Easy Winter Walks

 Easy Winter Walks 

One of the activities our family enjoy on holiday in Helmsdale are the local walks right on our doorstep.  Most of them around the village accommodate everyone's taste so you can walk along the river, up the hills, across the golf course, along the beach, and each offers stunning views of the area and the village. 

Some of the walks have a short duration like the two recommended below and are suitable, with adult care, for children and dogs. You can easily return to base camp is required with little ones and as long as you are appropriately attired with good walking shoes, or welly boats and waterproofs, everyone will feel refreshed with some invigorating fresh air in their lungs.

To be honest we mostly use these walks as an excuse to go for coffee and cake in local cafes.  We recommend La Mirage who do an exceptional meringue or Thyme & Plaice, both of which are located in the Main Street, and just around the corner is Timespan Cafe overlooking Helmsdale River.   

Helmsdale & Harbour Views (30 mins & easy)
A lovely easy walk around the village taking in the Thomas Telford bridge, the ice house, a walk alongside Cooper Park, across the A9, onto the shore and back to the Old Bridge by way of a path under the New Bridge. Lovely views of the harbour, the river and the North Sea. 

Fisherman's Footsteps by Helmsdale River (1 hr duration & welly alert for muddy terrain)
From the car park opposite the Bridge Hotel take the directions for St. John's Well down to the picnic area (you will see Helmsdale clock across the river), take the riverside walk until you reach St. John's Well then take the rough footpath alongside the river's edge.  Keep to the rough path until the stone steps, at the top turn right and follow the road back to Helmsdale.  Take stone steps opposite cemetery to St. John's Well and return to car park opposite Bridge Hotel. 

For those who enjoy more challenging walks we will feature more information over the next few months.  

If you require a map of the village to find your way around please click through on this link for more details http://www.helmsdale.org/walking.html.

A Scottish Highland Fishing Trip

Salmon & Trout Fishing on the River Helmsdale 

The calibre of salmon and trout available in Scottish rivers attracts people from all over the world.  Most will agree there is something special about being in the Scottish Highlands enjoying the amazing scenery with the challenge of a catch, and perhaps with a hip flask for sustenance.  Our holiday home, Valhalla, is in a prime location in the pretty village of Helmsdale close to the river, so whether you are an experienced fisher-person or keen to create a new dimension to your holiday in the Highlands there are opportunities for you to enjoy this world locally and further afield in the North of Scotland.  We can furnish you with more information by calling 07813 660204.

Fishing Season 2017

Many of our guests return regularly over the years to fish in the area.  This year the season for salmon and trout fishing runs as follows: 

• Salmon & Sea Trout: 11th January until 30th September.
• Brown Trout: 15th March until 6th October.

North of Scotland Salmon & Trout Fishing

For more information on fishing in the North of Scotland please click through on this link.

http://www.trout-salmon-fishing.com/salmonfishing-northscotland.htm 

Helmsdale Salmon Fishing 

More information on local fishing please click through on this link for more information:

http://www.trout-salmon-fishing.com/scotland-river-helmsdale.htm

Fishing Equipment Dry Room 

Valhalla Holiday Home does not yet have a dry room for guests fishing equipment but we are looking into this and hope to be able to offer a secure facility for storage in the future. 

Visitor Angling Tickets for the River Helmsdale may be bought from either:

Thyme and Plaice Restaurant

 10 Dunrobin St. Helmsdale

 tel 01431 821598  

email: robertstephenson81@hotmail.com

or 

The Bannockburn Inn

Stafford St

Helmsdale

tel 01431 821461

email: tartanlounge@aol.com

Valhalla News for 2017

...... a word from Ian Gordon (top bloke) 

At the start of another year we would like to take the opportunity to thank all our guests to Valhalla for their custom and at times, forbearance. Holidays are an important part of our lives and we want your visit to us to be memorable for all the right reasons. We understand there are many self-catering cottages available and fully understand that we need to adapt and continuously improve to be able to keep you returning to enjoy Valhalla.

Over the past 10 years we have gradually tried to improve the house so that that it feels like a  “home from home“ in terms of comfort and convenience.  It’s a difficult balance to provide all ….. not cluttered but not stripped back like so many rentals.

Guests Suggestions for Improvement 

In line to our desire to keeping improving, we would like to ask you for your input as to what additional changes and improvements we could make to make your stays even more comfortable. We are afraid that solving the midge problem cannot be one of them ! But please, if you can find a few minutes to help us plan the next steps we can take it would be extremely helpful. I’m afraid there are no prizes and of course we reserve the right to cherry pick and only focus on the ones we like…

2017 External Improvements 

For our own part this year we expect to focus more on the garden, certainly a new BBQ, perhaps refine the far end of the garden to be more attractive, freshen up external paintwork and improve composting. 

Refuse Collections

One change from previous years relates to bin collections. I’m sure you share our frustrations over the 2 weekly cycle of rubbish collections.  Its been a real challenge for many to cope with this constraint and we appreciate the efforts made by guests. The good news is that from April through September there will be WEEKLY rubbish collections. Same day, Wednesday. The recycling will only be 2 weekly so we ask that you continue to follow the guidelines regarding what can  be disposed of in this bin. Its not the same rules across the country so please take special note.  Empty bottle disposal is still a chore having to take them down to the harbour but seeing as we drink so little these days I’m sure its manageable!

2017 Internal Improvements

Internally we are planning to tidy up the PC area in the kitchen to make it less obtrusive (does anyone ever use the PC?), improve the “feel” of the place with a change of colour scheme and soft furnishings, fit a thermostat to the central heating system to better control the temperature (maybe even upgrade to a SMART unit NEST or HIVE); and add some additional chairs.

At the end of the season the kitchen carpet will be replaced; the use of the shed will be reviewed to enable it to be used for storage by guests and we will redecorate hall, stairs & landing.

Next year the seating in the front room (or lounge depending on where you come from) will hopefully be improved.

But of course we would really appreciate your contributions. We cannot commit to implementing them all but we will take the most popular requests first.  Please email any suggestions for improvements to valhallaholidayhome@gmail.com.

With the fall in the value of the £ abroad we are expecting a busy season this year so we would encourage you to secure your preferred dates ASAP. Please contact Jackie Boyd on 07813 660204 who will be delighted to organise your booking for you.  

Historical Improvements

In 2011 we carried out big improvements - we laid new carpets and redecorated throughout, fitted fire alarms and new lighting, created new colourful furnishings which have been added to each year. Recently we replaced all radiators, renamed rooms (we still get confused), repainted doors in kitchen to brighten up the room, had fibre broadband installed with nearly 40Mb download speeds, added Google Chromecast so you stream your Amazon Prime and Netflix services (if you have them), fitted a wifi extender upstairs, replaced mattresses in most rooms with Hypos ones, and provided percale Egyptian cotton bed linen.

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