Latest news with #Caledonian
The Courier
2 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Historic Callander hotel to reopen under new ownership
A Callander hotel will reopen this summer under new ownership. The Dreadnought Hotel, on Leny Road, has been taken over by The Caledonian Hotel Collection. It will be renamed The Caledonian Thistle Hotel and undergo a full refurbishment. Caledonian Travel, which owns the hotel group, says the new premises will reflect 'the history of the building while adding everything our guests expect from a modern stay'. Improvements are being made to bedrooms, communal spaces and entertainment areas. The Dreadnought Hotel was built in 1802 by the chief of the Clan MacNab. It took the place of Callander's original inn and played an important role in the town's tourism industry. Caledonian Travel describes it as a 'standout property in one of Scotland's most scenic towns'. The company posted on Facebook: 'We're delighted to announce that The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander – known as the gateway to the Highlands – is the latest property to join The Caledonian Hotel Collection. 'It will now be proudly known as The Caledonian Thistle Hotel. 'Located on Callander's charming high street, this landmark hotel is ideally placed for exploring the area – from the dramatic views of Ben Ledi to the peaceful shores of Loch Lubnaig. 'Inside, you'll find comfortable en suite bedrooms, cosy lounge spaces, hearty dining, live evening entertainment every night, and that signature Caledonian welcome. 'Whether you're heading off on an adventure or unwinding with a drink in hand, The Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Callander, is a true Highland haven. 'We'll now begin a full refurbishment of both the interior and exterior, with plans to reopen at the end of July. 'We're also going to be recruiting new members to the team – so watch this space!' Caledonian Travel, a coach short break provider, owns hotels in in Oban, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, as well as in England. The Caledonian Thistle Hotel is open for bookings.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
The 'best views in Scotland' from glens to rainforests according to Scots
Scots have named their destinations in the country that offer the prettiest vistas. Scots have shared their picks for the "best views in Scotland". From glens to rainforests, beauty spots across the country have been named. Scotland is renowned worldwide for its spectacular vistas. The country is home to idyllic beaches, ancient woodlands, and much more that draw visitors far and wide. One Scot has taken to social media to ask people who live in the country what they believe its top views to be. Posting on Reddit on May 25, they asked: "What's the best view in Scotland?" Since being shared, the post has received more than 200 responses. People from all over the country were quick to give their verdict on its most scenic vistas. The Reddit user who asked the question suggested that the view out over Loch Shiel from Glenfinnan in the Scottish Highlands is the best in the country. Loch Shiel is a freshwater loch located around 12 miles from Fort William, and is the fourth longest loch in Scotland. Glenfinnan is a hamlet in Lochaber that is located at the head of Loch Shiel. It can be found approximately halfway between Fort William and Mallaig, along the scenic West Highland Railway. Elsewhere, another Reddit user stated: "Glencoe. But in person as hard to get grasp via photos." Glencoe is also found in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands. The village is nestled between the edges of Loch Leven and the mouth of the legendary Glen Coe. Glen Coe is considered Scotland's most iconic and dramatic glen. Often referred to as 'the home of mountaineering', it is especially popular amongst hikers and climbers. Meanwhile, another of the top replies on the post states: "Glen Affric. Live a long way from the Highlands now and even Scotland but this place is my happy place." Also located in the Scottish Highlands, Glen Affric is a glen situated near the village of Cannich. Often referred to as one of Scotland's most beautiful destinations, Glen Affric is home to one of the biggest areas of ancient Caledonian pinewoods in the country. Additionally, the glen features a huge variety of lochs and mountains to explore. Top beauty spots include Dog Falls, Loch Beinn a' Mheadhain, and Plodda Falls. In response to the question, one Reddit user stated: "Looking down the Bealach na Ba after having cycled up it. Bealach na Bà is a winding pass that travels through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula in Wester Ross. Its name is Gaelic for 'Pass of the Cattle', and is derived from its history as a drovers' road. As well as cycling, the route can also be passed via car. Widely considered to be among the most challenging drives in Scotland, it is not suitable for new drivers however. Another Reddit comment reads: "People always post lochs and Munros, but I think our temperate rainforests are under-appreciated." Most of Scotland's rainforest can be found in Argyll and the western Highlands, where conditions are wet and humid. There are approximately 30,000 acres to explore, offering lush green views to soak in.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Historic hotel in 'gateway to the Highlands' to re-open this summer under new ownership
