Dog-Friendly Scottish Highlands

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.

Battanropie Lodge is an outstanding holiday property with so much space for a family or group of six. It is located in a favourite spot in the Cairngorms National Park in lovely Carrbridge. The village has a couple of fantastic cafés and a couple of bars and restaurants too. Plus there is an 18-hole golf course in the village, which is very little played. Just a short walk from the house is a brilliant woodland walk to take the dogs on, and it offers a great chance to spot rare British wildlife including the ptarmigan, red squirrel and even an osprey if you are lucky.
Battanropie Lodge is a large house set within its own enclosed grounds, perfect for the dogs to roam and explore. The rear of the garden runs down to the river and is fenced off and there is plenty of outdoor seating space on the rear patio. Inside the property there is a spacious open plan living space with a great wood burner and loads of light coming in from dual aspect windows. The spacious kitchen area has a fabulous Aga for cooking, and the utility room attached to the kitchen has a large fridge/freezer, washer/dryer and door to the garden and there is also a separate toilet on the ground floor. Upstairs there are three large bedrooms. The master bedroom has an en-suite shower room and enjoys views towards the river and woodland, the second double bedroom also enjoys the same great views, while the third bedroom has twin beds and there is also a family bathroom which has a walk-in shower as well as a bath.
You can explore something different every day from Carrbridge when you venture further afield. The Cairngorm Mountains are to the south east, and the gateway from Aviemore is a classic day trip. Loch Garten and the Abernethy Forest, where BBC Winterwatch was recently filmed, are close by to the east. The north east offers the great Spey valley, with numerous world-class fly fishing opportunities, as well as countless distilleries to nip into for a wee dram or two. The north offers the bright lights of charming Inverness and the Moray Firth with huge sandy beaches not far away at Nairn and further north of Inverness at Rosemarkie on the Black Isle. To the west you have more wild country, different from the Cairngorms but showing the vast wilderness of the Scottish Highlands nonetheless. Shop, pub and restaurant 500 yards.

Set in its own private grounds on the stunningly beautiful little Loch Broom, Kildonan is a bright, spacious and modern detached house. It enjoys wonderful uninterrupted views across the loch to the Summer Isles beyond, surrounded by hills and mountains. Tucked away down its own quiet track it is ideal for a luxurious get-away from it all holiday for families and friends. The large kitchen/dining room is modern farmhouse style, with flagstone flooring and built-in units. Across the hallway is a spacious living room, with deep soft leather sofa suites and a large wood burner. The games room is on the ground floor and is a wonderful bonus for all ages. Here is a large central pool table, as well as a dart board and other games. The rural country gardens surround the house making this an ideal place to relax in the evening. A wide staircase leads up to the first floor, where there are four generously proportioned bedrooms, one with an en-suite. They are all very attractively presented with colour co-ordinated soft furnishings and high quality beds and furniture. As well as the en-suite there is a family-sized bathroom with a deep roll-top bath and a separate shower cubicle.

Kildonan is ideally located for maximising the views, sitting on a promontory near the head of Little Loch Broom, which in summer is ideal for swimming. Badluarch jetty, at the end of the single track lane, offers easy access to the water. Badluarach is a small crofting hamlet, with scattered cottages, sheep and cattle for company. The adjoining lane leads out onto open moorland. The area is a paradise for hill-walkers and climbers, with numerous walks directly from the property and the renowned munro of An Tellach just 5 minutes away. It is equidistant from Ullapool and Gairloch. The coastline that runs along this west coast is simply stunning. It forms part of the renowned North Coast 500 route which encompasses some of the most dramatic and unspoilt scenery to be found anywhere in the British Isles. Miles of sandy beaches are interspersed with coves, tumbling rivers and high mountains. In the nearby village of Dundonnell there is a restaurant and bar which is open throughout the summer months. Both Ullapool and Gairloch, just 30 minutes’ drive away, have excellent facilities, including a good selection of shops, pubs and restaurants as well as visitor attractions. Beach 4 miles. Shop 13 miles, pub and restaurant 8 miles.

