Linden Apartment

by | Mar 14, 2018 | Properties

SLEEPS: 4.

Conveniently located within walking distance of Stirling City Centre, this two bedroom apartment is the perfect base for your holiday in Stirling.

Linden Apartment, Stirling

Just a 10 minute stroll from the bus and train stations Linden Apartment offers a comfortable, quiet retreat after a busy day’s sightseeing.

Sleeping four people  in two bedrooms , one with ensuite facilities, this first floor apartment is ideal for couples and families. One person can be accommodated on the double sofa bed situated in the lounge if a separate bed is required for the fourth person.  . A small additional fee is applicable.

Situated on the first floor, the one level accommodation comprises of a large , welcoming hallway , open plan kitchen/living room with seating and dining facilities for four people plus a sofa bed, one king size bedroom with en suite facilities, one double bedroom and a large family bathroom.

The fully equipped, modern kitchen boasts a large fridge freezer, gas hob, electric oven, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and is fully stocked with crockery, cutlery , pots, pans and oven ware to make your self-catering holiday as relaxing as possible. A tumble drier is also in place in the apartment.

Off street parking for one car is also provided although there is no need for a car whilst staying here as it is so conveniently located for public transport links.

Your widget will appear here.
BACK TO ALL PROPERTIES

AT A GLANCE:

Sleeps 4 People

Off street Parking

Free Wifi

Smart TV

^

STL Licence No: ST00675

Five ways you know Spring is coming

by | Feb 6, 2018 | Blog

January is over, there is a little more light, and the birds are beginning to sing again. But sometimes we need reminding that spring is just around the corner. Here are five tell-tale signs that we are on our way!

The daylight hours are lengthening into spring

The daylight hours are lengthening

See spring snowdrops at locations throughout Scotland until March

See spring snowdrops at locations throughout Scotland until March

The days are lengthening

Since the shortest day on 21 December, the days have been getting just a little bit longer. School runs are no longer done in the dark, and with sunrise now before 8am, all but the earliest risers will be breakfasting in the light. In the month of January, we gain between 1.5 to 2 minutes of daylight with each new morning. That picks up in February, with about 2.5 precious minutes of daylight gained every day! For an engaging little website to track the daylight hours across the globe, see this: suncalc.net/

It’s time for spring snowdrops

Scotland’s annual snowdrop festival is in full swing, celebrating one of our nation’s most cherished flowers. The snowdrop sums up everything we love about spring. it’s a hopeful, beautiful and determined little bloom that reappears undaunted every year despite late snows and biting cold. To witness this inspiring annual event for yourself, find a participating garden near you here:  http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/events/scottish-snowdrop-festival

The farmers markets have reopened

After a hectic Christmastime, the stallholders of Scotland’s farmers markets hang up their thermals in the quiet month of January. But February sees them setting out fresh wares across the country. Stirling Farmers market takes place every second Saturday from February on, so they will be making their first outing of 2018 this Saturday. In Perth, stall holders are out on the first Saturday of the month in King Edward Street and St John’s Place. For details, see here: http://www.perthfarmersmarket.co.uk/

Spring romance and inspiration

Resist it if you can, but love is in the air. Want a traditional Valentine’s Day? Why not listen to some Romantic Classics with the Edinburgh Quartet at the Macrobert Stirling. Or, enjoy a special Valentine’s menu in the sumptuous surroundings of Henderson’s Bistro at the Albert Halls, Stirling. For those who want a learned way to spend their Valentine’s, take in one of the Royal Geographic Society’s lectures at Logie Lecture Theatre, University of Stirling. On 14 February, writer Jo Woolf brings to life the stories of some of the people who have inspired her. There are explorers from the ‘heroic age’ of polar exploration, desert travellers, renowned mountaineers, oceanographers, botanists, geologists, and a daring secret agent in Bolshevist Russia!

We are all planning holidays

It seems that as soon as the last of the Christmas Quality Street have been devoured, it’s time to start thinking about summer holidays. Most of us turn our thoughts to our summer break in January and February. It’s the time to get good deals and to give us something to look forward to after winter’s festivities. If you’re planning to spend your holiday in Scotland, why not make Stirling your base? The historic city offers great access to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands, and is a stunning destination in its own right. Browse our properties and check availability here. We’ll be delighted to see you!

Farmers markets have re-opened for spring

The farmers markets have reopened after Christmas chaos

Our properties offer unrivalled luxury and location for spring and any season

Our properties offer unrivalled luxury and location

More information: Henderson’s Bistro, Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, Stirling FK8 2QL. Tel: 01786 469727 Website: www.hendersonsstirling.co.uk

Photo credits: Food and interior pics of Albert Halls, reproduced by kind permission of Henderson’s Bistro. Photographer Paul Andrew. Albert Halls exterior: Kenneth Allen [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

BACK TO BLOG

Local Hero: Clan Artisan

by | Jan 23, 2018 | Blog

Clan Artisan is a busy, sparkling little company based in Stirling. It’s owned by Jen McEwan and Karen Merayo. The partnership specialises in creating luxury food hampers and corporate gifts that truly reflect the finest food that’s produced here in Scotland. But it’s far more than just a hamper business. Clan Artisan is all about reconnecting the consumer with the creator, and putting the love back into food. Clan Artisan is our Local Hero this month, and we spoke to Jen McEwan to learn more.