An historic hotel in Callander, Perthshire, is to re-open this summer after being taken over by travel firm Caledonian Travel An historic hotel in the 'gateway to the Highlands' is to re-open under new ownership. Callander's Dreadnought Hotel has been taken over by travel firm Caledonian Travel. The group announced on Monday that it the hotel is the latest property to join the Caledonian Hotel Collection. As a result of the takeover, the Leny Road hotel will now be known as The Caledonian Thistle Hotel. The original Dreadnought Hotel was built by the Clan MacNab in 1802 as a hostelry for clansmen travelling north but it was extensively enlarged in 1890. The new owners are now to embark on a refurbishment of the hotel and is expected to re-open at the end of July. Announcing the takeover, Caledonian Travel said: 'We're delighted to announce that The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander – known as the gateway to the Highlands – is the latest property to join The Caledonian Hotel Collection. It will now be proudly known as The Caledonian Thistle Hotel. 'Located on Callander's charming high street, this landmark hotel is ideally placed for exploring the area – from the dramatic views of Ben Ledi to the peaceful shores of Loch Lubnaig. 'Inside, you'll find comfortable en-suite bedrooms, cosy lounge spaces, hearty dining, live evening entertainment every night, and that signature Caledonian welcome. Whether you're heading off on an adventure or unwinding with a drink in hand, The Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Callander is a true Highland haven. 'We'll now begin a full refurbishment of both the interior and exterior, with plans to reopen at the end of July. We're also going to be recruiting new members to the team – so watch this space!' The firm is also offering an introductory offer of a 10-per cent discount on breaks booked by midnight on Sunday, June 15. The former Dreadnought was hit by a fire back in February 2017. Emergency services raced to the scene to tackle the fire which broke out in staff quarters, behind the main hotel and next to the public car park. Police probing the cause of the blaze interviewed the two teenagers, a boy and a girl both aged 14, in connection. Then owner of the hotel, Dayo Ogunyemi said: 'It was the staff quarters at the back. There was nobody hurt. There was nobody there. 'It has not been used for a long time. It wasn't being used for anything. 'Normally it closes in the winter. We always close in October then we open back up in March. Obviously it will be later now.' In May that same year, Mr Ogunyemi con firmed that it would remain closed for the rest of that year's tourist season. In August 2018, The Dreadnought was put up for sale for £600,000. At that time, the town's community council said that if no buyer was found, it could potentially consider a community buyout, with a survey to be launched ton gauge public support for the idea. The hotel was traditionally a popular accommodation for holidaymakers to the scenic town through the busy summer months.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Sermanni pinching himself after 'phenomenal' privilege
When Tom Sermanni first took charge of the Australian women's national football team, they weren't playing in front of sell-out crowds. They weren't even called the Matildas. Sermanni's first home game as coach of the Female Socceroos, as they were still known back in 1995, was played in front of a handful of spectators at a training ground at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. His last was in front of a capacity crowd of 25,125 next door at GIO Stadium on Monday night. That's a record not just for a women's football game in the ACT but any football game played in the nation's capital. It's the highest attendance of any sport at GIO Stadium in almost six years. "It's bizarre," Sermanni reflected, following his final match as interim coach before Joe Montemurro steps into the role. "It's just been a phenomenal experience. I've never witnessed a crowd such as the Matildas crowd. "I kind of pinch myself when I go out and stand in front of it before the game starts. "I just can't believe I'm back and had the privilege to be back in this environment." As he ends his third, and probably final, stint at the helm of the Matildas, the landscape of women's football in Australia is unrecognisable from when he first encountered it. That's largely down to Sermanni, 70, himself. In his first tenure, from 1994 to 1997, the charismatic Caledonian led the Matildas to their first World Cup. But it was his contribution off the field that had the biggest impact. From a small office in the Canberra suburb of Hackett, Sermanni and a team of two or three running the entire women's program established the foundations for the National Training Centres that would incubate the golden generation of Australian women's football. "I think that was one of the things, if I look back, that we created that I feel was really beneficial," he said "And the second thing was the W-League. I think the W-League has been really instrumental in giving opportunities to domestic players that might not have had opportunities if we didn't have that league." In his second stint, from 2004 to 2012, Sermanni handed debuts to a crop of young players - including