A weekend on Arran always sounds delightful however this time I was even more excited as I was staying at Balmichael Glamping – somewhere I’ve never stayed before and also because it’s an alpaca farm!

Where is Balmichael Glamping?

Balmichael Glamping is in Ballymichael near Shiskine on the Isle of Arran. It’s in a great location as it’s only 15 minutes from Brodick and is a good base to explore the whole island. Blackwaterfoot is close by with food options.

Run by Emma and Tom, it is so clear that they’ve put a lot of effort into the farm to ensure people have a lovely time.

The Accommodation

We stayed in one of the barrel pods, ours was the middle pod called White Stag. When I booked they had a deal which was two nights for £99 which I thought was a great bargain.

The pod looks great and the space has been cleverly used. There are two long seats which double up as a bed (if four people were staying in the pod), a small counter with a kettle, mugs, teabags and sugars and an area with a microwave, cutlery, coolbox and a space to hang some clothes.

The bed is tucked away at the back which is lovely and cosy at night. There are steps to get up to the bedroom and underneath, a table is stored away so you can wheel this out for meals in the pod. The view from the pods is stunning and in the perfect position for watching the sunset.

Outside, there’s a wash hut with a kitchen area on the side. Each pod has their own wash hut so it’s all yours for the duration of your stay.

In the outdoor kitchen area, we had a fire pit which we used both nights. It was a great experience to sit outside with the fire pit going – there’s something so therapeutic about sitting around a fire and watching the flames dance.

Each night, I was eager to sit out until late as it was dark enough to stargaze. We had brought our binoculars and we saw the ISS pass by and Orion’s belt plus a lot of other stars that I will need to learn!

The lights on the outside of the pods and wash hut were bright enough so you could see where you were going but they didn’t take away from being able to see the stars.

The Farm

Balmichael Glamping own Arran Alpacas so you could add a trek on as part of your holiday. They have lots of alpacas and a llama called Sir Lancelot. I didn’t do a trek but as part of your stay you can help feed the alpacas at night. I’m not going to lie, I pretty much booked my stay straight away when I saw that on their website. One of the owners, Tom, lets you know when he’s going to feed them and everyone goes down together – there was no awkwardness of me having to ask which I really liked!

Tom introduced us to all of the alpacas and we got to take lots of pictures and feed them – it was a lovely experience especially as it was a spring evening and the sky had taken on a pink, orangey hue.

After meeting the alpacas, we then got to meet the cutest sheep I’ve ever seen that despite having horns, are really friendly and let us pat them.

The farm has a renovated games room with a pool table and outdoor play area, and they have a little honesty shop called The Nook which had Arran Cheese, soft drinks, sweets, marshmallows for the fire pit, wood and kindling bags, pizza packs, Arran ice cream. They also had ice blocks for the coolboxes in your pods. It had been really well thought out and was nice to be able to buy things from the farm rather than go out to a shop for it.

Why do I recommend Balmichael Glamping?

• Location – the farm is in a beautiful location meaning you get to wake up to stunning views
• Getting to feed the alpacas and sheep at night – I absolutely love that this is something they offer – and makes for a unique experience
• Stargazing – it’s dark enough to stargaze at night – you never know what you might see
• Fire pits – so many places I stay you either have to bring your own firepit or they don’t allow them – at Balmichael Glamping each pod has one and they stock bags of firewood, firelighters and matches
• To relax!

Balmichael Glamping has been one of my favourite stays – it felt like a unique experience rather than just somewhere to sleep at night. If you’re interested in booking, have a look at their website to see their safari tents too. If you’re looking for ideas for things to do on Arran, have a read of my Arran recommendations.