Clan Artisan hampers: sourced, wrapped and delivered with love

Clan Artisan hampers: sourced, wrapped and delivered with love

With 'build your own' hamper, you can add Scottish treats of your choice

With ‘build your own’ hamper, you can add Scottish treats of your choice

Family life

Partners Jen and Karen are full of enthusiasm, though it’s not been a straightforward road to success. Mums to five and three children respectively, there’s the commitments of family life to juggle too: “We had been planning Clan Artisan for almost a year when we officially launched our website on 28 November 2017. This was much later than we had originally anticipated. It’s unbelievable the number of pitfalls you encounter when setting up a business.” But it’s family life that is one the of the drivers behind the business. “We want our children to know where the foods they eat come from, and when a real person has made them. That it is important to support small businesses and the local economy. That’s just the way of Clan Artisan; it’s all about family”.

Business opportunity

Jen’s background in running the Wee Kitchen Company had given her a grounding in the food business, where she’d seen potential for further growth but couldn’t take the step alone: “I have always tried to support other small producers through The Wee Kitchen Company and had done hampers on a small scale. But it proved difficult to both make my own jam and create hampers. Doing it alone was a nightmare! I opened a pop-up shop a couple of years ago over Christmas and the demand was really high – overwhelming, in fact. So, I knew there was a good business there, but I didn’t want to go it all alone. I met Karen through our children, we got chatting about work, and both wanted a new challenge. It was then that we decided to set up Clan Artisan together.”

Quality products

When asked which product they are most proud of, Jen compliments all their producers, though adds “we do have a Clan Artisan cheese board that was made especially for us, we love that!” Jen’s jams are also amongst the company’s top sellers, so her range of table-top condiments, jams and relishes made from the finest seasonal ingredients are here to stay.

Supporting small business

High quality, locally sourced foods are one thing, but it’s perhaps the company’s ethos that gives it that added edge against competitors: “I’ve met most of our producers over the years through doing events with The Wee Kitchen Company,” explains Jen, “so we like to think of them as our friends, not just people who supply us. It’s all about helping and supporting each other. We are hoping to have a Clan Artisan gathering very soon with all our producers, so they can meet and chat and offer advice to each other. Then, our tag line will be coming true … It’s time for the gathering … come join the clan.”

Jen's savoury jams and accompaniments are best-sellers

Jen’s savoury jams and accompaniments are best-sellers

You'll find innovative food creations too, like superfood IQ chocolate

You’ll find innovative food creations too, like superfood IQ chocolate

More information:

BACK TO BLOG

New Year: New Horizons

by | Jan 10, 2018 | Blog

January: the month of clean slates and fresh starts. The month that most of make over-ambitious New Year’s resolutions, and the very same month that 90 percent* of us abandon them. This year, how about we ditch all other New Year’s resolutions, and resolve instead to travel, making life a little bigger and brighter for a while?

Forget chia seeds and detox. Broaden your horizons this January.

Forget chia seeds and detox. Broaden your horizons this January.

Glasgow co-hosts the European Championships. Take time to explore it.

Glasgow co-hosts the European Championships. Take time to explore it.

Plan your break in Scotland this January

Scotland is consistently popular amongst tourists. Not just because of its warm welcome, stunning landscapes, and historical narrative, but because there’s just so much to see and do here, especially in 2018. A new era in world sport gets underway this summer as Glasgow and Berlin host the inaugural European Championships. Glasgow and Scotland will host Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon while Berlin hosts Athletics. You can buy Glasgow tickets here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/glasgow2018. Whether you get tickets or not, simply being in Glasgow throughout that time will be unforgettable, just as London was illuminated throughout the 2012 Olympic Games, and even months later. In addition, Scotland will be celebrating its ‘Year of Young People’ (http://yoyp2018.scot/), a packed, 12-month calendar of events including comedy festivals, film festivals, TED talks, design festivals, a comic con, poetry slam and much more, with events being added all the time.

Make Stirling your base

If you were to pick one place from which to explore the very best of Scotland throughout 2018, you’d be hard-pressed to better Stirling. Because of its central location, Stirling is less than one hour’s drive time from more than half of the population of Scotland**, and only 45 minutes’ drive from either Glasgow or Edinburgh airports. You can head north to Inverness in just 2 hours and 45 minutes, east to Aberdeen in 2 hours and five minutes, or west to Oban – gateway to the Western Isles – in 2 hours and 10. Five minutes’ walk from the Stirling city centre, Stirling rail station offers direct routes to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Inverness too, not to mention the coach services. Suddenly, most of Scotland is accessible, and you can still be home for dinner.