the likes of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord - who took the Matildas to another level and nearly a home World Cup final in 2023. But the decision to can the National Training Centres program in 2014 set back the development of new talent and left a shortage of new players coming through to replace them, Sermanni lamented. "We need to put resources into development," he said. "You don't notice your development collapsing overnight. It takes time, and then all of a sudden, we turn around and say, we've got all these great players, but they're 30-plus." Now unemployed, the longest-serving coach of the Matildas doesn't know what his future holds, but he left the door open to continuing his relationship with Football Australia. "We've had some chats, but there's been no particular concrete role. So I think everybody will just wait to see what happens when things change and things start to happen again," he said. "If there's something there, fantastic. If there's not, I'll be quite happy to leave the building and relax." When Tom Sermanni first took charge of the Australian women's national football team, they weren't playing in front of sell-out crowds. They weren't even called the Matildas. Sermanni's first home game as coach of the Female Socceroos, as they were still known back in 1995, was played in front of a handful of spectators at a training ground at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. His last was in front of a capacity crowd of 25,125 next door at GIO Stadium on Monday night. That's a record not just for a women's football game in the ACT but any football game played in the nation's capital. It's the highest attendance of any sport at GIO Stadium in almost six years. "It's bizarre," Sermanni reflected, following his final match as interim coach before Joe Montemurro steps into the role. "It's just been a phenomenal experience. I've never witnessed a crowd such as the Matildas crowd. "I kind of pinch myself when I go out and stand in front of it before the game starts. "I just can't believe I'm back and had the privilege to be back in this environment." As he ends his third, and probably final, stint at the helm of the Matildas, the landscape of women's football in Australia is unrecognisable from when he first encountered it. That's largely down to Sermanni, 70, himself. In his first tenure, from 1994 to 1997, the charismatic Caledonian led the Matildas to their first World Cup. But it was his contribution off the field that had the biggest impact. From a small office in the Canberra suburb of Hackett, Sermanni and a team of two or three running the entire women's program established the foundations for the National Training Centres that would incubate the golden generation of Australian women's football. "I think that was one of the things, if I look back, that we created that I feel was really beneficial," he said "And the second thing was the W-League. I think the W-League has been really instrumental in giving opportunities to domestic players that might not have had opportunities if we didn't have that league." In his second stint, from 2004 to 2012, Sermanni handed debuts to a crop of young players - including the likes of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord - who took the Matildas to another level and nearly a home World Cup final in 2023. But the decision to can the National Training Centres program in 2014 set back the development of new talent and left a shortage of new players coming through to replace them, Sermanni lamented. "We need to put resources into development," he said. "You don't notice your development collapsing overnight. It takes time, and then all of a sudden, we turn around and say, we've got all these great players, but they're 30-plus." Now unemployed, the longest-serving coach of the Matildas doesn't know what his future holds, but he left the door open to continuing his relationship with Football Australia. "We've had some chats, but there's been no particular concrete role. So I think everybody will just wait to see what happens when things change and things start to happen again," he said. "If there's something there, fantastic. If there's not, I'll be quite happy to leave the building and relax." When Tom Sermanni first took charge of the Australian women's national football team, they weren't playing in front of sell-out crowds. They weren't even called the Matildas. Sermanni's first home game as coach of the Female Socceroos, as they were still known back in 1995, was played in front of a handful of spectators at a training ground at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. His last was in front of a capacity crowd of 25,125 next door at GIO Stadium on Monday night. That's a record not just for a women's football game in the ACT but any football game played in the nation's capital. It's the highest attendance of any sport at GIO Stadium in almost six years. "It's bizarre," Sermanni reflected, following his final match as interim coach before Joe Montemurro steps into the role. "It's just been a phenomenal experience. I've never witnessed a crowd such as the Matildas crowd. "I kind of pinch myself when I go out and stand in front of it before the game starts. "I just can't believe I'm back and had the privilege to be back in this environment." As he ends his third, and probably final, stint at the helm