Stay in old railway carriages in the Scottish Highlands. Review of Sleeperzzz in Rogart, Sutherland1/6/2015
If you love a bit of railway nostalgia or just want to stay somewhere unique that you will remember for years to come then this is the place.
A collection of 1969 railway carriages have been converted into overnight accommodation at Rogart station. The compartments have bunkbeds on one side and the original British Railways seating on the other side. One of the compartments is now a kitchen so that you can cook your own meals. The compartments are cosy and even have the original under-seat heating systems. I like that they have kept the seating so that you get an authentic feeling of being on a train. These seats are extremely comfortable and there is nothing on today's trains to match their quality. You can pull down the armrests and sink back with a good book and a smoky single malt. It is not only the seats that have been retained. You will find plenty of the original signage and even the emergency pull cords. And to get into the carriage there is the sturdy door which you can give a satisfying slam, a sound that once echoed within railway stations across the country. If the carriages are not unique enough for you then there is also a Bedford bus and a 1930s fairground showman' s wagon. These can accommodate 3 people, so ideal for couples or a family.
The location of Sleeperzzz makes this place even more special. Rogart station is about 2 hours north of Inverness on the Far North Line. This is rural, lightly populated country and the train will only stop at Rogart if you "request" it- showing the guard your ticket so that he or she will ask the driver to stop and let you off. If you don't do this the train will speed right through the station. There is a 10 per cent discount if you arrive by train or bicycle.
This video captures the excitement of arriving and departing at Rogart by train. It provides a great view of the carriages and other railway paraphernalia at Rogart:
This is a great place to bring a bicycle because there are miles of single track roads to explore. There are also several walks in the area. This is a tranquil place and if you want solitude you will find it here.
The only place to go out for a meal in Rogart is the Pittentrail Inn, a two-minute walk from Sleeperzz. It serves bar meals, but it is worth checking in advance if they will be open during your visit. Golspie, ten miles away and the next stop on the line, is the place to go for supplies if you are going to use the kitchen facilities at Sleeperzzz. The town has a good selection of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Sleeperzzz is clased as hostel accommodation, so this is good value for money. It is not luxury, but it is lots of fun and in a stunning part of Scotland. Campsites.co.uk is also a great place to find railway carriage holidays with more than 10 to choose from.
6 Comments
22/6/2015 07:00:07 pm
You couldn't get much further away and stay in Scotland if you tried, but it might be worth it to pull that chord! Love the look of the bus too.
Reply
Colin
22/6/2015 07:36:40 pm
It is worth going there Jo. Such a fun place to stay and there are plenty of walks and incredible scenery to enjoy
Reply
17/7/2015 07:26:35 am
A lovely place with lovely owners. I recently had the pleasure if visiting and going on their little shunter and very short railway! https://treanaichean.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/an-rathad-iarainn-as-giorra-air-a-ghaidhealtachd-gaidhlig/
Reply
Colin
28/7/2015 10:21:42 pm
Thanks Alasdair. Lucky you getting to ride on the shunter. This is a place I would love to go back to.
Reply
Terry
7/9/2019 12:07:20 pm
Hi
Reply
Colin
7/9/2019 01:23:22 pm
Hi, Thanks for your message. There are some short walks, like the riverside walk and a walk to a view point. I am not too sure about longer walks. This site might help: https://www.lairgandrogart.co.uk/about-rogart/ You could also travel to nearby Golspie to do the Ben Bhraggie walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/ben-bhraggie.shtml
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
|