Go self-catering

So where would home be? Hotels can be an expensive choice, especially if you want to get up early and hit the road sightseeing, possibly missing fixed breakfast and dinner times. For the freedom you need to explore Scotland at your own pace, then self-catering could be the best option for you. Families can spread out, eat when (and what) they want, pack picnics, and, if you’re staying with Stirling Self Catering, make use of cots, high chairs, and toys – for free. A safe, enclosed garden is a welcome space after a day’s sightseeing, and preferable to hotel balconies that leave you terrified for your toddler. Because you’ll have room to unpack belongings instead of living out of a suitcase, self-catering gives you the chance to feel, and live, like a local, the very best way to immerse yourself in a new place. View our luxury properties here: https://www.stirlingselfcatering.co.uk/properties/ If you are on a budget, we have some stylish and affordable apartments that offer value and comfort: http://budgetaccommodationstirling.co.uk/

So, what’s your New Year resolution for 2018 now? Still eat more veg? Or plan the holiday of a lifetime? Why not come to Stirling for an unforgettable self-catering break, and while you’re at it, try the Farmers Market (http://www.stirlingfarmersmarket.co.uk/) for fresh, local fruit and veg too. Who says you can’t have everything?

Our properties are your perfect base

Our properties are your perfect base

Huddle up to the wood-burning stove at Oakside Cottage

Huddle up to the wood-burning stove at Oakside Cottage

  • To help plan your perfect break: https://www.visitscotland.com/about/themed-years/young-people/
  • *https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
  • **Source: Visitstirling.com
BACK TO BLOG

Local Hero: Elin Isaksson Glass

by | Dec 14, 2017 | Blog

On the outskirts of Stirling, near Cambusbarron, there’s a busy artist’s studio preparing for Christmas. It is here that Elin Isaksson creates unique, hand-blown glass pieces for lighting, and sculptures for commission. Hailing from Sweden, and a big part of Stirling’s small biz community, Elin is this month’s Local Hero.

Elin at work on glass in her studio: © copyright photo by Tina Norris

Elin at work in her studio: © copyright photo by Tina Norris

Oval Rock Pool glass

Oval Rock Pool. Photo Shannon Tofts

Training

Elin trained at the famous Orrefors Glass School in Sweden, learning her country’s traditional techniques of glassmaking. Thereafter, she refined her expertise with apprenticeships in Sweden, France and Italy, before settling on Scotland as her creative home: ‘I applied for schools in Britain and Denmark, and got into Edinburgh College of Art and a school in Brinholm, Denmark. I chose Edinburgh in the end. Which is lucky, since I met my husband there on my second day!’

Inspiration from nature

Elin’s inspiration comes from the interaction of light, texture and movement in nature. She explains that she looks to the landscapes of both Scotland and Sweden for her artistic ideas, taking endless photographs along the coast of Scotland and in the north of Sweden. ‘Scotland reminds me a lot of Sweden,’ explains Elin, ‘but it’s so much greener, and with colder summers! I do miss my warm summer, but not the cold dark winters in the North of Sweden…’ Elin’s glass pieces seem to interpret the landscape as through their own lens, and are aimed to ‘capture a sense of place, a small detail or an atmosphere, rather than reproduce a direct likeness of an object or form.’ Because of this, Elin’s works speak as much to the heart as to the eye.

Techniques

Glass-blowing techniques allow Elin to create elegant and simple forms with subtle, subdued colour blends. Often, she will stretch or bend the molten glass at the last moment, infusing the piece with a sense of movement – using what Elin describes as the ‘intense energy of molten glass’. In her cast pieces, Elin is intrigued by the contrast of rough texture within smooth surfaces – an effect made possible by pouring hot glass into one-off sand moulds. Depth, structure, and detail come from the hand-blown shards and strings of glass that Elin traps inside her pieces.

National and local clients

It’s little wonder that such creative talent has caught the eye of companies as big as Oil & Gas UK, Glenfiddich, and the National Museum of Scotland. But Elin is also a champion of her small business peers, providing cast pieces for local businesswoman Suzie Moore at Made in the Shed, among others.

The challenge

And what does she love most about her job? ‘I love creating with my hands. Glass is so beautiful, but very tricky to tame. Every day is a challenge; something always goes wrong, but at the end of the day you usually manage to create some fabulous pieces. It is a job for people who love a fresh challenge every day. The process of glass blowing is very rewarding when you finally succeed!’

Whisky glass. Photo: Shannon Tofts

Hand-made whisky glasses. Photo Shannon Tofts

Liquid Ice Bowl. Photo Shannon Tofts

Liquid Ice Bowl. Photo Shannon Tofts

Elin is taking Christmas orders up until 19th of December! Use Discount code ‘XMAs17’ to receive 15% discount off her glass at: www.scotlandglassblowing.co.uk

Photo credits: 

  • Glass images by Shannon Tofts
  • Photo of Elin at work by Tina Norris
BACK TO BLOG