We like to find unique experiences when we travel. Jolene is particularly good at that, and often finds something really cool and off the beaten path that ninety percent of the time turns out amazing. The other ten percent… well, chances are those are in my “Things Don’t Always Go As Planned,” section.
But this is one of the good times!
When we were planning our trip to Scotland, we knew we wanted to visit the Highlands, and had heard a lot of good things about Isle of Skye. When we we looked at accommodations, Jolene found a listing for “glamping pods.” I’d never heard of them before, and she showed me the website. I looked at them for about two seconds and then said, “Whatever this is… yes.”
The “Morag” Pod at Flodigarry, Isle of Skye
I’d never seen a “luxury glamping pod” before and they’re awesome. For those who don’t know, as I did not, the term “glamping” means “Glamorous Camping,” or “Luxury Camping.” In summary, it takes the idea of camping, but removes the roughness and discomfort. It provides many of the modern amenities (comfortable bed, shower, toilet, kitchenette, and sometimes tv and internet) in a more remote environment where one might normally camp. They are becoming more and more popular and for good reason. Lots of people want to enjoy the great outdoors but don’t feel the need to suffer.
I myself have been a camper all of my life. I’ve more than paid my dues sleeping on rocky ground and pooping in uncomfortable places. The idea of this was incredible to me. I was very intrigued at the idea of sleeping comfortably in a remote place and waking up rested, making a nice cup of tea, and looking out at a view like this every morning:
Our view from our Flodigarry Glamping Pod
There are different styles of pods in different parts of the world. Side note: next time you’re looking for an accommodation somewhere, definitely look for one. These pods are awesome. Inside there’s enough room for two people to stay comfortably for a long weekend, or even a week or two. They’re cozy and intimate, but have the amenities you want. Temperature controls for cold or heat, kitchen, shower, comfy queen-sized bed, tv, and ours had half-way decent internet access. All of this, sitting on the coast of the Isle of Skye in a very remote area with only the sounds of the ocean and the sheep each day. Here are some pics of the interior:
Interior of our glamping pod
The comfy couch which also converts to a second bed
The Flodigarry Pods are run by a wonderful family who own the farm where the pods are located. Anything we needed, they were there, and they even came by and offered us fresh eggs each morning from their farm. If you haven’t had fresh eggs before, they’re a real treat. You don’t get more farm-to-table than that!
Fresh breakfast in the pod!
So where exactly is the Isle of Skye? It’s in the Northeast part of Scotland, part of the Highlands. Here’s picture from Google Maps so you can see for yourself:
The Flodigarry Pods on the Isle of Skye, Scotland
As you can see, we were staying pretty far up and away from it all, and it was great. We spent three days on Skye, and it was really nice to come back to our little home away from home. I even felt a little sad when leaving the place, as I’d grown accustomed to it in a very short time. I’d happily stay there again, and can’t recommend it enough. For more information, you can visit their official website here, or find them on Airbnb here.
As I often talk about, we tend to travel in the off season as there are far less people and you usually get a chance to interface with the locals a little more. There can be downsides. Two of them being weather unpredictability and some places are closed. On Skye, during the off season, the latter is true. Not as many stores and restaurants were open and we had to make sure we planned for groceries and food. The distances between places on Skye can also be far. As an example, where we were staying was a good thirty minutes from any grocery store so we had to plan meals carefully. However, one of the best parts was that we were there during lambing season, and every day, we got to wake up and hang out with these beautiful, curious creatures:
Our curious neighbors
This brings us to the second purpose of this post… “traffic jams.”
The roads on Skye (and throughout the Highlands) are both single and two lanes, and sometimes you have to yield to other vehicles by pulling over onto designated pull-outs. You have to be patent and wait for other people to pass, which can add time to your journey. Side note, it’s considered polite to show your hand and wave a thank you to the person waiting, so please be a courteous driver and remember those small gestures. They’re important.
We were making our way to Uig from our pod so we could hop on a Skye Cruises boat and go see some puffins! More on that later. However, as we rounded the northern part of the island, we had to join a few other cars in pulling over because there was a traffic jam. One might think on an island such as Skye, where there’s plenty of wide open spaces to roam, this wouldn’t be an issue, but this was no ordinary traffic jam as you will see here:
This is an example of why you should always allow extra time in your itinerary. Sometimes unexpected things happen and you can either get annoyed… or you can get out your camera and have fun! While it’s not always possible, we do try to allow plenty of time for these things, and after enjoying the traffic jam, made our way to Uig. We had a relaxing lunch and hopped on board a lovely boat named The Radiant Queen for a high seas adventure!
And you can read all about that right here in Part Three of my Scotland series!
Moonbird’s Helpful Info:
Flodigarry Pods
Website: flodigarry-pods.uk/the-pods/
Location: 4 Flodigarry, Isle of Skye, Scotland, IV51 9HZ
Google Maps: Click here
Best time to visit: Anytime!
Scotland’s Seasons are: Spring: March, April and May, Summer: June, July and August, Autumn: September, October and November, and Winter: December, January and February.
Phone: +44[0]1470 552308
E-mail: info@flodigarry-pods.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/flodigarry_pods/
Facebook: facebook.com/Flodigarry-Pods-2063651530532336/
