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Campers have been welcome since the autumn of 2002 and the opening of the Speyside Way. A very peaceful site in grounds of a small hostel, can accommodate up to four two-man tents or their equivalent for a few nights. Campers have the use of a flush toilet and washbasin, hot water, washing up and bush shower, campfire area, picnic table and use of a wet weather shelter for cooking in if necessary. We also have a wood fired hot tub and sauna. Unfortunately we cannot accept even well-behaved dogs on this small camping ground with free ranging waterfowl nearby. On the Speyside Way, but we advise you to book ahead so contact the folk at the Lazy Duck.

Address:	Nethy Bridge Invernesshire PH25 3ED
Post Code:	PH25 3EQ
Phone:	07846 291154
Weblink:	Click
Total Pitches:	4, 3-man tent size max
Pub or Restaurant:	within 1 mile
Open:	from May-to Oct
Email:	Click
Our View:

Service on Site:	4.91
Facility for Kids:	3.70
Location Review:	4.67
Money Value:	4.61
On Site Facility:	4.24

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by Martin from Scotland
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping I'll keep this short ... if I can. My friend and I camped at the lazy duck between 4th and 6th May 2012 and were extremely impressed with the environmental aspects of the whole site, just marvelous ! sustainability in a nutshell. David and Valerie provide a very warm, friendly welcome as did their volunteering staff, lovely people. The camp site is never going to be over crowded, providing 4 pitches with an additional 1 if you're a hiker on foot (never to be turned away). If you want to get away from it all and spend some time in the fresh air (it was -3 one night for us) enjoy nature amongst lovely people, animals and surroundings then I can't think of a better location. The campers facilities are basic without being "rough" ... too cold for us to use the bush shower but I was very tempted, just for the experience ... showering with a view of Roe deer and Red squirrels. The campers shelter is an excellent setup with a wood burner to warm by or gaze at in the evening chatting with fellow campers. I'll definitely be back to either camp again or try the hostel (which looks superb). Do take the short walk through Juniper wood to have a seat and gaze over the cairngorms at sunset (magical). Thanks David and Valerie for your attention to detail and your priceless individuality and design. Hope to see you soon Martin Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 10/05/2012 Was this review helpful for you? 1 of 14 found this review to be helpful.
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Reply from: David Many thanks Martin for your generous comments. In particular you are kind enough to draw attention to our international volunteer Summer Helpers. Volunteers have been coming to The Lazy Duck Hostel & Camping for ten years now and contribute so much to the quality and ambience of the whole place. So in Narenne and Rike, our first two Summer Helpers of 2012. your comment is spot on. As Valery and I gently age, the young people help us hugely keep alive the youthfulness and happy buzz of what we are about here - elemental living for our visitors in well managed ground and impelling rustic facilities with not a trace of opulence. Only the quality of our guests then remains to be thrown into the mix and almost always thank goodness we are blessed with attracting here fairly like minded folk, One more thing; we have noticed recently that with so many first time campers arriving, anxious to try out their newly bought equipment and to gain experience and competence rapidly it is campers like you two, steady, confident and knowing just how to get the best out of your stay who demonstrate, unwittingly probably, the art of good camping and who encourage newcomers to do likewise. Thank you for your joyful visit & haste ye back. David & Valery

by Nick Fieldhouse from Bristol
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping The Lazy Duck campsite is absolutely brilliant! I spent 7 nights in this idyllic spot and it was the epitome of rest and relaxation. For the price, the facilities are superb and David and Valery (the site owners) do more than required, to make your stay a comfortable one. My personal highlights were: 1. The bush shower - you haven't lived until you've showered in the Scottish rain! 2. The salad and veg available each day, grown on site. 3. The red squirrels which roam the site. 4. And of course the ducks - I now want a pet Aylesbury! Easily the best campsite I have stayed at! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 22/09/2011 Was this review helpful for you? 1 of 13 found this review to be helpful.
