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Stay in old railway carriages in the Scottish Highlands. Review of Sleeperzzz in Rogart, Sutherland

1/6/2015

6 Comments

 
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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. 

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The compartments have been converted to sleeping accommodation with bunkbeds. The original British Railways seating has been retained on one side of the compartment

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.


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Rogart station sign
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There is a kitchen inside one of the compartments, so that you can prepare your own meals
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The carriages are named after whiskies
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Have you ever wanted to pull an emergency cord on a train and not suffer the consequences? You can do it here!

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. 

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The 1930s fairground showman's wagon
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:
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The riverside is a few minutes walk from Rogart station
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One of the cottages near Rogart station
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There is also a walk to a viewpoint over the surrounding countryside
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The rear of Rogart Station as seen from the carriages of Sleeperzzz
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.
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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
Johanna Bradley link
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
Alasdair MacCaluim link
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
Great website.
Planning to stay at Rogart, I am a keen walker.
You state there are several walks in the area? Can you please shed any light on these.
Thank you

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
There is also the Big Burn walk in Golspie: http://www.cyclingscot.co.uk/blog/the-big-burn-walk-golspie-sutherland Hope this helps and enjoy your trip.

Reply



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