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Today is my last day at work in the job I've been doing for the last 9 years, my whole working life so far. I quit as I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but was too comfortable doing it to serious explore alternatives. So my "plan" (such as you can call it that) is to have a bit of time out doing fun stuff, and if I can prolong that with some paid work that allows me to do more fun stuff, so much the better.
One thing I'd like to do is spend a few months living in Scotland and trying to do as many Munros as I can. If I find a job, or at least a voluntary role with board and lodging, in a good location, doing something reasonably interesting, that would make it a realistic prospect.
I don't really have any formal relevant qualifications or experience for the sort of thing I might be looking for, but I'm sure I could be very useful to someone. For example (and this is kind of what got me thinking about this) I saw an ad on Facebook a while back for someone who was looking for a person/couple to be live-in caretakers looking after holiday cottages and the estate more generally - grounds maintenance, fencing, that kind of thing. The cleaning side isn't the most attractive, but the other side of it sounds more interesting, and would suit my skills.
Can anyone think of anywhere to keep an eye out for opportunities like that? Or even know of any specifically? I'm aware of some voluntary organisations, like WWOOF (and would rather do that with good people than be a general slave on some massive estate) but a paid position would obviously give me more freedom.
Corrour Station were looking for catering staff. Accommodation included.
SYHA (Hostelling Scotland) are often on the lookout for caretakers.
There are a few FB pages where local businesses are advertising for summer staff. There’s a chronic shortage of residential rental accommodation on many of the islands which means there’s lots of appeals for seasonal staff, particularly cleaners and housekeepers. Seems people who don’t live here are amazed that despite renting out their cottage for £800/week no one wants to give up their Saturdays cleaning-up someone else’s mess for £80.
SYHA have vacancies on their website. Seasonal vacancy at Braemar on page 1 more in Ratagan, Port Charlotte and Oban. Bit more involved than cleaning but probably more fun too. Also lots of volunteering stuff on there:
https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/careers/view-vacancies-widget-page/
the last 9 years, my whole working life so far.
Chin up, only another 40 to go.
Cheers Colin, both good shouts.
@dovebiker The islands would be great in many ways, but something more central would be better for accessing the hills.
Chin up, only another 40 to go.
Well I'm hoping not to count this year at least.
I found this, which might give some idea of the sorts of things I might consider: https://www.countryside-jobs.com/jobs/region/scotland
"Upland Path Technician" - manual labour, but outside in the hills, two weeks on, one week off, travel and accommodation expenses
Housekeeper for Nevis Estate - looking after holiday cottages, light gardening/farm work
Caravan site warden, Strathspey - general site keeping, live on-site, possiblity of accommodation
...all sound worthy of further consideration.
So my “plan” (such as you can call it that) is to have a bit of time out doing fun stuff, and if I can prolong that with some paid work that allows me to do more fun stuff, so much the better.
/pessimist
Do remember that a good few of the volunteering or lower paid jobs also have a *lot* of hours, 6 days per week or split shifts etc.
/activate optimist mode
There is a huge need for people in hotels and catering around the Highlands. Waiting on may not be glamorous, but many have accommodation on site and 5 days a week...
Places like Stirling, FtWilliam or Inverness will have many such opportunities forthcoming by Easter - we are a few weeks too early at present for it to get busy.
https://www.environmentjob.co.uk/ has voluntary and paid positions
https://www.outdoor-learning.org/Jobs/ has a section for grounds maintenance / housekeeping etc
Bon chance! Sounds like an adventure.
Glenmore lodge often has some chef/bar/general jobs available.
I can really recommend working for the YHA (I don't know about the SYHA, but assume they are similar). Did it in my gap year, cleaning and cooking, and absolutely loved it. Split shifts are great for getting out in the middle of the day.
@matt_outandabout thanks, yeah will definitely avoid taking on too many hours - it's very much a means to an end. Will check the links out thanks.
Would rather make use of the skills I do have, but if the pay/hours/location work out better, I'm not averse to pulling pints, etc.
Had actually looked at Glenmore Lodge, they are indeed looking for bar and kitchen staff. Not my first choice of work, but great location and can imagine I'd meet some cool people.
Good to hear some feedback for YHA work @finbar, thanks. Seasonal vacancies at many hostels, and it sounds like not a bad option.
There's often tree planting Jobs round here in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway doesn't get me much closer to the hills than where I am now (Newcastle) but tree planting sounds not a bad gig. Is that with the Forestry/, forestry contractors, NTS, someone else?
