Meet the owners
Pamela and Robert are the owners of Cairngorms Glamping and their story is worth sharing.
Our Story - in Pams words.
Robert and I first met in Strathdon on a hot summer’s day in August, 1992. I was
with my friend, visiting her family. I lived an hour’s drive from Strathdon but had
never heard of it. When she suggested going, I thought we were going to
Strathdee’s (the baker shop).
We arrived at her family’s house, I was more interested in the amazing scenery! A
short while after we arrived, Robert turned up looking for someone. I thought
“hmmm he’s pretty hot, not perfect but close.” We hit it off straight away and I spent
the entire journey home talking about him (allegedly). She told me he was only 17
and that was that, I couldn’t possibly date someone younger, they had to be at least
2 years older! I was hooked, I kept phoning my friends’ family for Robert updates.
Not too long after, Robert called and asked me out on a date!
I was euphoric, couldn’t believe it! I made the excuse to myself that 2 years younger was nothing as guys in the country were more mature than toonsers. All was amazing until he told me what the date would entail…a family wedding! Now I was both euphoric and terrified haha! The date went well, until I danced the can-can with too much vigour. I had to walk out backwards as the split on the back of my “above the knee” dress, was now far too close to my bottom. I thought I’d not hear from him again however, I was invited on a second date. Couldn’t be more full-on than the first date right? Wrong! It was a family christening, three of his nephews were to be christened at the same service, followed by a seated lunch. There was no going back, Robert and Strathdon had me hooked.
One year later we got engaged, he paid for my ring and I paid for our holiday to Alcudia (his first time abroad). Once we’d spent a fortnight together, we didn’t want to be apart. There was a derelict static caravan at the farm and he’d ask his mum and dad if he could do it up for us. In November 1993 we moved into the caravan. I
went from working as an administrator in the oil industry, to being a hotel receptionist at a hotel in Ballater. Robert worked on the farm looking after the livestock and managing the farm. He mentioned he would love to develop part of the farm into a campsite.
In 2009, two houses and 2 children later (born 1998 and 2002) we applied for permission to build a family home on the farm. We were granted outline planning permission and decided to put our house on the market as we would be happy to build whatever the council stipulated. The house sold quickly and we moved into our
second static caravan together – this time we had 2 kids, 2 budgies and a black lab!!
It was supposed to be for a year however the full planning permission took considerably longer as it was called in by the newly formed Cairngorms National Park. Three years later we were in our house, our dream, built by Robert. We loved the seclusion but felt we were being selfish with the views. Robert was building a summer house one day, and said it would actually be a great glamping pod….and here we are now, with 4 glamping pods and a large campsite with our Critter Corner too (alpacas, pygmy goats, Jimmy donkey and more). We couldn’t be more proud – Robert and I have literally built our business from nothing. We hope you love it as much as we do.
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