Firbush is a fantastic outdoor centre owned and run by Edinburgh University where staff run retreats for groups and individuals who book ahead to come along on various adventures here. The setting is picturesque and beautiful perched on the shore of Loch Tay. In particular, the dining room has stunning views of the lake and various munroes, as do many of the rooms. In fact, the dining room is surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to take in the views and admire the scenery!
The staff are all extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Three to four staff run various outdoor activities each day, allowing different group members plenty of activities to choose from based on the weather. Last year when I went in January the options included cross-country skiing, kayaking or walking. This year there wasn't much snow so we had mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, or walking as options. The staff work with the level of the group and are focused on outdoor education of those who haven't tried the activities before, but if you are more experienced then they also let you work at your level within the group and do more challenging things.
There are two cooks, Rosie and Morag when I was there, who do a great job of keeping everyone well fed to sustain them throughout their many activities. Firbush is a well-oiled machine when it comes to teaching groups the lodge practices and routines, with breakfast at 8:30, making packed lunches after breakfast, and nice evening meals later on. The meal system worked well with everyone pitching in to pick up and clear away dishes and food trays.
I have been twice to Firbush with a tango group, and it has been a fantastic experience both times. Firbush is a great way to get away from it all and have a really relaxing and fun weekend in the Highlands at really reasonable prices. Although university members have priority in booking, members of the public are also able to book on and join different programmes here. It was a fantastic experience! read more