High Tide

Happy Holidays

Printable PDF of the following information to take with you. (opens in a separate window)

Please always read this carefully as there may have been changes since you last visited High Tide

How to get there

High Tide is approximately 3.5 miles off the main A75 road from Stranraer to Dumfries and the South. The turn off is sign posted “Sandgreen” and is 45 miles east of Stranraer and 33 miles due west of Dumfries. On the Sandgreen road do not follow the signs for Carrick Shore and, but carry on to the bottom of the road where there is a right angle bend to Sandgreen and a lane going straight on. Take this lane – High Tide is the second hut on the right.

We hope you have a really wonderful time here in our holiday hut. There is a green file with another copy of this “Happy Holiday”s on the rolling coffee table in the main room. This file also contains all important telephone numbers, including the nearest doctor.

So don’t worry if you forget to take this with you; and also do look in the green visitors book for lots of comments from previous friends/family – and of course add your own too! 

Contact

We hope you have a lovely holiday – if you have any problems at all, 

please let us know. We have allocated responsibilities as follows:-

Maintenance/physical problems: Adam 07986 547079 or Anna – 07816 642320   

Bookings: Alastair – 07887 906236

Finances: Adam – 07986 547079

However, do call any of us if you are having trouble getting through.

Arrival – Please arrive after 2.00 pm on the day of your booking.

Departure – Unless you want to cross over with the people before you, please leave before 1pm!  It can be pleasant to cross over, and it has happened; however, if you particularly don’t want to meet anyone else, please let Alastair know on your booking form and we’ll endeavour to make sure the hut is empty and ready for you on your arrival.

Previous visitors

If your visit to High Tide immediately follows on from someone else, you should find the place “ready to use”. i.e. the gas should be on, the water heater in the kitchen on and the fridge on and closed. The electricity will not be switched on but this is easily done on the wall inside the kitchen door.

Water

Water supply will be on at the mains.

Gas appliances

Ensure that the supply is on: 

Two large orange gas cylinders are situated at the northern end of the hut. One will be in use, the other should be full ready to provide a continued supply when required.

The black valve with an arrow indicator in between the cylinders should be pointing to one or other of the, cylinders indicating which one is in use. If you arrive and the supply has been switched off, please make sure of the following.

  • The black valve between the cylinders will indicate which cylinder is in use, 
  • make sure the brass valve at the top of the current cylinder is open (turn anticlockwise to open and clockwise to shut) 
  • The yellow master valve should be in the vertical position (turn anti clockwise) to be open, horizontal is closed.
  • With all these valves at the open position gas should be coming through. Check at the cooker for a gas supply (lighting a gas ring is a good indicator).
  • If there is still no gas, switch the black valve over to the other cylinder.

IF ONE OF THE CYLINDERS IS EMPTY WHEN YOU ARRIVE OR RUNS OUT WHILE YOU ARE STAYING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY. WE CAN THEN ARRANGE A REPLACEMENT AND AVOID SOMEONE RUNNING OUT OF GAS DURING THEIR HOLIDAY.

Water heater in the kitchen:

Ensure that the drain plug (metal or plastic knob underneath the water heater) is screwed in.

Follow instructions on the front of the water heater to light the pilot.

Cooker

The easiest way to check the gas is coming through OK is by turning on and lighting one of the gas rings on the hob. If the built in igniter on the cooker does not work please use one of supplied igniters in the kitchen drawers or matches.

Fridge

The new fridge is electric and runs from the solar panel powered batteries. When the electricity is switched on, the fridge can be started using the switch above it on the wall. 

With the water heater ‘if at first you don’t succeed try, try, try again’!

Lighting – Electricity

There is a solar PV panel which provides 12 volt electricity for lights and a radio. The PV panel charges a bank of wet cell batteries which then feed the 12 volt supply to the hut. To turn on the electric supply for lights, flick the switch to the left of the door as you enter the kitchen to “on”. Use the switches and sockets that have the green dots.  NB: THIS MEANS THAT STANDARD 240 VOLT DEVICES INCLUDING HAIR DRYERS, LAPTOPS AND MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS WILL NOT WORK. There is an adaptor for car mobile phone chargers kept in the drawer under the fridge. This can be plugged into a 12volt (green dot) socket.

Even on overcast days on end, the PV panel generates electricity and there will be enough power in the batteries for lighting.

Television – High Tide is not covered by a television license. If you agree to stay at High Tide then you agree that you will not watch or record television programmes on any device as they are being shown on TV. This now includes programmes on demand on TV’s, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and DVD/VHS recorders.

