Visit Loch Lomond

Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

The weather was gorgeous; I had a quiet morning and a slow, lazy lunch – and then I decided to take advantage of a beautiful day and headed over to Loch Lomond Shores. I walked through the car park to Jenners and there, much to my surprise, was Sheila Fleet. Sheila was there to launch her latest range of jewellery; we had a quick hug and then took time out to have a coffee together.

Sheila Fleet has been designing and selling jewellery for many years.
Orcadian designer Fleet, 66, graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 1967, and established her eponymous business back in 1993, after working for a number of different jewellers.

Since then she’s sold steadily to a loyal customer base, mainly in the UK, as she doesn’t do a lot of global marketing (preferring new customers to stumble upon the brand).

We first met Sheila and husband Rick at the Scottish Trade Show in Aviemore many years ago. It’s always interesting to see which stand attracts the most retailers and, it has to be said, there has always been a buzz around Sheila Fleet Jewellery.

After coffee, Sheila was on duty again and so I decided to see where the car would take me; heading into the Loch Lomond National Park, I found myself wandering down a side road and there was Ross Priory which is a recreational facilty for staff and graduates of Strathclyde University. The current house, which faces Loch Lomond, was built in 1812. Featuring a Scottish Gothic style, it was designed by architect James Gillespie (1776-1855).

Ross Priory is the University’s Recreational and Conference Centre, situated in 200 acres of parkland on the south east shoreline of Loch Lomond. Membership of this unique facility is open to all current and retired members of staff and to graduates of the University.

When I arrived at the car park, I could see that there was a wedding party on the lawn, enjoying the beautiful afternoon with views across to Ben Lomond.

With its reputation for quality, Ross Priory is a wonderful venue for a wedding. The beautiful location makes it a marvellous setting for photographs and the friendly ambience ensures it is a very special place for that magical day. The experienced team offers a warm Scottish welcome, making a Ross Priory wedding a very memorable day.

A Ross Priory Wedding can accommodate up to 62 in the Dining Room plus a further 30 in the adjoining McGougan Room.

We have a civil licence for marriage ceremonies, should you wish to hold your service in addition to your meal and reception.

I sneaked around the edge of the golf course to avoid intruding on the celebrations but everyone sounded relaxed and really happy.

From Ross Priory I wandered past the secluded caravan site at Lagganbeg – it looked really friendly and peaceful.

My wandering car took me to Drymen – it’s a lovely little village which is the gateway to the eastern shores of Loch Lomond. The walkers on the West Highland Way quite often overnight at Drymen – and this means that there are some great hotels and bed and breakfast establishments in the village; there are a couple of great eating places as well – including the Clachan, Drymen Pottery and the restaurants at the Buchanan Arms Hotel and the Winnock Hotel.