Lochside Hostel

We're a young and energetic team of backpackers wanting the help create the best environment for other backpackers to enjoy! At Lochside, we have been welcoming volunteers from all across the world for over four years. Located right on the banks of Loch Ness, Lochside is in a beautiful spot and is the perfect place to relax, immerse yourself in the beautiful highland scenery and meet new people.

The work is very straightforward (for more details see position description!) and averages 2-3 hours per day, giving our volunteers as much time as possible to enjoy the hostel and explore the area. Volunteers will stay in a shared four-bed staff dorm and will have access to all the shared facilities (kitchen/laundry etc.)

Our hostel is fairly remote (a 15 minute drive from the nearest food shop!), so most days are spent walking or relaxing in the hostel. However, we have a bus stop right outside our front door, so it is very easy to travel into Inverness or beyond in your spare time. In fact, within two hours it is possible to get to Fort William, the Isle of Skye or Oban, all by bus. Our hostel has always been reliant on young volunteers and is very laid back. We host our famous Scottish Folk Dancing Parties twice a week, and in the meantime offer a relaxed place to chill out.

Hi, I'm Jay. I've been managing hostels in Scotland for the past few years and before that backpacked all around Europe and Central America. I love meeting other people with a passion for travel, swapping stories, and making unforgettable memories with our guests & volunteers. I'm a proud Scot who (sadly) grew up near London, and moved back up when I was eighteen. I run Scottish Folk Dance Parties (called Ceilidhs) and hike a lot in my spare time. I hope you'll love Lochside as much as I do! To see what we get up to here at Lochside, take a look on our Instagram @lochsidehostel : ) **Please note this profile is used by different hostel managers each season, so some reviews may feature names different to the current one**