Any fitted gas lamps still in the hut are defunct and should not be used.

Wood Burning Stove

Heating is provided by a wood burning stove and Super Ser gas heater. If you use the stove, please make sure you leave enough kindling and logs for the next person to start with. Please do not use coal – it damages the stove. 

Logs are stored in the add-on to the Seaside Shed.  Please let us know when logs are running low so we can order some more.

If the Super Ser is used to heat the bathroom, do not leave it on when having a shower.

Bedding

There is a double duvet and two single duvets on the beds or in plastic bags. There are plenty of blankets and some sheets and towels in the bathroom cupboards. Please leave all bedding on the beds. If you are there before May or after September, place the bedding in cupboards or plastic bags. It is probably more convenient for you bring your own sheets / duvet covers, pillowcases and towels. Otherwise these are all in the drawers and cupboards in the bathroom. If you use them, please return them clean to the cupboard. There is a good launderette in Kirkcudbright that will do washing and ironing for you, or you can take it to the Sandgreen caravan site, which has washing machines/driers.

Shower

The shower takes hot water from the water heater in the kitchen. Subsequently, you will have to wait a little while for the water to run hot after turning on the hot tap. The same applies to the basin in the bathroom. Do not use the water in the kitchen when someone is in the shower as the water will go cold!

Cleaning

The hut should be in a clean and tidy condition when you arrive. We ask all occupants to leave the hut as they have found it. Can you please sweep through the hut and clean sinks, loo, etc. before you go. Make sure the cooker is cleaned down, no crumbs left in the grill, oven clean etc; no dishes left out.  ESPECIALLY MAKE SURE THAT NO FOOD IS LEFT OUT AS OTHERWISE MICE WILL VISIT!  Binbags can be left in the bins at the river end of the road. 

IF YOU FEEL THE CLEANLINESS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE WHEN YOU ARRIVE PLEASE LET US KNOW.

Shopping

Calor gas can be bought from Sandgreen campsite but the nearest shops are now at Gatehouse or Twynholm.

There is a post box and phone box at Sandgreen and the nearest Post Office is in Gatehouse of Fleet. There is no petrol at Gatehouse of Fleet.

The nearest petrol is at the village of Twynholm about 4 miles south on the A75.

Seaside shed and Lean-to (keys in pot by front door)

There are bicycles and hammocks, buckets, spades, folding chairs and a sun lounger etc. here – please feel free to use them.

Some of our favourite things to do:

Cream o’ Galloway is nearby, is excellent for children and the ice cream is something else. For more details in advance of your holiday check out www.creamogalloway.co.uk. There is a beautiful bike ride through the campsite to Gatehouse of Fleet via the Cally Estate. DON’T FORGET TO LOOK OUT FOR RED SQUIRRELS See file for details. 

Kirroughtree Forest Park also has lovely walks. Picnicing on Ardwall Island – choose times according to the tides.

There is a selection of tourist information in the bookcase, and two radios.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE * (by 11 am)

UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD OTHERWISE:

  • Take batteries out of small radio.
  • Take care of bedding according to the time of year.
  • Switch off gas supply outside hut.
  • SWITCH OFF FRIDGE ON WALL ABOVE FRIDGE and leave fridge door open.
  • SWITCH OFF ELECTRICITY ON KITCHEN WALL BY DOOR INTO LIVING ROOM.

ALWAYS

  • Leave hut clean and tidy as you found it (see cleaning above).
  • Take any rubbish in black bin liners to the large wheely bin compound on the track out of Carrick just by the bridge.

On entering High Tide in winter time.

  • Turn water on at the mains

Water must be turned on at the mains. The mains tap can be found under a stone beside the Privet bush near the front door.

– Inside the front door hangs a metal T rod. This should be used to give the mains tap a quarter turn either way to switch on the water. 

  • Close Taps and remove plastic float from toilet

Check that water is flowing and turn off taps and remove the plastic ball from the toilet. This is there to prevent remaining water from freezing. Close the drain plug under water heater in kitchen.  

  • Turn the gas on

The gas can be turned on at the bottles behind the hut.

* On Leaving High Tide in winter time, in addition to the above:

  • Shut off water at the mains, 
  • Open taps, flush toilet and insert plastic float. 
  • Turn off gas. 
  • Unscrew drain plug under water heater in kitchen.  
  • Leave the duvets and pillows sealed in bin liners. 
  • Any shutters that were closed when you arrived should be closed again on leaving. 
  • Please also ensure that there are logs, kindling and gas left for the next visitors.

NB Taps include the outside tap at the corner of the hut for the hose.