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House and pet sitting opportunity in a beautiful Glen in Strathdon, Scotland

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 3 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

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    Thank you so much for all the enquiries we've received for stays with us in 2024. We've confirmed volunteers now through until mid-October and unless some plans change we don't have any room for anyone until then. If you are interested in helping us from then on please contact us and we'll happily see what our needs are.
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    Hello Workaway Travellers.

    We are Mark and Tracey and live in a beautiful, small Scottish Glen about 45 miles west of Aberdeen in glorious natural surroundings within walking distance of the hills. There are approximately 60 residents in our Glen and there is a very active local community with many artists close by.

    We are looking for someone to come and stay, house sit and help to look after our two dogs , three cats and our five hens while we are working / away on holiday. We have a friend called Shona who lives with us and works locally five days a week hence the need for a house sitter / pet sitter to help us.

    Our home is a converted steading surrounded by it's own extensive grounds with far reaching views. We have plenty of parking and can accommodate campervans for those travelling independently.

    In addition to the pets mentioned we also have 14 aged Shetland ponies who are living the good life with us. We look after them and have help when we are working / away. There is plenty of opportunity for house sitters / pet sitters to interact with them on a daily basis if they would like to do so. Although we have land we do not run a farm nor gain any financial return from the land, in fact it is quite the reverse, the ponies do their best to keep us poor and themselves very well-fed!

    Volunteers will either have their own bedroom with a shared bathroom or an en-suite bedroom depending upon who else we have staying while they are here. Breakfast and lunch are self service, if we are here, my husband cooks the evening meal and we all eat together, if we're away, you'll need to cook your own. The cupboards and fridge are well stocked.

    We have music gigs, pop up cafes and art exhibitions in our local village hall depending on the time of year and the famous Lonach Highland Gathering nearby in late August. There is a friendly walking group that meets fortnightly to walk in the surrounding hills and you are very welcome to join them. Art and enamelling classes are also held in the village hall. If we are at home you're very welcome to join us on shopping trips and other days out depending on our schedules.

    There is no public transport nearby but we are happy to collect people coming to stay from the local railway station or airport.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Animal Care
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We treat all workawayers like members of our family and they are welcome to join in with anything we are doing. We try to take them on trips in the local area (time allowing), take them to the local train station at Insch if they wish to go to say Inverness for the weekend and collect them when they return and introduce them to our friends. When there are gigs on at the village hall they will get to experience traditional Scottish music and some from other parts of the world. We also have a pedal bike you can use.

  • Help

    Help

    Daily tasks involve feeding the dogs, cats and hens, cleaning the latter out, taking the dogs for two walks per day, giving them a cuddle and generally being around to keep an eye on things. Tracey works at home four days a week with one day spent working away and occasional overnight work trips depending upon the season. Mark works two days a week at one of the local castles hence the need for house / pet sitting help. Days will need to be flexible to accommodate our changing schedules.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    House sitters / pet sitters will either have their own bedroom with a shared bathroom or their own en-suite bedroom in a warm comfy steading conversion. They will have the use of all other rooms in the house excepting others' bedrooms.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We are in a very rural scenic Scottish Glen with no public transport available. The area is ideal for anyone who likes hill walking or mountain biking as the hills start at the end of our drive. If you have a car we are close to the Lecht Ski Slopes which is very popular with skiers and snow boarders in the winter months. This is a very beautiful part of the Cairngorms National Park with a friendly community nearby.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Plenty of room for campervans to park

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 744244392722

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