AN DA SHEALLADH // TWO VIEWS
WHERE IS IT?
On the edge of the small village of Poolewe, in the north west Highlands of Scotland. You can see a map of the area here.
The centre is directly opposite the Poolewe Hotel. There is a car park in front of the building, which is accessed through the gate and down the stairs into the courtyard.
WHAT IS THE CENTRE LIKE?
The centre is in a small, colourful building on the edge of Loch Ewe, with direct access to the beach from the garden. It belongs to singer, performance artist and storyteller Joanie Bones, aka Bríd Dawid.
The centre has a workshop room, small kitchen, the 'blue room' (chill out space), bathroom and 2 small dorm bedrooms.
The workshop room can hold about 15 people.
It is a joyful, simple place full of life and love, in the heart of an astonishing wild, magic landscape.
WHERE DO I STAY?
There is simple dorm-style accommodation for up to 6 people in the building, plus space for up to 3 campervans in the carpark.
A bunk costs £27/night and does not included bedding - you need to bring your own. We only have one shower and hot water is limited so please be aware that shower options are limited - but the loch is at the bottom of the garden and we do also have an outside tap!
Camper vans can stay for £10 a night.
There are lots of other accommodation options in the village:
The Poolewe Hotel is directly opposite the centre
There is a campsite 5 minutes walk away with toilets, showers etc (facilities at the centre are limited so if you want better facilities you may be happier at the campsite)
A BnB 5 minutes walk away
A wild camp site up at the beach at Firemore, about 20 minutes drive away
And lots more options on Air BnB, but please do book in advance as places do get very busy
We also may be able to put you in touch with local hosts who can offer you a bed for a low rate. Please contact us if you are interested in this option
HOW DO I GET THERE?
Retreats are mostly timed to coincide with the arrival of the bus from Inverness, which is the nearest city and is approximately 1 hour and 40 mins drive away (or approx 2.5 hours on the bus). In cases where this is not the case, we will offer retreatants to be part of a lift-sharing group and/or try our best to help organise transport.
The retreats end in time for the morning bus to Inverness.
The nearest station is Achnasheen, which is approximately 40 minutes drive away. There is no local public transport from Achnasheen to Poolewe.
You can see the bus timetable here
The nearest airport is Inverness. International flights are more likely to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh, from where you can get a train or bus to Inverness (approximately 3 hours), and then the bus to Poolewe.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Highland summers can be glorious. They can also be windy, wet and cold!
Please bring the following:
Clothes for all weathers, including waterproofs
Slippers or warm socks
Long socks to guard against ticks
Swimming stuff if you might like to take a dip
Anti-midge wear and products
If you are staying in our dorms, please also bring bedding.
WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?
All food at the centre is vegan. Please let us know of any health-related essential dietary requirements in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you
WHAT IS THERE LOCALLY?
There is a small shop in the village, a community centre, a garage, the world famous Inverewe Gardens, historic house and cafe Pool House, once HQ for the Russian Arctic Convoy and where Winston Churchill stayed, a small swimming pool and a cafe.
10 minutes drive away is the small town of Gairloch which has more shops, a library, cafes, etc.
Ullapool, with lots of amenities and a ferry link to the Isle of Lewis, is approximately an hour drive away.
The area is known for stunning beaches, lochs, and walks in the hills.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
The centre is in an area which has both ticks and midges - two kinds of insects that can cause problems for humans.
There are ticks in our garden.
You can read more about ticks and how to protect against them here
Midges aren't known to carry any infectious diseases but, nonetheless, are very annoying! The only really effective prevention for when you are outside when they are active is to wear a midge net over your head. Some people also choose to wear a midge-protecting upper garment.
Also please note there is no WiFi in the centre. Mobile phone and internet data reception is generally OK but cannot be relied upon depending on your network.
Information about the retreats can be found here
On the edge of the small village of Poolewe, in the north west Highlands of Scotland. You can see a map of the area here.
The centre is directly opposite the Poolewe Hotel. There is a car park in front of the building, which is accessed through the gate and down the stairs into the courtyard.
WHAT IS THE CENTRE LIKE?
The centre is in a small, colourful building on the edge of Loch Ewe, with direct access to the beach from the garden. It belongs to singer, performance artist and storyteller Joanie Bones, aka Bríd Dawid.
The centre has a workshop room, small kitchen, the 'blue room' (chill out space), bathroom and 2 small dorm bedrooms.
The workshop room can hold about 15 people.
It is a joyful, simple place full of life and love, in the heart of an astonishing wild, magic landscape.
WHERE DO I STAY?
There is simple dorm-style accommodation for up to 6 people in the building, plus space for up to 3 campervans in the carpark.
A bunk costs £27/night and does not included bedding - you need to bring your own. We only have one shower and hot water is limited so please be aware that shower options are limited - but the loch is at the bottom of the garden and we do also have an outside tap!
Camper vans can stay for £10 a night.
There are lots of other accommodation options in the village:
The Poolewe Hotel is directly opposite the centre
There is a campsite 5 minutes walk away with toilets, showers etc (facilities at the centre are limited so if you want better facilities you may be happier at the campsite)
A BnB 5 minutes walk away
A wild camp site up at the beach at Firemore, about 20 minutes drive away
And lots more options on Air BnB, but please do book in advance as places do get very busy
We also may be able to put you in touch with local hosts who can offer you a bed for a low rate. Please contact us if you are interested in this option
HOW DO I GET THERE?
Retreats are mostly timed to coincide with the arrival of the bus from Inverness, which is the nearest city and is approximately 1 hour and 40 mins drive away (or approx 2.5 hours on the bus). In cases where this is not the case, we will offer retreatants to be part of a lift-sharing group and/or try our best to help organise transport.
The retreats end in time for the morning bus to Inverness.
The nearest station is Achnasheen, which is approximately 40 minutes drive away. There is no local public transport from Achnasheen to Poolewe.
You can see the bus timetable here
The nearest airport is Inverness. International flights are more likely to go to Glasgow or Edinburgh, from where you can get a train or bus to Inverness (approximately 3 hours), and then the bus to Poolewe.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Highland summers can be glorious. They can also be windy, wet and cold!
Please bring the following:
Clothes for all weathers, including waterproofs
Slippers or warm socks
Long socks to guard against ticks
Swimming stuff if you might like to take a dip
Anti-midge wear and products
If you are staying in our dorms, please also bring bedding.
WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?
All food at the centre is vegan. Please let us know of any health-related essential dietary requirements in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you
WHAT IS THERE LOCALLY?
There is a small shop in the village, a community centre, a garage, the world famous Inverewe Gardens, historic house and cafe Pool House, once HQ for the Russian Arctic Convoy and where Winston Churchill stayed, a small swimming pool and a cafe.
10 minutes drive away is the small town of Gairloch which has more shops, a library, cafes, etc.
Ullapool, with lots of amenities and a ferry link to the Isle of Lewis, is approximately an hour drive away.
The area is known for stunning beaches, lochs, and walks in the hills.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?
The centre is in an area which has both ticks and midges - two kinds of insects that can cause problems for humans.
There are ticks in our garden.
You can read more about ticks and how to protect against them here
Midges aren't known to carry any infectious diseases but, nonetheless, are very annoying! The only really effective prevention for when you are outside when they are active is to wear a midge net over your head. Some people also choose to wear a midge-protecting upper garment.
Also please note there is no WiFi in the centre. Mobile phone and internet data reception is generally OK but cannot be relied upon depending on your network.
Information about the retreats can be found here
