Borlum House Farm in Reay on the far north coast of Scotland is a brilliant location to be based for a memorable short break or longer holiday. The restored early 18th century farmhouse and buildings are surrounded by highland cows, lambs and chickens. The Annex is a converted barn attached to the farmhouse that was originally maid quarters.
The farm was originally part of the Sandside Estate which was owned at one time by Mr Pilkington of Pilkington Glass. Records date back to 1729 and it is known that the farm was a sheep farm with dairy for cheese-making. Situated in an enviable spot up the hill from Reay and overlooking the magnificent north coast of Scotland right out to sea, arriving at The Annex you’ll be delighted with the location you’ve picked for your holiday.
Just off the NC500 that goes through Reay, Borlum House Farm is perfectly placed as a base to explore the far north coast. As well as Sandside Bay Beach with Fresgoe Harbour, just down from Reay, and Reay’s fantastic links golf course, there’s so much to see and do that the NC500 touring route will help you reach.
Other amazing beaches nearby include Melvich and Strathy, which are loved by surfers. Historic Thurso is nearby and so too is the ferry port for trips over to Orkney, a great day-trip from Borlum House Farm. Beyond Thurso you must visit Dunnet Head, the Castle of Mey, John O’Groats and Duncansby Stacks. To be honest, the list of amazing places to see goes on and on, and alas we can’t feature all here. But be certain that there’s so much to do during your stay at Borlum House Farm.
The accommodations are finished to a high standard. Both cottages include a kingsize double bedroom with en-suite double shower cubicle. Highland Soap products and lovely bathrobes are provided. The open-plan living/dining/kitchen space is great, complete with Smart TV and woodburning stove. Outside each property there is a private and enclosed garden as well the freedom to explore the grounds of the farm and meet the animals. There’s also a firepit and BBQ Grill shared with each cottage at the farm. Beach 1½ miles. Pub and restaurant 6 miles.
These properties can be booked together to accommodate up to 4 guests.

Tor Aluinn is situated in the small hamlet of Coldbackie, 3 miles from Tongue, which has a local shop, restaurants and a bar along with craft shops and a post office. This detached property offers a superb level of comfort and space throughout. There is a storm porch to the front and a spacious reception hall, the living room is large with a tremendous feature fireplace all with chesterfield style furniture and a smart television with a full sky package for those rainy days. There is a ground floor wet room and a beautiful fitted kitchen that has a good level of appliances and is open plan to the dining area. To the rear of the property is a laundry room and boot store. Upstairs there is a master kingsize bedroom with an en-suite shower room, a further kingsize bedroom and a twin bedroom both served by a family bathroom. Externally there is a fully enclosed private garden where you can leave your bikes. There is parking to the front of the property for 2 cars. The views are breathtaking from all the windows to the front overlooking the Kyle of Tongue and the headland. The beach is 250 yards from the property down a steep footpath, which is ideal for a spot of paddling or sand castle building, or perhaps for taking your four legged friend for a stroll. Pub and restaurant 2.7 miles.