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by Alice and Matt from Cilycwm
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping We have just returned from a 4 night stay at the Lazy Duck campsite. As has been mentioned in previous reviews, this site is completely delightful, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We have given 4 stars for the facilities simply because they are basic, but they are completely adequate, immaculately clean and everything is very well maintained and clearly signposted. The owners were very welcoming, and while they were away, we were well looked after by their helpers. Look forward to returning to the Lazy Duck next year! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 08/09/2011 Was this review helpful for you? 1 of 16 found this review to be helpful.
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by Richard (from Edinburgh) and Martin (from Wem, Shropshire). from Edinburgh
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping A quick look through the reviews already posted for the Lazy Duck will tell you that this is a very special site. We don't feel it necessary to repeat all the details of what there is on offer here - only to say that the compliments lavished by others are fully justified - on the strength of a 3 day camping visit at the end of July, when most sites in the area can feel crowded and a bit over-used. David and Valery have succeeded in creating something not readily found elsewhere - a haven of peace and tranquillity - as one would be looking for if wild camping, but with so many thoughtful provisions to make the site comfortable and interesting, this is having your cake and eating it! Apologies to David and Valery for arriving with a tent a little larger than what they normally envisage - this site is definitely intended for lightweight tents. Thanks, David and Valery, for a great stay, Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 27/07/2011 Was this review helpful for you? 0 of 15 found this review to be helpful.
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by Fin from Bristol
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Quite simply put The Lazy Duck is true camping perfection. My wife and I found Ã¢â‚¬Å“The DuckÃ¢â‚¬Â in Apil 2011, and wished we could have stayed more than just two nights. [ If however, your idea of camping is huge tents, big crowds, car radios blaring, dogs barking children wailing, tinnes/bonfires till dawnÃ¢â‚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦Ã¢â‚¬Â¦than best to avoid here! Its not for you, and youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re not for it!! ] Firstly it is nestled in the North eastern corner of the Cairngorms right on the corner of the national park, the views of the mountains are breath taking from some well position viewing benches neatly set up. They (David and Valarie Ã¢â‚¬â€œ more later!) only take 4 two or three person tents, in a small field, nicely sheltered by proper Scots Pine woodland. The field is tucked between the families idyllic duck pond, and sheep/lamb enclosure. David met us on arrival and showed us the layout of the place. Where to pitch the tent, where to fetch water, the lou (being so small they only need one!), the use of the bush shower, use of the camping shelter where you can relax and cook meals in considerable comfort, while enjoying the views. There is a nice chimenea with seating around, where you can light your own fire in the evening and chat to fellow campers. A hammock swings in the trees nearby where you can while away an afternoon. There is also a two person sauna, but we didnt use it - looked nice and cosy thou. Everything aspect of the site is very well laid out, simple and really at one with nature, without being too basic. We were fortunate in the a local fish monger visits the site every Wednesday and we managed to get fabulous fish from him, and create a seafood chowder, using some of eggs you can purchase from the sites own hens! Over the course of the two day stay (we did a few decent walks close by in the Cairngorms) we had various conversations with David and Valarie. They are some of the nicest people I have met, bar none. They instil an instant air of calm relaxation that the entire Lazy Duck is steeped in. If you are lucky enough to have time to talk to them you should. I guess itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s their selfless, caring life story is what has made the Duck what it is, a place of calm, gentle camping, in a perfect location where the fuss, rush, hassle of everyday life falls away, and you are left with peace, quiet and some awarding winning ducks to admire!! If you wish there is a pub attached to the hotel exactly 1m down the road in Nethy Bridge, where a wee dram is a good way to relax after a long hike. So, if you like the outdoors, and want to explore the Cairngorms for hiking, fishing, twitching, canoeing and want a idyllic, comfortable, quiet unique camp site to return to in the evenings, treat yourself to the Duck! Thank you David and Valarie!! WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll be back soon! [There is also a very comfortable looking hostel attached to the campsite which I hope to get back to in the winter. Also David mentioned he is in the process of building a eco-style woodmanÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s lodge nestled in the Scots Pine forest Ã¢â‚¬â€œ will be keeping my eye on the completion date on that!] http://www.lazyduck.co.uk/ Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 08/05/2011 Was this review helpful for you? 2 of 2 found this review to be helpful.
