Road to Helmsdale by Jen Gordon

Welcome to the Valhalla Holiday Home blog and website.  

Here you can find images of the house and local countryside, 

links to places to go and activities to do in the surrounding area. 

Please feel free to explore our blog below and the

tabs to other parts of the website.  

Overlooking River Helmsdale from the Strath

Continuing the 70's theme....

Travelling to Helmsdale in my memory banks begins circa 1970.  The epic journey north to Helmsdale from the west coast of Scotland happened at least once a year, normally during school summer holidays.  As a family we looked forward and willingly endured up to 15 hours of a VERY long arduous journey in dad's jalopy of the moment.  

Back then it was normal for cars to be unreliable so there was a sense of adventure about the journey - would we make it to Helmsdale in one go, did we have enough food for the duration, what if there is a breakdown, would there be enough food to sustain us during this misfortune, and most importantly for me - how would we feed the family dog?  In the remotest parts of Scotland there was no easy access to a public phone, and no conveniently located mechanic available to help in our hour of need. In my young world this was the nearest I was going to get to an adventure Enid Blyton style. 

So to be prepared for this epic journey expedition packing was required - this was organised by our dad loading the car to the gunnels with anything and everything we might ever need.  All available space had something squeezed into it .... thus allowing only a minimal spot for any passenger(s) ie normally, me and the dog, and sometimes my sister.  To be honest with the weight of the car and its contents it's a wonder the car even left home.  

Yet despite the weight of the car's expeditionary load we criss-crossed up and over Scotland taking various ferry rides, overtaking endless queues of caravans and tractors, negotiated sheep crowded single track roads, trundled over many cow grids (that bit was fun), endured an out of control yappy Jack Russell barking at absolutely everything, and very importantly kept close to hand a large supply of plastic bags for the inevitable bout of car sickness.

In true Gordon family style, food was a highlight of those journeys; mum ensured a travel tin of boiled sweets and choc limes were available during the journey, with a packed lunch usually consisting of a cup of tomato soup from the flask, egg and tomato sandwiches, a packet of Golden Wonder salted crisps, and chocolate biscuits - all enjoyed by the side of the road with fresh air and amazing views.   

These days that journey is quite different with a recent trip from Auchterarder in Perthshire to Helmsdale taking only 4 hours, and there are many great places to stop for a bite to eat and refuel.  Some of our favourites en route on the A9 is House of Bruar, just outside Pitlochry, or Storehouse of Foulis on the Cromarty Firth, and for additional shopping including a Costa caffeine pit stop try Inverness Shopping Centre.  There are no ferries to enjoy en route now but a few bridges to cross - the Kessock Bridge across the Moray Firth in Inverness, the Cromarty Bridge on the Cromarty Firth and Helmsdale Bridge on reaching your destination.  As a hobby I enjoy taking photographs (see below) and on a recent run north, with Spring not quite sprung the scenery is still awesome and is a reminder of where we might have had some of those picnics. 

Drumochter Summit 

Drumochter Pass, officially the start of the Highlands

Snow capped mountains at the Drumochter Pass

Oil Rigs on the Cromarty Firth

Salmon can be found at the Mound swimming upstream.  

Loch Fleet Nature Reserve is in the distance

The Mound

River Helmsdale from the Bridge near Kildonan Lodge  

River Helmsdale from the Strath 

Find us on Instagram on #valhallaholidayhome

Autumn Storms

In Scotland the weather in October and November can turn stormy and wild bringing a intense grey beauty to this part of the United Kingdom.  Helmsdale faces the North Sea so when a storm happens it bears the brunt of some fierce weather, particularly when the tide is high.  The high winds and tidal surges affect the harbour and river inlet with dramatic surges of water, however, as the photo below shows the fishing boats are protected by the shape of the harbour.  

A recent trip to Helmsdale coincided with some stormy weather yet there is no doubt this is the best time to appreciate a warm, cosy and welcoming environment. Valhalla Holiday Home is a cosy centrally heated house with a wood burner in the lounge for added comfort and atmosphere.  After an afternoon taking some photographs around the area and getting a bit soggy Valhalla was a welcome relief to return to and enjoy!  

View from the hill behind Valhalla looking down onto the harbour during a recent storm

High gusts of wind created dramatic wave surges over the harbour wall

 High Tide at Helmsdale Harbour

A local taking it all in his stride and enjoying the view

Helmsdale Harbour wall bearing the brunt of the storm

Large waves surge over the harbour wall

The storm starts to pass

Calmer weather ahead.....

Holidays growing up in Helmsdale, Sutherland

My name is Jennifer Gordon and this is a small introduction to who we are and why we have a holiday home in Helmsdale.

Holidays in the highland fishing village of Helmsdale were an intrinsic part of our childhood. My brother, sister and I spent most holidays on that part of the Sutherland coastline doing all the activities our generation did: walking along Helmsdale river, climbing hills at the back of the village, scrambling along the rocks to the bay at Navidale, picnic-ing on Loth Beach.

We visited the impressive Dunrobin Castle, climbed the Ben Bhaggie hill behind Golspie, gold panned our afternoon away at the Baile an Or,  but always we spent most of our days together with extended family: cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers maintaining an important link between sections of our dad's family.    

Helmsdale River

Our dad was born in Helmsdale in 1925 and spent his formative years in Toll Cottage, a modest and small 2 bedroom cottage across from the Bannockburn Inn.  He lived there with his mum, dad, a brother and sister until he left for Glasgow and the Royal Airforce at the age of 16.   The ties to his homeland were strong and after his return as a prisoner of war from Germany he met and married our mother in Newcastle, but regularly returned to Helmsdale to visit his family.  As his own family grew in size these visits became more important and it provided a welcome opportunity for the entire clan to reunite on common ground whether beachside, lochside or pub-side!

These clan meetings have continued over many years and have now become a tradition which continues to this day ..... hence our holiday home, Valhalla. The local museum and art gallery, Timespan signage says it perfectly - it is a meeting place between our past and our future generations.  

Welcome to Valhalla and we hope you enjoy our holiday home as much as we do!

Cottages at Helmsdale Harbour