Drumnadrochit, the village on the western edge of Loch Ness, is more associated with a certain camera-shy monster than American-style treats.
But that’s all set to change after a guesthouse in the village opened up a doughnut shack in its garden.
Now, the queues for Drumnadonuts are gearing up to be as long as those outside the nearby Nessie museum.
“Things are really picking up,” says Angie Grieve, the owner of Drumnadonuts and the Kilmore Farmhouse B&B.
Since opening on Sunday July 24, Angie has been dishing out boxes of Drumnadrochit doughnuts to eager locals and tourists alike at Drumnadonuts.
The 55-year-old puts the early success of the new venture down to the marketing nous of daughter Alex, who is the family whizz on social media.
Alex has been posting mouth-watering photos of the doughnut shack on Instagram as the business gets out of the starting blocks.
“She’s a darling,” Angie says of Alex. “She’s got a marketing degree, and I have no clue, so it kind of works.”
‘Drumnadrochit doesn’t have doughnuts’
Alex is not the only family member lending support to the doughnut venture.
Angie’s husband Jim got the idea for Drumnadonuts after he noticed a long line of people at a craft fair doughnut stand.
“I mean, there was about 20 people queuing up for doughnuts,” Angie says.
“We thought to ourselves, ‘Drumnadrochit doesn’t have doughnuts. Maybe we could do this.’ It was just like a eureka moment.”
Angie bought a catering cart and learned how to use a doughnut machine. Angie and Jim now churn out fresh mini doughnuts daily, selling them at £2 for a bag of four.
But doughnuts are not the only delights at Angie’s stand. Also on sale are brioches, baguettes (“Simple ones like tuna mayo,” says Angie) and ice creams as well as coffees and teas.
Hot dogs are another addition to the Drumnadonuts menu. But don’t expect Angie to make the obvious jump to calling them Drumnadogs.
When confronted with the potential name change, she laughs it off.
“I don’t know,” she says. “Is that going a step too far?”
Doughnut shack Drumnadonuts can be found at the Kilmore Farmhouse B&B in Drumnadrochit, IV63 6UF. The shack is open from 12-5pm on Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, opening hours are 11am to 5pm.
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