If we could put one line on a tea towel for every guest, it would be this: it’s Scotland, bring a waterproof!
Umbrellas will have to come up now and then, but on a loch shore with the wind coming off the water, one lasts about a minute and a half. A proper waterproof jacket does the job and leaves your hands free.
If you’re working out what to pack for a self-catering holiday in Scotland, that’s the main piece of advice we have. The rest is detail. Old Smiddy is a self-catering cottage on the western shore of Loch Katrine, inside Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. What follows is what we’d tell a friend who was coming to stay. What’s already here, what isn’t, and the small things guests tell us they wish they’d put in the car.
What’s Already in the Cottage
Self-catering holidays in Scotland cover everything from self-catering apartments in the city to lodges and cottages like ours. The idea is the same whichever you pick. You have the place to yourselves and the day runs how you like. No set breakfast time, no waiting for a table. In return you do the cooking and the washing up. If you’re weighing it against a hotel, that’s the trade.
What’s provided varies a lot between holiday rentals, so check before you pack. At Old Smiddy, bedding, towels and robes are all included. The kitchen has the basics: cooking oil, salt, pepper and a first supply of tea, coffee and sugar. Enough to put the kettle on the minute you walk in. Any other food is yours to bring.
There are also starter packs of logs for the hot tub, the sauna and the log burner in the lounge. It’s enough to run the hot tub, the sauna or the fire, so you’re not hunting for logs on day one. Before you arrive we tell you how much there is and where to find it, and how to reach us if you run short.
If you’ve not done this before, VisitScotland’s guide to self-catering accommodation is a good place to start.
Waterproofs, Layers and Wet Days
Pack the waterproof first. Properly waterproof, not shower-resistant. You’ll be glad of a hood and cuffs that close up properly the first time the weather turns on a walk.
Then layers. A base layer, a fleece or something warm, the waterproof on top. That combination works in most months and you can add or strip as the day changes, which up here it will. Evenings by the loch are cooler than the afternoon let on, so bring something warm for sitting outside even in summer. Waterproof trousers take up no room and are worth it if you’re walking.
And accept that at some point it will rain properly. That’s no bad thing with the log burner lit, a book on your knee and nowhere to be. Pack a few books or a pack of cards. If you want to know what to do when the weather’s bad on a self-catering holiday, that’s the answer. You stay in and enjoy the cottage.
Midges
Midges are the one that catches people out. The season runs from spring into autumn and how bad it gets depends on the weather. Coming in winter? Skip this section.
Smidge or Skin So Soft are the two we’d point you to. Buy it before you travel, so it’s one less thing to hunt for.
Quality matters. One guest arrived at the height of midge season sure they were prepared, with a poor quality spray. They found out how wrong they were on the first hike, and came back more polka-dotted than a clown. Buy a good one.
Midges are mostly about at dawn and dusk, so close the windows at those times. It makes a real difference indoors. If you want to sit out and they’re about, put the repellent on before you step outside, not after the first bite.
Food, Groceries and the Shop Before You Arrive
Food is where self-catering holidays are won or lost. Decide before you set off how you want to do it, because once you’re here the shops are a drive away.
The nearest supermarket is the Co-op on Main Street in Aberfoyle, eleven miles from the cottage, where the single-track road begins. If you’re driving up, do the big shop there. Buying a bit too much beats making a second trip.
Or have the groceries delivered to the cottage. Carole sends you the details of how to arrange it before you arrive. If you’re set on local produce deliveries from elsewhere, check your postcode with the supplier first, as rural addresses aren’t always covered.
Then the small things. The ones guests tell us they wish they’d brought are shower gel and washing pods for the laundry. Minor, but easy to forget because you never think about them at home.
Footwear and Walking Gear
You know what you’ve got planned, so pack for that. Golf means golf shoes. Hill days mean proper boots. If it’s mostly shore walks and a café lunch, comfortable shoes with decent grip will do. Most people work this out for themselves and get it right.
Ben A’an is the obvious hill day from here, about thirty minutes by road. It’s steep, so boots with grip. Your other travel gear can stay simple: a small daypack and a water bottle. For ideas on where to walk, our Around Us page has plenty, and our guide to cafes and pubs near Loch Katrine covers lunch.
The Hot Tub and Sauna
There’s very little to pack for the hot tub, which surprises people. Towels and robes are provided, so is the wood, and the tub is under cover, so the weather doesn’t matter. Bring a swimming costume and you’re sorted.