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by Craig Ising from Inverness via Australia
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Our group of four stayed in two tents in late April 2011. This place is almost impossible to fault. The only anxiety was of waiting for something that may spoil what seemed too good to be true. Were the bible songs about to start? Were we about to be invited to join some secular cult? Were they going to force us to become vegans? No. It seems it really is possible for hosts to be charming and accommodating without being overbearing or having ulterior motive. They know exactly what they've got here, and work hard to preserve it. A more commercial enterprise would try to cram more campers into their modest space, but here sites are rotated every couple of nights to protect the grassed areas. We are already looking for an excuse to plan our next visit here. The only hurdle may be the 'no dogs policy' but that, too, is completely understandable given the nature of the local fauna. You would have to have a cold, cold heart not to be charmed by the Lazy Duck. Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 03/05/2011 Was this review helpful for you? 0 of 0 found this review to be helpful.
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by Gail Yates from South Yorkshire
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping We paid a visit to the Lazy Duck campsite at the end of October and suffice to say the weather was that inclement,David nicknamed us the waterbabies...BUT the weather didnt detract from the wonderful haven that is Lazy Duck.Red squirrels in abundance,deer in the forest behind us and a gaggle of ducks by the pond (one of which sounded like a squeaky toy when it quacked).The wet weather shelter was a godsend for cooking in and we spent the evenings gazing out onto clear skies listening to a multitude of owls hooting in the woods.The bush shower was an experience not to be missed,even in the chill of an october evening...the cold drips of rain falling onto you were very invigorating. David and Valery are perfect hosts,with lots of useful information about the local area.All in all,the Lazy Duck campsite is a campsite you will visit and not want to leave. We are definately going to be booking our spot for the new year. Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 27/11/2009 Was this review helpful for you? 2 of 3 found this review to be helpful.
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by Estelle Williams from New Zealand
Camping with all the mod cons We really enjoyed staying at the Lazy Duck. We had been camping in Scotland for a week prior to arriving at this sunny spot and felt like we had checked into a 5 star hotel. It provided a wet weather cooking facility equipped with tables and chairs, toilet and washing facilities inside the house and a chimnea with cut off logs strategically placed around the fire providing a comfy pozzie to relax around and toast marshmellows. We were also delighted and charmed by the presence of red squirrels. Our hosts made an effort to introduce all the campers which broke the ice and by day two we had made some excellent new friends. We were also able to purchase fresh farm eggs at a next to nothing price which were amazing! All in all if you are a novice camper or an experienced camper wanting a bit of luxury at the end of a hard camping trip the Lazy Duck is 2nd to none! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 28/08/2009 Was this review helpful for you? 1 of 1 found this review to be helpful.
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by Shivas from Aberdeen
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Just back from a weekend camping at the Lazy Duck Hostel. All I can say is Wow! Loved it! My wife and I intended to just use the campsite as a base but found the setting so perfect that we ended up pottering around the area for most of our stay. The chickens, ducks and geese offer much entertainment along with their rather elderly Cocker Spanial. David and Valery were extremely welcoming and the facilities were just right! The Midge Eater was a particular bonus! Next time we will try the Sauna! The Bunkhouse looks pretty good as well. Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 11/08/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 3 of 4 found this review to be helpful.
