7 years and still running

It's hard work running a B & B, no getting away from that, but the upside is that we have met so many kind and interesting folk since we opened for business in March 2005 with many guests returning (we bribe them with extra toast from Mhor bread).
It took 6 months to remodel Roslin Cottage first but as she is over 300 years old I suppose that's not bad for an old lady. Now all rooms are ensuite and guests tell us we have managed to keep the character of the cottage - though maybe they just mean Sid :)
We can see in the loft where the roof has been built up to make the second level as the story is that our cottage, called Kyrtle Cottage then and the Myrtle cottage next door, were built for two sisters. We've not had time to look into the history properly but maybe when we retire that will be a project. Come to think of it running the B&B was to be our retirement project but Sid still goes out freelance being a chef and I have a wee part time job which fits round the business.
 Sometime in 1950 the name was changed from Kirtle to Roslin and that can be confusing as we are not near Roslyn Chapel as you might think. Mind you we have had guests travelling to stay with us having been to the Chapel to visit first but it is a couple of hours drive up the M9.
Callander is on the road to the Isles and if every guest sitting round our breakfast table went to Skye on the same day then it would surely sink - it is a favourite destination and rightly so.

An artist's impression

We had one of those special moments this week when one of our guests asked if she could draw us a picture instead of putting a comment in to our Visitors' Book. Now with a little help from a friend you might see what Noreen has made - a beautiful pen and ink drawing of our garden, complete with visting black cat on the scrounge for scraps in the hedge. Thank you Noreen and hope you are enjoying the rest of  your trip.

Snow on the Ben

You can tell when winter is approaching - first when the snow puts a hat on 'the Ben' as it has today and then when the deer come in to the garden to see what's left to nibble on. Our guests in Cherryview told us at breakfast time that they had been watching a couple of deer while they were getting organised. We had seen some footprints but this is the first visit of the year, from the deer that is, not our guests; though it was their first visit too and they are planning to return now that they have discovered what a beautiful area we live in. 

Bracklinn Bridge

Roslin Cottage is a member of the 'OUR Park' scheme, the park being Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, and the scheme is a charity which raises funds for projects which help conserve this beautiful area we are lucky enough to live in. This season with the support from many of our guests and matched funding from us, we have handed over almost £100. A big thank you to all who popped their pennies and pounds into our pot! This money will be invested directly in improving the Bracklinn Bridge footpath. If you have visited our new bridge we are sure you agree that the striking copper canopy makes a fantastic background for the tumbling waters of the falls. Yes there are compensations in having so much rain.
For those of you who have not seen Bracklinn Falls, our local community website www.incallander.co.uk has some great photographs and local history to delve into. But now I need to delve in to ironing, hi ho.

Welcome to Roslin Cottage blog

Well almost there with the blog so please keep looking in on us....

 

The webmaster has now left me to it thanks Jason