“Rhianchaitel” is Gaelic for Cattle Field. This part of Bettyhill where the the house is built was an old croft that obviously often had cattle roaming around. Built over a hundred years ago at the beginning of the twentieth century, Rhianchaitel House is a rather grand croft house. You can see the ruin of the older property in the grounds near to the house, and that single storey croft house would’ve been 17th or 18th century. Arriving in the rugged village of Bettyhill on the far north coast of Scotland, you’re greeted with a collection of cottages across the hilly coast, centred around a shop, a café and a hotel with bar and restaurant. Rhianchaitel is walking distance from the village centre, approximately halfway down the hill towards the beach. Walking down the hill you come across the track circling back towards the house where it stands proud with no neighbours. The accommodation is spacious for five people and the house welcomes up to two dogs. Now even though it isn’t an enclosed garden, it’s a great spot for dogs as the end of track where there’s the occasional slow moving vehicle is about 200 yards away from the house. Dogs can have a great time roaming around the house in the garden and grounds.
Entering through the back door, which you’ll mostly do, there’s a useful hallway for boots after days out exploring. There’s a single bedroom on the ground floor near to the back door. The kitchen/dining room wit adjoining utility area is next and is a fantastic space for the family to gather in to plan days out and reminisce of days well spent at or near Rhianchaitel House. There’s a magnificent floor to ceiling window in the kitchen that gives a spectacular view of the beach and surrounding hills. The kitchen/dining room has everything you’d want from the space plus a handy Flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. The living room is also on the ground floor and again has a large Flat-screen TV for everyone to gather round on comfy sofas. Up to the first floor there are two bedrooms, one with a kingsize double and another with a double bed. The double bedroom has an amazing view down to the sandy beach. Also on the first floor is a spectacular bathroom complete with shower cubicle and a free-standing bath. Rhianchaitel House is the holiday home you’ll want to return to during your stay up in the far north of Scotland after long days out exploring. It’s also likely to be a family favourite that you want to return to in future years. There’s so much to see and do on the far north coast, and the NC500 touring route, which passes through the village will be very helpful. There are more amazing sandy beaches beyond Farr Beach at Armadale, Strathy and Melvich. To the west you have Tongue and its unbelievably scenic backdrop of Ben Loyal and Ben Hope which you can explore en route to the arty outpost of Durness. There’s too much to mention here, but hiking, biking (road and mountain bike), surfing, golfing, fishing (fly fishing on some of Scotland’s best salmon rivers, as well as trout lochs and sea fishing, whisky and chocolate tasting, wildlife trips. The list goes on and on. You better book a few weeks to enjoy it all!

Situated on a promontory and enjoying spectacular sea views, Ethel’s House is a detached stone cottage set in its own garden, adjacent to a working croft. Much loved by its original family, this traditional stone cottage was painstakingly moved stone by stone to a higher vantage point in the village of Armadale on the far north-west coast of Scotland. The current owners have completely renovated this charming cottage and it now provides a good standard of accommodation in a truly superb setting.
Entering through the pretty patio gardens that look out across the sea, a hallway leads through to the main accommodation. There is a delightful living room with leather sofa suite and a cosy wood burner. The kitchen/dining room is extremely well-equipped with contemporary built-in units and a good sized solid wood dining table. All the windows look out across the bay. There is a large shower room on this floor. Upstairs there are three very attractively decorated and furnished bedrooms. Skylight windows ensure that visitors can encounter the dramatic sunrises and sunsets afforded by the clear unpolluted skies in this part of the Highlands (and for those who prefer, black out blinds are built-in too!). The cottage has oak flooring on the ground floor, high quality wool carpeting in the bedrooms and underfloor heating throughout.
Situated just off the renowned North Coast 500 route, in the quiet hamlet of Armadale, this cottage is ideal for visitors wishing to explore this totally unspoilt area. Sea otters are regularly spotted on the shoreline below the cottage and whales, basking sharks, porpoises and seals all frequent the local waters. There are superb walks direct from the cottage and numerous outdoor activities close by, including kayaking, sailing, hill walking, fishing, surfing, golf and plenty of archaeological sites and historic places of interest. In winter months it is often possible to see the Northern Lights from the cottage garden. The nearby villages of Melvich and Bettyhill, both within 10 minutes’ drive, have a good selection of amenities, including pub, restaurant, café and a small local shop. The beaches along this coastline are renowned for their wide sandy bays with high sand dunes, and spectacular mountain backdrops. Beach ½ mile. Shop 7 miles, pub and restaurant 3 miles.

