A Naturist Club in the Heart of Scotland

The Scottish Outdoor Club is a naturist club based in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park centred around Loch Lomond itself.  Our site ‘Elstree’ is on Inchmurrin, the largest island in Loch Lomond itself.  

During our season we take a boat from Balmaha on a Friday evening and sail to the pier at our place.  This is a wonderful experience in itself as we make our way between the islands on a summers evening amongst some of the most magnificent scenery in the British Isles. Even now you can feel your stresses waning as we head past the wooded islands in the evening light.  Once we get to the island, we have a 4 wheel drive buggy which allows us to transport out luggage and food up the hill to the site.  The island has no roads, just a couple of tracks down to the south of the island and a path you can follow up to the north end of the island.

Elstree has been around for around for over 60 years now. It is essentially a series of chalets dotted around a main house and ‘The Big Hut’ and a concrete courtyard used for light sports.  The house has 2 dorms in it a full kitchen complete with fridge, cooker, microwave, a drawer full of knives, forks and spoons, a kitchen table with chairs and couple of pantries with the necessary cleaning tools and one with more plates than we know what to do with.  In the hallway there are two toilets and a big notice board. In the dorms we have beds and bunk beds suitable for families or visitors. We do advise our visitors to bring their own bedding with them, pillowcases and duvet covers. Funnily enough we don’t have a washing machine, after all we are only there for a weekend and we wouldn’t really have a use for it.

There is also the main room which has a fireplace, a small library of sorts, and coffee tables for your er… coffee. It’s a great place to gather and chat with visitors and members.

There are two showers, one around the back of the house and one in our wonderful sauna block. The sauna is a wood fired one, it’s a great way to clear the pores. There is also a shower block just down the hill a little.

Elstree is not a resort, it is a campsite of sorts, with chalets with electricity and most have running water – we are trying to upgrade them all to have water, but they do have drains etc.

Most of the chalets have their own decking area on which to relax during the weekend. Members can buy a chalet from the club if there are any available.

Our area is surrounded by woods and is fenced off and is private to us only. The ‘Big Hut’ is where we hold social events or activities if they are more suited to the indoors.

If you wish you can bring your own tent and camp in our grounds. Just off to one side of the house there is a picnic area where we have barbeques, parties etc.

The club is run and maintained by its members so its always good to chip in to help, helping to clean the main house, trimming the grass and gardening to waterproofing a chalet etc. Other task include to collecting firewood for house fire and the sauna.

Our site is on a island and it’s a wonderful feeling of ‘getting away from it all’ when the ferry leaves. Of course, there is a restaurant down at the south end if you have the need for a chef made meal.

Inchmurrin itself is the largest island within a body of water in the UK. It is around 300 feet at its highest point and lies on the highland fault line that stretches right across Scotland.  The northern end is forested, whilst the south end is essentially farmland with holiday homes and the hotel down there too. The air is fresh, the sunlight is free and our site is amazingly midge free! And of course the loch is wonderfully refreshing when you want to take a dip, it’s hard to beat wild swimming. The island has its fair share of wildlife, deer, hedgehogs, birds of prey and those big trees you read about in fairy tales.  At night, when its clear the stars are sprinkled generously over the dome of the sky.  

It goes without saying that if you intend to leave our site then its back on with the clothes.  

Please be aware that we do have our rules, which are common amongst naturist sites. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. We are there to have a good time, relax, help out when we can and enjoy our naturist lifestyle.

At the end of the weekend on the Sunday evening, we all return to the pier where we are picked up by the boat from and once more sail across the water to Balmaha nestling under Conic Hill, with Ben Lomond sitting in it imposing majesty to the north.

MEMBERSHIPS

Now in our eighth decade, we warmly welcome those who might be thinking about joining us on a regular basis. The Scottish Outdoor Club is 100% owned and maintained by its members.  If you’re interested in membership you’ll need to visit us at the club at least twice.  

There are a number of beautiful and interesting chalets tucked around onsite, all with electricity and most with running water. Full members are entitled to purchase a chalet of their own.  If you have looked into buying a hut elsewhere in Scotland – Carbeth, for example, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at how little you might need to spend for a rustic hideaway at the Scottish Outdoor Club, so near to Glasgow, where you can enjoy your life in the Naturist way in the midst of beautiful secluded woodland with like minded people.  

Please also be aware that anyone seeking membership should  understand that all able bodied persons are expected to assist and help out in the maintenance of our Club grounds and buildings.

For more information contact: secretary@scottishoutdoor.club

THE SCOTTISH OUTDOOR CLUB is affiliated with BRITISH NATURISM, the internationally recognised UK national Naturist organisation, existing to unite and support Naturists, to protect, and provide more Naturist venues, to make social nudity more acceptable in the UK and to provide comprehensive information on Naturism and Naturists around the world.