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by H Bloomfield from London
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping This is a lovely campsite in the Cairngorms National Park, run by a couple who have set it up with a real respect for its beautiful surroundings. It's also 'real' camping - you'll find no swimming pool or vast, barren field full of tents here. Instead there's a maximum of 4 tents set among ancient pines, a solar shower (for a quick shower, you can just fill it with hot water), a chimenea (outdoor cast-iron fire) and a hammock. It's very, very peaceful and we (and our 3 children) loved it. Lots to do nearby: e.g. Strathspey Steam railway, Loch Ness, Loch Garten (and Osprey Centre) as well as all the walking trails in the Cairngorms. Children on the campsite may be allowed to help feed the ducks. At the end of July, when we went, blueberries and raspberries were growing wild on all the local walks we went on. Equipment: bring small 2/3 man dome tents - you'll need to move them after 3 nights to protect the grass. Bring a camping stove and cooking stuff. The Chimenea stove can only be used for simple baking (e.g. small potatoes wrapped in foil thrown into the embers) Travel: see their website. It's a long way away if you live in the south like we do so we got bargain tickets for the Caledonian Sleeper (London Euston - Inverness) and rented a car. Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 01/08/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 8 of 8 found this review to be helpful.
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by Malcolm Russell & Davina Macdonald from Surrey, England
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping What a place!!! Ideal for a more peaceful camp away from caravans! On arrival we were greeted by one of the summer International Volunteers who showed us all the facilities on the site and where to pitch. It's a small area surrounded by trees and has a chimenea to warm you and drive away the midges in the evenings and also has a dry shelter. Also, to preserve the grass, after three nights (we stayed 4) we had to repitch; at least there were only a maximum of four tents at any time! All campers were friendly and didn't mnd the children playing on the hammocks or tree swing. David and Valerie were so friendly and very helpful and also took the kids one morning to get the ducks out and feed them. One evening they were also asked to help collect the eggs and put the chickens away and that made their holiday even better!! Red Squirrels are a certainty so it's the place to go if you've never seen them like myself or my partner. The bush shower sounds daunting but is perfectly easy to use and just as good and clean as a normal shower. The location is great for walking and you are just a mile or two from the river Spey (£15 a week for kids to fish £195 for adults), or the Cairngorms themselves. There is loads to do and plenty of space to relax. We will be going back, and I would urge everyone to go and give the bush shower a go! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 10/07/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 4 of 4 found this review to be helpful.
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by Kat & Daz from Edinburgh
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Lovely, quiet, friendly site. if you love camping because you love peace and quiet and nature all around, this is the site for you. The ducks and chickens are particularly friendly and will come and look round your tent as soon as it's pitched! Didn't get to use the bush shower as it wasn't quite sunny enough, but the chimnea and the cooking shelter came in very handy. Nethy Bridge is only 1 mile down the road with a well-stocked Spar and a good butcher if you forget any essentials. Staff were lovely and made us feel very welcome - almost a part of the family. As it is so small, it is almost impossible not to make friends with your fellow campers but if they have the good taste to be camping here, you won't go far wrong! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 26/06/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 2 of 2 found this review to be helpful.
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by Richard & Mandy from Kent
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping A unique site run by a lovely, helpful couple who obviously really care for people and the surrounding environment. Small enough to feel very personal with good facilities but only a bush shower (rubber bladder filled with hot tap water thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s hung from a tree in a well-screened area on the edge of the site). We saw red squirrel as well as the many gorgeous fowl and Valery was kind enough to clean and dry a white pair of trousers for us. Wish we had spent more time here. There should be more places like this, but then it wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be unique! Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 26/06/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 1 of 1 found this review to be helpful.
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by Alec Farmer and Kathy Beckett from Glasgow
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Simply one of the best camping experiences to be had. We spent two nights here and had the site all to ourselves with just our little two man tent. Using a bush shower opening onto a beautiful forest first thing in the morning was just magical, and with a little chimenia stove provided to keep us toasty in the evenings, we couldnt have been more happy. David and Vallery we so helpful, and you would be foolish not to book a pitch on this site. You will love it. We certainly did. Type of accommodation: Tent Date: 27/04/2008 Was this review helpful for you? 5 of 6 found this review to be helpful.
