Forest Holidays Argyll A great place to relax, rain or shine

Rain is possibly the worst weather you can imagine for a holiday and sadly we had it in droves.

In fact, not just rain, but torrential downpours. And gale-force winds to boot. It was the wettest week Scotland had seen so far this year. I suppose that’s what we get for leaving our summer break until October!

But, thankfully, it didn’t matter. Because, rather than brave the elements, we were tucked up in the cocoon that was our cosy log cabin, watching movies with a generous supply of pizza and popcorn on hand. And that’s the beauty of a Forest Holiday.

Unfortunately, the company can’t control the weather, but it can and will ensure you have everything you need to enjoy a fantastic, relaxing retreat, whatever the skies have to throw down on you. And that was exactly our experience during a four-night stay at Ardgartan Argyll. Nestled between the rolling hills and tranquil lochs, it feels a million miles from civilisation. But the site is right in the heart of central Scotland, just an hour’s drive from the major cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling.

Our Silver Birch cabin, snuggled in the midst of the sheltered forest, was top-notch, a spacious three-bedroom lodge with living room, kitchen and not one, but two, bathrooms, not to mention the piece de resistance the inviting hot tub on the balcony.

Far from typical holiday accommodation, it was almost as big as our pad back home. And many centres offer a real home-from-home experience, with pet-friendly cabins meaning your dog can get in on the action too.

The cabin has been cleverly decorated to bring the outside in. From the floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular views over the nearby loch and hills to the solid oak furniture and lamps shaped like bits of tree bark, it all brings you back to the woodland world.

With severe weather warnings in place for the first night, our lodge proved the perfect hideaway. We turned the under-floor heating up full, booked the Forest Holidays in-cabin entertainment package a library full of movies, from old classics to the latest releases and ordered freshly-baked pizzas from the Forest Retreat base on-site. Add into the mix a couple of games of Jenga and Scrabble and we had all the ingredients for a fun family night in.

The following afternoon, as the storms started to settle, it was time to venture outdoors and breathe in some of that fresh country air.

And with so many activities on offer locally, we really were spoiled for choice. From clay pigeon shooting and sea kayaking to fishing, golf and cycle hire, as well as on-site ranger-led activities including archery, canoeing and forest walks, you won’t be short of something new to try.

And if you fancy going at a more relaxed pace, there are plenty of gentle forest strolls and hillwalks suiting all levels of fitness. If you don’t want to venture too far, Ardgartan sits on the edge of the loch and has a small private beach, so nature isn’t far away. However, whatever the time of year, I’d recommend packing the essentials wellies and waterproofs. If you don’t need them, fantastic, but if the heavens open (as in our case), you’ll be glad you came prepared!

The following day, we took a 20-mile drive to Inveraray, a quaint little town boasting its own castle, home of the Dukes of Argyll and Clan Campbell and the location for the filming of the 2012 Christmas special of Downton Abbey.

Inveraray is also famous for its jail, hailed as one of the top tourist attractions in Scotland, which gives a taster of what life was like in a 19th Century prison, as well as its quirky shops and cafes.

En-route back to the cabin we stopped off at the renowned Loch Fyne Oyster Bar where my husband opted to sample the fruits of the sea, but I plumped for the delicious steak (I’ve never been a seafood fan so the fish this place is so famed for was wasted on me but I still had a fantastic meal).

And I’d suggest checking out the short forestry walk to the treehouse at the back of the restaurant it’s a little hidden gem just waiting to be uncovered.

Over the next few days, we went for cycles, visited Puck’s Glen, an enchanted gorge with tumbling waterfall, and, of course, made the most of the glorious hot tub an activity just as pleasurable come rain or shine.

Overall, we weathered the storm and still had a fantastic, relaxing break. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it was tree-mendous!

Forset Holidays has nine sites across the UK, including two in Scotland. Cabins are open all year round.

Prices start from £415 for a Silver Birch cabin for a three-night weekend or £355 for four nights Monday to Friday.

For more information, visit forestholidays.co.uk or call 03330 110495.