I recently spent a long weekend at a remote, off-grid hostel in the Scottish Highlands near Corrour. This is the Loch Ossian Youth Hostel – a small hostel located in a stunningly beautiful and isolated area of Scotland. Here’s everything you need to know about this superb getaway.
How to Book Loch Ossian Youth Hostel
You can book Loch Ossian Youth Hostel here! This is an affiliate link, and I’d appreciate your support if you’re able to book through this link. Note that if no availability is showing on Hostelworld, it’s a good idea to check the Hostelling Scotland site. If it says “contact us for availability,” that usually means there’s only one bed left. Call them and they can hopefully get you booked in! Prices start at £25 per bed per night – if you’re not a Hostelling International member, it’s an extra £3.75 per night.
How to Get to the Hostel
Loch Ossian Youth Hostel is located in one of the most remote parts of Scotland – there is no public road access here! The closest public road is 9 miles away on foot (the B846 at Rannoch), or 14 miles by private estate road – it’s an unsealed track – to the A86, or 17 miles onto Dalwhinnie. You can only get here by train, bike, or on foot!
The hostel is a 1-mile walk from Corrour train station. This is one of the most remote train stations in the whole of the UK. It’s a stop on one of the most scenic train journeys in the country, the West Highland Line – this goes from Glasgow to Fort William and onto Mallaig. I arrived in Corrour by train, and set off on the solid vehicle track towards the hostel. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the station to Loch Ossian Youth Hostel.
What the Loch Ossian Youth Hostel is Actually Like
It’s not surprising that, because of the location, the hostel is fairly basic. There are two dormitory rooms for shared accommodation, one for females and one for males. The female dorm has 8 beds, while the male dorm has 12 beds. The hostel can sleep a maximum of 20 guests, and you can actually hire the whole place out if you really want! The bunk beds were specially designed for the hostel, and are very sturdy. My bed was really comfortable and cozy! All bed linen is provided, so there is no need to bring sleeping bags or sheets. There are heaters in all of the rooms.
Both dorms now have a shower with hot water – the water pressure isn’t amazing and the temperature isn’t scalding, but it’s a big luxury to have this. While the male dorm has its own flush toilet, the female dorm is still waiting on theirs (due to be installed this summer). Women need to go outside the hostel to use the long-drop toilets in the other block.
Common Area & Kitchen at Loch Ossian Youth Hostel
The hostel has a cozy common area and kitchen. It’s designed to be self-catering, and the kitchen is well-equipped with an oven, hob/stovetop, fridge, microwave, toaster, kettles, etc. There are no trash facilities, so be sure to bring an extra bin bag as you’ll need to take all your own rubbish away with you when you leave. There are also plug sockets so you can charge your devices. All of this is complemented by the fire, which warms the room up nicely. You need to bring all your own food with you. The warden sells a selection of non-perishable camping meals and snacks, and Corrour Station House (at the train station) serves meals. But besides that, there’s no other way to get food so plan your meals in advance!
This is not a luxury stay – this is off-grid accommodation, with limited facilities. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I know plenty of people who would hate to stay somewhere so rustic! But it’s a beautiful and unique spot. If you enjoy being outdoors (and don’t mind a bit of extra planning around access/food), you’d probably love this hostel.
Does the Hostel Have Wifi or Phone Signal?
There is no wifi at the hostel, but you can walk a few minutes away to the switching station, where there is wifi available through the estate. I had great phone signal (full bars on 4G) with Vodafone, which I was surprised at – I expected to have absolutely nothing and do a complete digital detox! However, this is very dependent on your phone company. Someone else at the hostel with EE had absolutely nothing (remember it’s also nice to share a hotspot if you can!). Overall, I’d say it’s best to plan for the worst, and be pleasantly surprised if you do have phone signal.
To sum up the facilities at Loch Ossian Youth Hostel:
- Heating
- Hot showers
- Toilets (flush for men, long-drop for women until later this year)
- Fully equipped, self-catering kitchen
- Plugs for charging devices
- Strong phone signal with Vodafone, nothing with EE
What to Do at Loch Ossian Youth Hostel
People stay at this hostel for its excellent access to the great outdoors – there are so many walks to do right from the doorstep! You can walk the 7.5-mile loop around Loch Ossian, or hike to Rannoch Station (10.5 miles) and take the train back to Corrour. There are three Munros near the hostel, Beinn na Lap, Carn Dearg, and Sgor Gaibhre. Beinn na Lap is a quick one (up and down), while the other two are usually walked on a longer loop. Besides hiking, you can also cycle around the area on the tracks. I loved swimming in the loch, although it was probably the coldest dip of my life! If it’s raining, you can curl up with a good book in the hostel (dorms are closed for cleaning from 10:00am to about 3:45pm). I highly recommend the OS Maps app, and use this on every single walk I do in the UK.
What are the Vibes Like at the Hostel?
Although the official name is Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, you certainly don’t need to be a “youth” to stay here. In fact, I felt like I was on the younger side than most of the other guests – and I’m 33! I stayed three nights, and there was a nice mix of folks throughout. It’s easy to get chatting to other guests. Like my trip to Orkney, you really need to work for a trip here. But that means that the people you do meet will likely be friendly and have similar (outdoorsy) interests. My last night was spent chatting and sharing whisky with new friends! There is a great social atmosphere here. That being said, if you want to relax, decompress, and read a book, people are generally respectful and there’s no pressure to socialize.
The hostel warden, Jan, was away when I visited, so sadly I never got to meet her. I did chat quite a bit with Katrina, the relief warden, who was so lovely. She was a wealth of knowledge about the local area, and kept everything ticking over at the hostel. Katrina also gave us a printout with the weather every day, and let us know if she was expecting any arrivals off the late train.
Planning Your Trip to Loch Ossian
This is a remote area, and you’ll need to pack carefully and plan your meals in advance. The most convenient airport for a stay at Loch Ossian is Glasgow airport – you can then take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Corrour and walk to the hostel. I use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more. Looking for tours and activities around Scotland and this area? Check out options below!
Overall, I loved my trip to Corrour and my stay at Loch Ossian Youth Hostel. This is such a special place, and somewhere I’ve been dreaming of visiting for YEARS. I’m so glad I finally got to go! If you love scenic and remote destinations, and are thinking of a one-of-a-kind getaway in Scotland, this is a top pick. I hope this post helps planning your trip to Loch Ossian!
Have you ever stayed at a remote, off-grid hostel like this? What was your experience like?
You might also like my posts:
A 7-Day Itinerary for the West Highland Way
What You Need to Know About the Jacobite Steam Train in Scotland
A Travel Guide for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Scotland
A 7-Day Itinerary for Scotland’s North Coast 500 Road Trip
A Bothy Guide for Beginners: What to Know About Bothies in Britain
Cairngorms National Park Travel Guide: What to See and Do
21 Fantastic Things to Do in and Around Inverness
How to Spend 48 Hours in Glasgow
Like this post? Pin it for later!