Bydand Cottage is a traditional detached stone croft cottage situated in a quiet hamlet and enjoys superb uninterrupted sea views. Forming part of a working croft, this pretty cottage has been in the same family for over 100 years. Set back from the lane, the cottage is entered through the pretty tended gardens which overlook the spectacular sweeping bay below. The cosy living room has the same wonderful views. The bright kitchen/dining room looks out across the generously proportioned back garden. Fully fenced, it is ideal for children and the family dog. There are three good sized bedrooms, providing plenty of space for up to 5 people. A large family bathroom on the ground floor completes the picture.
Whilst rural, the small hamlet of Melness has good facilities, with a thriving country pub just a short stroll from the cottage and a good local store ½ a mile along the lane. The nearby town of Tongue has a larger selection of amenities and facilities including a general store, bars, restaurants and craft shops. The immediate area is renowned for its spectacular scenery, with the mountains of Ben Hope and Loyal, numerous sandy beaches and wonderful hill and coastal walks direct from the cottage. The region is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. For sailors and kayakers, there is a slipway and harbour close to the cottage. Horse riding is available at nearby Torrisdale sands. The area is also renowned for its loch, river and sea fishing. Permits are available locally for salmon, sea trout and brown trout and boats are also available to hire. There are a number of excellent golf courses within easy reach, including Durness and Reay. Beach ¼ mile. Shop ½ mile, pub and restaurant 200 yards.

Newly renovated in December 2022 to a luxury standard with a large kitchen boasting top end appliances, stunning new bathrooms with under floor heating, comfortable new bedrooms with lots of storage and an updated living/dining area with three huge sofas and coffee table, a snug with a desk, bean bags and games, and a large dining table with plenty of seating to suit everyone’s needs.
This stunning, detached, lodge property enjoys a peaceful and private location approximately a mile outside the forest village of Nethy Bridge, and makes the perfect base for exploring this lovely part of the northern Highlands. Sitting on the edge of the ancient Scottish Caledonian Forest, the lodge overlooks moorland and mountains with abundant wildlife which includes red squirrels, mountain hares, red and roe deer, and many species of song birds can often be heard in this secluded setting.
Mountain Bear Lodge is 12 miles from Aviemore which is situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park and at the head of the Speyside Way. The whole area boasts a super range of shops, restaurants and bars along with a wide range of outdoor activities including skiing and snowboarding, (Cairngorm Mountains are within an hour’s drive. Glencoe and Glenshee are around 2½ hours’ drive) There is also mountain and quad biking, climbing and hill walking with a variety of water sports available on Loch Insh, Loch Morlich and the River Spey. Take a trip on the Cairngorm Mountain Railway or visit the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, the Highland Wildlife Park at nearby Kingussie, the Landmark Forest Adventure Park or the RSPB Reserve at nearby Loch Garten, which are all within easy reach of the lodge.
Visit the testing Spey Valley golf course and the Dalfaber Resort with its wonderful array of leisure activities, or a day trip to the Moray coastline peppered with little fishing villages and beautiful beaches. For the less energetic, sit back in the hot tub set in peaceful garden grounds, relax and unwind. There’s a farm shop, pub and restaurant within 1 mile.

A traditional lodge house in rural location near Dornie and the Kyle of Lochalsh on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. Close to the sea. Open fires. Pet-friendly. Spacious. Letterfearn 0.4 miles; Kintail 8.1 miles; Dornie 13 miles; Kyle of Lochalsh 18.3 miles.

A large country house situated in Munlochy, near Inverness, in the Black Isle of Scotland. Hot tub. Tennis court. Spacious. Munlochy 1.3 miles; Inverness 8.7 miles; Rosemarkie 7.8 miles; Beauly 13.1 miles.

A wonderful country lodge in the Scottish Highlands in Bearnock, near Cannich. En-suites. Large grounds. Private. WiFi. Off-road parking. Woodburning stoves and open fires. Drumnadrochit 7 miles; Beauly 17.6 miles; Inverness 22.3 miles.

A fantastic, detached house settled in Glencoe, Scottish Highlands. Hot tub. Sauna. Woodburning stove. Ballachulish 1.3 miles; Kinlochleven 6.7 miles; Fort William 16 miles.