Wood-fired hot tubs don’t heat at the flick of a switch. It takes a few hours from cold, so light the fire in the afternoon rather than at eight o’clock when you suddenly fancy it. There’s more on the wood-fired hot tub and sauna if you want the detail.
One thing to leave at home: the Bluetooth speaker. Sound carries a long way over water, and what’s background music to you can reach other people around the loch. Keep it quiet and you’ll hear the loch instead.
Children and Dogs
Travelling with children needs less packing than you’d think, even on a luxury family holiday. We can provide a travel cot with bedding, a high chair and child-friendly cutlery, cups and bowls. Just ask when you enquire. Our family holiday cottage page covers the rest. If you’re planning self-catering family breaks, Scotland offers a lot of choice, and the packing basics are the same wherever you stay.
Dogs are welcome. Bring their bed, lead and a towel for muddy paws, and please don’t leave them alone in the cottage. Everything else is on our dog-friendly cottage page.
Quick-Fire Checklist: What to Pack for a Self-Catering Holiday in Scotland
The short version, for the car boot. Tick through the first two lists for any time of year, then add your season.
Already at Old Smiddy, so leave it at home
Bedding, towels and robes
Cooking oil, salt and pepper
A first supply of tea, coffee and sugar
Starter logs for the hot tub, sauna and log burner
Travel cot, high chair and child-friendly cutlery, cups and bowls (on request)
Pack these all year round
A proper waterproof jacket
Warm layers: a base layer and a fleece
Comfortable shoes with decent grip
Food for the first evening and breakfast
Shower gel and washing pods for the laundry
Toiletries and any medication
A swimming costume for the hot tub
Books, cards or games for wet evenings
Phone chargers
A small daypack and a water bottle
Spring extras
(March to May)
Changeable. A cold morning and sun by lunchtime is normal.
Walking boots if the hills are on the list
Waterproof trousers
An extra warm layer
A good quality midge repellent (Smidge or Skin So Soft) as the season starts
Summer extras
(June to August)
Don’t assume warm. Evenings by the loch cool down quickly.
Binoculars for the wildlife
A good quality midge repellent (Smidge or Skin So Soft)
Light long sleeves and trousers for dawn and dusk
A fleece for sitting outside
Sun cream and a hat
Autumn extras
(September to November)
Quieter paths, woodland colour from October and a log burner that earns its keep.
Spare socks
Boots with good grip
A warm hat
Midge repellent for early autumn
Winter extras
(December to February)
Midges aren’t a worry, so leave the repellent at home.
A look at the weather forecast before you set off
Thermals
A warm hat and gloves
An insulated waterproof jacket
Warm socks
If you’re bringing children or a dog
Children: a change of clothes for muddy walks, and tell us which family equipment you want ready
Dogs: their bed, lead, food and a towel for muddy paws
Common Questions
What should I pack for a self-catering holiday in Scotland?
A proper waterproof, warm layers, a good quality midge repellent between spring and autumn, food for your first night, and shower gel and washing pods. The quick-fire checklist above has the full list by season.
What does self-catering mean in Scotland?
You rent the whole property and look after yourselves. You do your own cooking, set your own timetable and have the place to yourselves. No hotel staff, no meal times.
What are the must-haves for a self-catering holiday?
A proper waterproof, midge repellent from spring to autumn, your own food for the first day or two, and the small things like shower gel and washing pods. Check what your cottage provides before packing anything else.
What food should I pack for a self-catering holiday?
Enough for the first evening and breakfast, so you’re not hunting for a shop on arrival. Do a proper shop on the way or arrange a grocery delivery. At Old Smiddy we leave cooking oil, salt, pepper, tea, coffee and sugar.
What do you get in self-catering accommodation?
It varies by property. At Old Smiddy you get bedding, towels and robes, the kitchen basics, and starter logs for the hot tub, sauna and log burner.
Is self-catering cheaper than a hotel?
It can be, especially for a group sharing one cottage and cooking for themselves. It depends on the property and how much you’d otherwise eat out.
What if the weather is bad during our stay?
Plan for it. Waterproofs for the walks, books and games for the evenings, and the log burner lit.
If a self-catering holiday on Loch Katrine sounds like your kind of trip, have a look at Old Smiddy Cottage or send us a message with your dates and we’ll come straight back to you.