Keeper’s House is situated in beautiful Glen Cassley. This charming, traditional, detached stone cottage overlooks the renowned River Cassley and enjoys stunning views from all windows. Situated on the Highland estate of Glenrossal, it provides peace and tranquillity. There is a large farmhouse-style kitchen/dining room, complete with cooker, microwave and a Belfast sink. The separate living room has a welcoming open fireplace and attractive soft furnishings. There are three good-sized bedrooms accommodating up to six visitors. With a bathroom and a separate shower room it is ideal for larger groups or a two family holiday. The estate has its own 2½ mile stretch of salmon fishing on the River Cassley. Six rods are available from Monday to Saturday with the fishing split into two beats with rods rotating at lunchtime. Behind the cottages lies a small loch, which can provide a useful testing ground for your casting technique or an enjoyable introduction to the sport for less experienced members of your party. When it is time for a break, the estate also provides a comfortable fishermen’s hut. The Glenrossal Estate is an excellent centre for salmon, trout and sea fishing. The local area has many breathtaking hill lochs inhabited with wild brown trout and with the east coast 15 miles away and the west coast only 30 miles, the keen fisherman should never be short of sport. Licences must be obtained beforehand so please contact the estate directly to check availability. Keeper’s House is ideally located for exploring the best of the Highlands. The short drive to Ullapool, around 45 minutes, goes through breathtaking scenery to the west coast. A trip east offers the pretty sandstone villages of Dornoch, Golspie and Brora, all boasting superb sandy beaches and well known golf courses. Beach 20 miles. Shop 11 miles, pub and restaurant ¾ mile. Keeper’s House can be booked together with Birch Cottage (UK5417) and Rowan Cottage (UK5418) to accommodate up to 15 guests.

Situated at the entrance to 400 acres of beautiful parkland on the Balbirnie Estate, The Gate House is a beautifully furnished and extremely cosy and comfortable cottage. Dating back to the 1800s, the cottage provides a contemporary home while still maintaining many of its original features. There is a quirky spiral staircase to the first floor double bedroom with its own relaxing seating area. On the ground floor, guests will find the living/dining room has an open fire, which is just the spot for spending a lazy afternoon on cooler days. There is also a good size kitchen with breakfast bar, family shower room and double bedroom with a king size bed.
From the front door you can take a stroll into the delightful conservation village of Markinch, rich in history and once the medieval capital of Fife. The village has a good selection of supermarkets, local independent quality shops, cafés, a deli, restaurants and pubs and the local butcher, whose award winning steak pies are well worth sampling. This semi-detached cottage is part of Balbirnie South Lodge which was built in 1861 and designed by the architect David Bryce. The gates were usually locked and visitors were required to ring the bell, still on one of the pillars today, to gain entrance to the estate. In 1837 John Balfour became master of the estate and in 1840 married Lady Georgine Campbell, (daughter of the Earl of Cawdor) and the inter-twining initials in the date stone is thought to represent this. The Balfour family continued to own Balbirnie House and the estate until 1969.
During the 18th and 19th century, the estate landscape was designed by Robert Robinson and Thomas White, who created one of the most significant collections of rhododendrons in the east of Scotland. There are around 200 varieties from India, China and the Himalayan provinces and when the plants are in bloom it is well worth seeing. The Gate House is ideal for guests attending a wedding or event at Balbirnie House as you are only a short walk to the hotel. The location is ideal for walkers and cyclists as the Balbirnie Estate has parkland to explore and the Lomond Hills Regional Park is only a short drive away. This is a brilliant choice for golfers with an 18-hole golf course on your doorstep and many local courses nearby, and St Andrews, the home of golf, with its championship courses is just 30 minutes’ drive away. The British Golf Museum is close to The Old Course and there is the only hickory golf course in the UK at Kingarrock. For days at the seaside, the sandy beaches of the East Neuk of Fife are within a short drive and the Fife Coastal Path takes you to secluded coves, little fishing villages and award winning sandy beaches with plenty of places to visit and find refreshments. Beach 6½ miles. Shop 500 yards, pub and restaurant 300 yards.

