Adventures in Scotland

Unplugging in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park

We recently experienced a loss of broadband service here at Fraoch Lodge. It was panic stations all round.

We live in a world where our phones tell us the weather, the time, the route, what to eat, how to feel, and when to sleep. We wake up to the glow of notifications and go to bed after “just one more scroll.” But what happens when you switch it all off—even for a weekend?

Would you be able to enjoy a digital detox weekend?

At Fraoch Lodge, nestled in the tranquil village of Boat of Garten, we believe the answer is a resounding yes—and more than that, we believe your mind and body will thank you for it.

🌿 Why Try a Digital Detox?

A digital detox doesn’t mean living in silence or boredom. It means swapping screens for real scenery. It’s giving your nervous system a break from pings and scrolls. It’s waking up not to headlines, but to birdsong and Highland air.

Studies show that taking regular breaks from screens can:

• Improve sleep and reduce stress

• Reconnect you with nature and your companions

• Boost creativity and attention span

• Reduce feelings of comparison, FOMO, and overwhelm

🏡 What It Looks Like at Fraoch Lodge

Our new Digital Detox Weekends are designed to ground you gently, not shock you into silence. You’ll still be busy—just in a completely different way.

✅ What You’ll Do:

• Join guided walks through ancient Caledonian forest, heather moorland, and hidden lochans

• Enjoy wholesome, home-cooked meals using local and seasonal ingredients – you can participate if you want and take home all the recipes used during your break

• Journal or sketch your surroundings on your return to the Lodge – using only memory as your prompt

• Relax fireside with a book or engage in unplugged conversation with fellow guests

❌ What You Won’t Do:

• Check email

• Scroll through newsfeeds

• Get stuck comparing travel selfies

• Reply to pings, dings or group chats

✋ Nervous? You’re Not Alone

We get it. The idea of switching off entirely can feel uncomfortable. But don’t worry—you’ll be supported. We have:

• A safe space to store your devices if you choose to hand them in

• Maps, clocks, books and nature guides for old-school navigation

• Tips for transitioning gently into the weekend

And if you really need to check in with home, our WiFi still works—but we encourage you to pause first and ask: Is this moment really worth interrupting?

👣 Let Nature Lead the Way

We’re lucky to be based in the Cairngorms National Park—a vast wilderness of forest, mountain, and wildlife. From the doorstep of Fraoch Lodge, you can follow quiet trails without seeing another soul, listen to woodpeckers drum in Abernethy Forest, or spot red squirrels.

Nature invites stillness. It rewards attention. And it waits patiently while you relearn how to just be.

📅 When to Come?

Our Digital Detox Weekends run on select dates during the quieter seasons—spring and autumn are ideal, when the Cairngorms are alive with birdsong, wildflowers, or autumn colour.

These retreats are especially popular around:

• World Mental Health Day (October 10th)

• Digital Detox Day (September 5th)

• National Day of Unplugging (March)

🧭 Ready to Unplug?

The first few hours are the hardest. But once you settle into the rhythm of real time—sunrise and sunset, footsteps and firelight—you might be surprised by how good it feels to disconnect in order to reconnect.

Come and experience it for yourself.

Would you be able to enjoy a digital detox weekend?
We think you’ll do more than enjoy it.
You’ll remember what it feels like to be here now.

📩 Interested in booking a Digital Detox Weekend at Fraoch Lodge?
Contact us to find out when our next retreats are running—or to plan your own screen-free escape in the Cairngorms.