Contracting it's more if its here it'll be elsewhere
Try tilhill as they do the harvesting
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Thanks, will have a dig (pun genuinely not intended!)
National Park authorities, (Cairngorms, Loch Lomond & Trossachs) have been looking for seasonal Rangers lately. Forestry & Land Scotland are also often looking for visitor management/ranger folk too and it's the right time of year to be searching.
Glencoe are currently looking for staff which might get you started for the first couple of months?
The last post I saw said they were open to helping with accommodation I think.
Fairly sure that I've seen posts from Glencoe and Cairngorm after lift operators recently.
I don't think Cairngorm will need lift operators this summer.
National trust for Scotland we’re looking for folk in glencoe and surrounding areas not sure about accommodation.
As for tree planting there’s lots about and once into the swing of it then can be good money through the winter time. Happy to help with if planting is a possibility as have good contacts with a few contractors sites mostly in northwest Scotland.
Came here to mention tree planting, but plenty seem to have mentioned it already.
Seeing a lot of adverts for planting staff, experience not necassarily needed, accommodation available. Some firms have further work in establishment after planting. Forestry sites and Facebook pages are full of ads for locations all over Scotland.
It's bar work but accommodation is available and you get free access to courses when they're not fully booked.
https://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/about-us/job-opportunities/
Tick
Just noting for future use
Work Away is another one to check out. Path maintenance sounds a good one for a Marin half my age.
Not ideal for Munro bagging:
but that's what the rest of the year is for!
Any progress OP? Hope the dream job pops up for you... Oh to be young and have no ties 😀
I remember years ago, mooching through the job centre, I saw an ad for a job where the applicant should, "...enjoy their own company" and not be afraid of "...long periods of isolation". The job included accommodation (log cabin in the middle of nowhere) but there was no wifi, phone line or phone signal. It was a water bailiff or ghillie job of some kind and it entailed rowing about on various lochs and rivers in the far NW of Scotland, scaring poachers away, mainly at night! Once a week, you got to travel back to the BIG HOUSE to spend a night in relative oppulence and socialise with other humans.
Despite not having a shotgun licence and barely remembering how to row, I got offered the job. I will *always* regret not taking it - can't even remember what I ended up doing - probably some crappy bar job or similar...
Anyway, again, best of luck OP - hope something comes up 🙂
I haven't actively done anything about it. I went straight off to do a few days bikepacking to get some distance (mentally, though physically as well I suppose) from work. But I have been mulling it over in the background.
If I wanted to do a whole summer working and living away, it's the ideal time to be applying, as lots of seasonal posts seem to be April to August. But I'm not 100% sure if I want to do that. I'm not exactly without ties - me and my partner have a house with a mortgage and bills to pay, and she works full time (well, soon to be 4 days a week). I don't want to let someone down by taking a job and then realising I don't want to do it for 4 months, so it would have to be definitely the right thing. Having said it's the right time, I'm sure there would be jobs popping up here and there for the remainder of the season throughout, as people's plans change, or there's more demand than anticipated, so that might be a good way of getting a shorter period of work later on.
Anyway, I'm leaning towards SYHA as being top of the list, though now Colin's pointed out the free (not explicit, but guess it's implied) access to their courses, Glenmore Lodge looks even more attractive.
Absolutely no advice to give but reckon it's a terrific idea and would be a very entertaining thread if you could occasionally update us on your progress and experiences. Very best of luck!
Wages round here ( West Highlands) have increased massively for housekeeping/cleaning etc. £11.50-£15 ph. SYHA are still paying £9 odds and will stiff you for accommodation too. They are not the cosy wee charity people still think the are. Way better jobs elsewhere.
@BillMC Will do, and thanks!
@tartanscarf Interesting to hear the other side. Agreed £9.75/hr isn't great. Accommodation cost isn't specified (obviously would find out before applying) but could easily be a deal-breaker.
Not sure I'd call it interesting, but there might be part time postie vacancies, covering ~22.5 hours over three days or ~25 hours over five days.
Quite a few businesses here are reducing opening hours here because they simply can’t get the staff. Every week or two we get the “want to come and live and work on Mull” post on FB and then managing their expectations about there being no accommodation. Holiday rentals now doing Friday changeovers because they can’t get cleaners on Saturdays and there’s no ferry capacity anyway. There’s a Seasonal Jobs on Scottish Islands FB group.