Red Kite Lodge is a real delight, situated in the heart of the Sutherland hills on a working farm, approached via a well-maintained private track leading out to open countryside and the owner’s 50 hectares of croft land. This detached, solid wood lodge enjoying complete peace and seclusion, is presented to a very good standard throughout. The main living area is open plan with a welcoming wood burner and floor to ceiling patio doors to maximise the stunning views. The patio doors open onto raised decking, with a private hot tub and outdoor dining table and chairs. The bright, modern kitchen area is exceptionally well equipped, with plenty of space for dining. The bespoke, solid wood, raised dining table adds an interesting and attractive feature to the room. There are two beautifully presented kingsize bedrooms each with colour coordinated soft furnishings. This property is very accessible for wheelchair users, with a level entrance and modern bathroom with a claw-footed bath and accessible wet room walk-in shower.

This property is ideal for the ultimate ’get away from it all’ holiday, with pampering included. Sitting in the hot tub or relaxing with a glass of wine on the decking after a day’s sightseeing or hill walking must be the ultimate holiday experience.

The owners farm hundreds of acres of surrounding farmland and open hills where friendly cattle and sheep roam freely, and osprey, deer, pine martens, red kites, golden eagles and curlews can all be spotted in the vicinity. Whilst providing an element of privacy, the lodge is just over 1 mile to the pretty village of Rogart. It has a thriving village pub that serves meals, as well as a shop, post office and railway station.

It is ideally located for exploring the whole of the Highlands, with many places of interest within a short drive. Dunrobin Castle, seat of the Duke of Sutherland, with its gardens modelled on Versailles, is well worth a visit. Or experience salmon leaping up the famous Falls of Shin. Mountain biking, hill walking, fishing, and various water sports are all available locally. The historic seaside town of Dornoch is just 15 minutes’ drive away where there is a superb, award-winning, sandy beach, a renowned championship golf course as well as the 12th-century cathedral that dominates the central square. Beach 15 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1½ miles.

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.

Unusual single-storey detached cottage with superb views over Loch Insh and the Cairngorms. Open fire, hot tub, spacious accommodation, superb rural location. Aviemore 6 miles.

The Ivy Wing and The Cottage are situated in the courtyard of Barrock House, and surrounded by landscaped grounds and mature woodland. This provides shelter for an abundance of bird and wild life with pleasant walks close at hand and the scenic beaches of Sinclair and Dunnet Bay are just 5 minutes by car. The Cottage makes the perfect base for touring this unspoilt and tranquil part of the Highlands. Visit the Castle and Gardens of Mey, the Queen Mother’s Highland home, John O’Groats, Wick Heritage and Lyth Arts Centre, or take a wildlife or distillery tour. Golfing, fishing, sea trips or walking along the many miles of rugged coastline are just some of the many activities available. Lyth is situated just 10 miles north of Wick and 15 miles from Thurso, making the beautiful Orkney Isles easily accessible by car ferry for day trips. Both properties can be booked together for larger groups (ref’s W42082 and W42083). Shop, pub and restaurant 4.5 miles.

Enjoying views across the fields and the waters of the Moray Firth and within a 5-minute drive of a sandy beach, this extended former croft house makes the perfect holiday base for touring this part of the Highlands. Owl Cottage is situated between Golspie, with its stunning coastline and rugged terrain, and Helmsdale, a quaint fishing village with a wealth of character.
Travel north and visit John O’Groats, known for being the northernmost point of the British mainland, a place of awe-inspiring natural beauty. The rugged cliffs and panoramic sea views are nothing short of breathtaking. Take a leisurely stroll along the coastline, where you can witness the mesmerising dance of the waves against the shore. Birdwatchers will be in their element, as the cliffs are home to an array of seabird colonies, providing a fascinating glimpse into the local wildlife.
For history enthusiasts, the Orkney Isles are a veritable open-air museum, boasting some of the most well-preserved Neolithic sites in the world. Explore the awe-inspiring standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar and the ancient village of Skara Brae, providing a fascinating window into the lives of our distant ancestors.
Nestled amidst the picturesque Scottish Highlands, Inverness is a city that exudes both historic charm and natural splendor. Known as the ’Gateway to the Highlands’, this vibrant urban centre is embraced by the serene waters of the Moray Firth and surrounded by rolling hills, making it a truly enchanting destination. Stroll along the banks of the River Ness, where the scenic Ness Islands provide a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city. The bustling Victorian Market offers a delightful array of shops, showcasing local crafts, fine foods, and unique treasures.
Golf, fishing, mountain biking, hill walking and surfing are just a few of the activities available. Shops, pubs and restaurants 5 miles.