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

Winter visitors – please also check notes at the end of this document.

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. Carry on to the bottom of the road near the sea 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 file with another copy of this “Happy Holidays 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 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.

ARRIVALS – May to September (aka Summer Months)

Arrival Time – After 3pm on the day of your booking.

Departure Time – By 12noon (unless you want to cross over with other people)

Previous Visitors

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

Water

The water supply will be on at the mains.

Gas appliances

Ensure that the supply is on: 

Two large orange gas cylinders are situated in a brick shelter between the kitchen door and the seaside shed. One will be in use and the other should be full, ready to provide a continued supply when required.

The black valve with an arrow indicator 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 selector valve above and between the cylinders will indicate which cylinder is in use 
  • Make sure the brass valve at the top of the cylinder in use is open (turn anti-clockwise 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 (light a gas ring to check).
  • If the black selector valve above and between the cylinders has turned red, this means the gas bottle to which it is pointing has run out of gas. If this is the case turn the selector valve to the other bottle and open the brass valve at the top of the bottle (anti-clockwise). 

See video.

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

Hot water will run automatically when you turn on the hot tap. Make sure it is plugged in and switched on at the plug socket to the right of the cooker. There are indicators for the best settings to ensure the hot water does not turn cold when someone is using the shower. Never run any other tap when the shower is in use otherwise you may hear a scream (due to water turning cold)!

Cooker

The easiest way to check the gas is coming through 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 the supplied igniters in the drawer under the fridge. There is more lighter fluid in the same drawer to top up the igniter if necessary. See videos for lighting grill and oven with igniter. 

Fridge

The fridge is electric and runs from the solar-panel-powered batteries. The electric supply is separate from the main hut, so the switch on the wall behind the fridge should be kept on for the next visitor during summer months unless informed otherwise.  

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. 

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

Mobile Phone Charging (and devices with USB port including laptops)

On the shelf under the bookcase in the main room there is a USB charging block to charge mobile phones and other devices with USB port. Charging leads for most mobiles, including iphones, are hung on a hook to the right of the front door. 

Television

There is no television at High Tide but it is covered by a TV licence, so programmes may be watched on mobile devices at any time. However, we recommend you switch off whatever digital devices you have and enjoy the true peace that can be found here!

Wood Burning Stove

Heating is provided by a wood burning stove only. 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 wood shed between the kitchen door and seaside shed.  Please let us know when logs are running low so we can order some more.

Bedding

There are pillows, a double duvet and two single duvets on the beds or in plastic bags. PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN SHEETS, PILLOWCASES, TOWELS.   There are plenty of blankets and some sheets and towels in the bathroom cupboards if you forget your own, but if you use them they will need to be washed and hung on the washing line prior to leaving.  Bring your own teatowels too, or else wash what you use and hang them on the pulley before you leave.

Please leave all bedding on the beds. If you are there before May or after September, place the bedding in cupboards or plastic bags. If you don’t want to hand wash 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.

Clean mattress protectors are available in the grey bathroom cupboard. If any mattress protector is not clean, please let us know so we can arrange for them to be cleaned and returned. 

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!

Keep the dials on the front of the water heater in the kitchen pointing to the red indicators to ensure a good supply of hot water for a decent shower. 

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 MAY VISIT!  Bin bags 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.

Recycling

There are recycling bins alongside the general waste bins towards the Sandgreen end of the track. These take paper, plastic and cans. They do not take glass bottles so please take any empty glass containers away when you leave. The closest glass recycling is at Gatehouse of Fleet Car Park DG7 2HS

Shopping

Food – The closest food shopping is the Spar at Gatehouse of Fleet.
Kirkcudbright: small Tesco and a Co-op 

Castle Douglas: Tesco, Aldi, Co-op

Newton Stewart: Aldi,  Sainsbury’s at Newton Stewart.

All these places also have a range of other shops including pharmacies and charity shops.

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. 

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

Seaside Shed and Lean-to (keys in bowl by front door)

There are chairs, deck chairs and a mobile barbecue available for use in either the seaside shed or the lean-to. 

Any bicycles in the seaside shed can be used but are old and rickety so it may be easier to either bring your own or hire them from ‘Wheels of Fleet’ in Gatehouse of Fleet, where electric bikes are also available.

Oars and life jackets are stored in the seaside shed and may be used with the kayak. Please be aware that use of the kayak is undertaken entirely at your own risk, and no responsibility can be accepted for any injury, loss, or damage arising from its use.

Some of our favourite things to do:

There is a beautiful walk or bike ride through the campsite to Gatehouse of Fleet via the Cally Estate – approx. 4.5 miles. LOOK OUT FOR RED SQUIRRELS  – see file for details. 

There are several good pubs and cafes as well as an excellent second-hand book shop and various other shops and places of interest in Gatehouse which can be a great reason for that walk or cycle!

Tubs of birdseed are usually stored under the kitchen table – it is amazing to watch the huge variety of birds and wildlife that visit High Tide and its environs.

Kirroughtree Forest Park also has lovely walks. Picnicing on Ardwall Island – choose times according to the tides, and watch out for ticks (there is a tick remover in the bathroom cabinet). There is a selection of tourist information in the bookcase.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE * (by 12 noon)

UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD OTHERWISE:

  • 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

  • Close taps and remove plastic float from toilet

Check that water is flowing, 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 water on at the mains

First close all taps in the Hut including shower and outside tap but leave one tap on in the kitchen so you can hear/see that the water is coming through properly when you turn it on at the mains.  The mains tap can be found under a stone beside the privet bush opposite 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. 

  • Turn the gas on – the gas can be turned on at the bottles behind the hut.
  • Turn electric switch and fridge

 

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. 
  • Bleed water heater as per instructions below.
  • 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.

Photo and video re water heater instructions for winter to follow.