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by P Hetherington from Edinburgh
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping This place is a bit special, a bit different. We camped in three tents as a family group which meant we had the whole campsite to ourselves ! Our kids loved the hammock and feeding the chickens. Everyone loved gathering round the chiminea at night. The bush shower was brilliant and the sauna was very relaxing. You can easily walk into Nethy Bridge from the site where there's a well stocked post office, butcher and a few pubs. Lovely owners who care about the environment and their guests. Type of accommodation: Unknown Date: 22/05/2007 Was this review helpful for you? 10 of 11 found this review to be helpful.
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by Emily from London
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping We only intended to stay for a night or two and ended up having to drag ourselves away at the end of our holiday. Tiny little woodland site with room for only a few tents, surrounded by glorious countryside and with an atmosphere so laid back it's practically horizontal. Facilities are basic but adequate - the bush shower is actually more fun than you'd expect - and with thoughtful additional features, such as the hammock, fresh eggs, sauna, chimnea and wet weather shelter. David and Valery are very friendly and helpful, and the site has an abundance of wildlife: deer, red squirrels, the dog, the horse and, of course, the numerous lazy ducks. A very welcome alternative to the caravan-heavy campsites in the local area and, having come from the west coast and Orkney, we found the midges were far less aggressive here. Type of accommodation: Unknown Date: 14/08/2006 Was this review helpful for you? 11 of 12 found this review to be helpful.
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by Bart & Ingrid van der Jagt from Breda, from the Netherlands
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Staying at the scenic campingsite, in the middle of the woods, we experienced the silence of the nature and the friendlieness of David and Valery. We searched for a quiet place en found it here. They have a lot of facilities (internet-acces, a sauna and fresh eggs if you need them) but it is good to know that the shower is an bush-shower. We liked it very much, it was a new experience for us to wash ourselves between the trees. There is a fire-place at the campingsite,so when we sat overthere in the evening, the midges didn`t bother us. Directly outside the camping there are several signed daywalks; we enjoyed it. Type of accommodation: Unknown Date: 27/07/2006 Was this review helpful for you? 4 of 5 found this review to be helpful.
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by Paul and Lisa Hendricks from Missoula, Montana, USA
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping The Lazy Duck Hostel is a hidden gem amidst a very popular and congested recreational region. We stumbled across the place quite by luck. As tent campers, we really appreciated pitching our tent beneath 150 year-old pines, watching red squirrels scamper through the boughs. The diversity of birds was also appealing to our North American appetites. Wonderful hosts (they loaned us a towel, too!), and a quiet, relaxing environment added immensely to our pleasure. We also were situated close to a number of sites we wished to explore, such as the Cairngorms, so found the Lazy Duck a great base. All in all, we'll try to stay here again on our next trip to Scotland, although this time maybe reserving one of the Hostel rooms for even more comfort. Type of accommodation: Unknown Date: 27/07/2006 Was this review helpful for you? 7 of 9 found this review to be helpful.
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by Emily Payne from Edinburgh
Lazy Duck Hostel and Camping Lovely small idylic campsite alongside the Lazy Duck Hostel. It's set in woodland just outside Nethy Bridge so there are some lovely walks and cycle rides near by. The facilities onsite include an immaculate toilet and wash area, a wood burning stove for when the nights are a bit chilly and an internet connection in the garage. If you're game enough there's an outdoor shower in the woods. The campsite is incredibly peaceful and quiet with a landscaped garden and pond complete with lazy ducks and dog. There's even a deranged duck that quacks in its sleep and a cockerel that likes to let you know it knows the sun is going down! Overall a fantastic site for a quiet getaway. Type of accommodation: Unknown Date: 17/07/2006 Was this review helpful for you? 5 of 6 found this review to be helpful.
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