of the Matildas, the landscape of women's football in Australia is unrecognisable from when he first encountered it. That's largely down to Sermanni, 70, himself. In his first tenure, from 1994 to 1997, the charismatic Caledonian led the Matildas to their first World Cup. But it was his contribution off the field that had the biggest impact. From a small office in the Canberra suburb of Hackett, Sermanni and a team of two or three running the entire women's program established the foundations for the National Training Centres that would incubate the golden generation of Australian women's football. "I think that was one of the things, if I look back, that we created that I feel was really beneficial," he said "And the second thing was the W-League. I think the W-League has been really instrumental in giving opportunities to domestic players that might not have had opportunities if we didn't have that league." In his second stint, from 2004 to 2012, Sermanni handed debuts to a crop of young players - including the likes of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord - who took the Matildas to another level and nearly a home World Cup final in 2023. But the decision to can the National Training Centres program in 2014 set back the development of new talent and left a shortage of new players coming through to replace them, Sermanni lamented. "We need to put resources into development," he said. "You don't notice your development collapsing overnight. It takes time, and then all of a sudden, we turn around and say, we've got all these great players, but they're 30-plus." Now unemployed, the longest-serving coach of the Matildas doesn't know what his future holds, but he left the door open to continuing his relationship with Football Australia. "We've had some chats, but there's been no particular concrete role. So I think everybody will just wait to see what happens when things change and things start to happen again," he said. "If there's something there, fantastic. If there's not, I'll be quite happy to leave the building and relax."
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Sermanni pinching himself after 'phenomenal' privilege
When Tom Sermanni first took charge of the Australian women's national football team, they weren't playing in front of sell-out crowds. They weren't even called the Matildas. Sermanni's first home game as coach of the Female Socceroos, as they were still known back in 1995, was played in front of a handful of spectators at a training ground at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. His last was in front of a capacity crowd of 25,125 next door at GIO Stadium on Monday night. That's a record not just for a women's football game in the ACT but any football game played in the nation's capital. It's the highest attendance of any sport at GIO Stadium in almost six years. "It's bizarre," Sermanni reflected, following his final match as interim coach before Joe Montemurro steps into the role. "It's just been a phenomenal experience. I've never witnessed a crowd such as the Matildas crowd. "I kind of pinch myself when I go out and stand in front of it before the game starts. "I just can't believe I'm back and had the privilege to be back in this environment." As he ends his third, and probably final, stint at the helm of the Matildas, the landscape of women's football in Australia is unrecognisable from when he first encountered it. That's largely down to Sermanni, 70, himself. In his first tenure, from 1994 to 1997, the charismatic Caledonian led the Matildas to their first World Cup. But it was his contribution off the field that had the biggest impact. From a small office in the Canberra suburb of Hackett, Sermanni and a team of two or three running the entire women's program established the foundations for the National Training Centres that would incubate the golden generation of Australian women's football. "I think that was one of the things, if I look back, that we created that I feel was really beneficial," he said "And the second thing was the W-League. I think the W-League has been really instrumental in giving opportunities to domestic players that might not have had opportunities if we didn't have that league." In his second stint, from 2004 to 2012, Sermanni handed debuts to a crop of young players - including the likes of Sam Kerr, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord - who took the Matildas to another level and nearly a home World Cup final in 2023. But the decision to can the National Training Centres program in 2014 set back the development of new talent and left a shortage of new players coming through to replace them, Sermanni lamented. "We need to put resources into development," he said. "You don't notice your development collapsing overnight. It takes time, and then all of a sudden, we turn around and say, we've got all these great players, but they're 30-plus." Now unemployed, the longest-serving coach of the Matildas doesn't know what his future holds, but he left the door open to continuing his relationship with Football Australia. "We've had some chats, but there's been no particular concrete role. So I think everybody will just wait to see what happens when things change and things start to happen again," he said. "If there's something there, fantastic. If there's not, I'll be quite happy to leave the building and relax."
