserve. 
Visit Website

 

 

Fishing

 

Kyle of Sutherland Angling Association
River Fishing for Salmon, Sea-trout and Brown Trout and Loch fishing for Brown Trout. Permits available from the post office in Bonar Bridge
Visit Website

 

Lairg Angling Club
Loch Shin open fro Sunday fishing
Season May to September
Tel: 01549 402309


Staff Recommendations

Joan Mackenzie, Staff Member

 

"Wouldn't you just love to spend a night in a REAL Scottish Castle? Look at the beautiful paintings and the fabulous statue gallery, not to mention the Library, and the scenery is just so majestic. Real Scotland!"

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