Dog-Friendly Scottish Highlands

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.

River Cottage is a very well-presented, single-storey, detached property situated in the owners grounds with direct access to a natural garden. There is a river at the bottom for guests who enjoy a spot of fishing and a lovely seating area, and nearby along the river, a plethora of wild birds have been spotted includind oystercatchers, black headed gull, cuckoo, woodpecker, wren, pied wagtail, blue tits, tree creeper, chaffinch and bullfinch to name a few. The cottage comprises of a spacious open plan living area which leads to a large well-fitted modern kitchen. The bedroom has a kingsize bed and built-in wardrobes, and there is a shower room too. Outside, River Cottage has a private covered decked area where you can sit and enjoy the view whatever the weather.

The town of Drumnadrochit is just 1 mile away with a superb selection of restaurants and bars. This is also the home of the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition where you can find everything you need to know about the legendary ’Nessy’ that has drawn visitors to this area since the 1930s. This beautiful location is perfect for holidaymakers wanting to explore the Loch Ness area and for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits. Shop, pub and restaurant 1 mile.
River Cottage can be booked together with Heron’s Rest Cottage (ref UK5768) to accommodate upto 4 guests.

Tom’s Lodge is a fantastic ecologically friendly lodge set within the heart of the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. Boasting some of the finest views of the Cairngorm mountain range, the lodge is nestled on the edge of a forest, between Boat of Garten and Carrbridge. Finished to a luxury standard both inside and out, which includes Scandinavian designed furniture, a superb kitchen with top of the range appliances, sumptuous beds and the ultimate in luxury - your very own hot tub with a view to take your breath away. Tom’s Lodge has everything you need for your luxury holiday.
Stepping into the lodge, you will immediately be pulled to the outstanding view from the south facing glass wall. The spacious living area is perfect for entertaining with gorgeous leather sofas, dining table and wood burner. Tom’s Lodge has been cleverly built in such a way that a heating system is not required. Fully insulated with sheep’s wool, the clay walls retain the heat from the wood burner and natural sunlight from the south facing glass room wall.
Upstairs there is a master bedroom with a kingsize bed, a second living room and a balcony from which to admire the views. The living room has flexible living space, with two sofas that can be converted into comfortable single beds. There are also two additional kingsize bedrooms and a further twin bedroom. All bedrooms have Smart TVs, memory foam mattresses, duck down duvets and quality bed linen to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Your four legged friends are also welcome at Tom’s Lodge. There is a fully fenced garden for them to play in, with walks directly from the house as well as bathrobes supplied to snuggle up in when they come home. Tom’s Lodge is ideal for the less mobile, with two ground floor bedrooms along with a downstairs wet room. Shop, pub and restaurant 3 miles.

Not far from Inverness, tucked away up beautiful Strathnairn is the lovely cottage for two Farr Out. Set on the Farr Estate with amazing Highland scenery all around, it’s a great place to base yourself for exploring near and far. Recently refurbished in 2022, Farr Out offers a high standard of holiday accommodation. Entering through the front door into the hallway there is an open plan living/kitchen/dining area to the left and the double bedroom and bathroom off to the right. The open plan living space is spacious for two people and has everything you would want when back from days out exploring the local area. The bedroom is very comfortable and the bathroom has a large shower. Outside of the property there is a patio with garden furniture, and only a few yards away there are some unusual but inquisitive neighbours, a group of llamas.
Farr Out is tucked away in a converted old steading on the Farr Estate and is set in a lovely rural location. It feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle that most of us are used to. However, it’s only 20 minutes out of charming Inverness, so in a way you have the best of both worlds staying at Farr Out, country and city living, in one holiday. Another advantage of being close to Inverness is that you’re near to famous touring routes like the North Coast 500 which starts and finishes in the city. However, if you don’t want to venture too far you don’t have to because there’s so much to see and do close by. You can cycle, hike and fish from the cottage on the estate. There are routes up onto the estate moors that you’re welcome to explore. Loch Farr which is situated on the estate is available for fly fishing free of charge (rowing boats are provided for fishing). The road that runs through Farr is a celebrated route to Fort Augustus, and it has been rated as one of the most scenic in Scotland. It was used in the iconic film ’Local Hero’ as well and there are many minor roads off it that journey down to the south side of Loch Ness, which is surprisingly close to Farr Out, another amazing benefit to staying at this lovely property.

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.

Northfork Cottage is situated between Wick and John O’Groats, and enjoys a lovely position overlooking Sinclair’s Bay.
The sea view from the cottage is amazing and endlessly interesting. Beyond the paddocks in the foreground surrounding the cottage the Ackergill Links with Wick golf course is clearly visible. Beyond the dunes Reiss Sands stretches for nearly 3 miles along the shore of Sinclair’s Bay. Also, in view is Ackergill Tower, the remains of Castle Sinclair Birnigoe and Noss Head lighthouse. You’ll be mesmerised by the view throughout your entire stay.
Only a few miles out of Wick in Quoys of Reiss, you’re under a mile walk to Reiss Sands beach and the first tree of Wick golf club. This house would suit those wanting to be playing some high-quality links golf.
There are so many fascinating places to visit near to Northfork Cottage and the owner is incredibly well informed as well as willing to help direct you to both well-known sights and hidden gems.
Places you have to visit whilst staying at Northfork Cottage though include: John O’Groats, Duncansby Head, The Castle of Mey and Orkney. Orkney is only a short hop across the Pentland Firth, and as the owner will point out, by looking at Sinclair’s Bay you can tell if the crossing to Orkney will be good or best avoided.
The accommodation is geared up for the amazing view. Entering through the front door there’s a useful utility room. You then enjoy the open plan living/dining/kitchen. The living area has a fantastic large window in front of which you can sit in two comfortable chairs simply watching the amazing view. It’s honestly mesmerising! There’s also a Smart TV that rivals the size of the enormous window, so when you want to shift gaze, you have an excellent screen on which to fix.
There’s a double bedroom at the back of the cottage with a view out over paddocks to the interior of Caithness. There’s also a second living room come reading room that has a single futon for flexible sleeping arrangements. The accommodation is complete with a shower room.
It’s a great spot enjoy amazing views. And the owner is incredibly helpful to ensure you get the most out of your time visiting Caithness. Beach ¾ mile.

Mey Bee is a gem of a cottage in the far north of Scotland enjoying views across rural Caithness and out to see to the Orkney Islands. The owner has done a marvellous job creating this peaceful, attractive cottage from what was once a ruin. Mey Bee is now a beautiful cottage and one that anyone staying in will wish they had more time in the place, it’s that lovely. You may wish to book for longer than you think, you’ll be pleased you did so.

The setting is inspiring and calming. Set within an acre of wildflower meadow the cottage sits under the large Caithness skies because the landscape in the far north is relatively flat, meaning that the views are vast from the cottage. The cliffs of Hoy can be seen when clear and if the light is right The Old Man of Hoy can be made out. Dunnet Head rises above the surrounding landscape., and generally sea views are enjoyed out of most windows of Mey Bee - thankfully, the owner has created window seats to enjoy said views.

Arriving at Mey Bee you’re immediately struck by the tranquillity of the place. It has a calmness which is epitomised not only by the wonderful surrounds but also the Zen garden to the rear of the property. Before going into the property, you’ll no doubt want to explore right round the cottage. The owner has created lovely curving paths of local stone and little footpaths through the plot to explore. There are many places to erect a tent as well if you wanted to spend a night under the grand skies and stars as well. The front garden has a lovely sitting area, a vegetable patch for guests use, and a firepit nestled within the wildflower meadow. It’s a beautiful place to be.

Entering the cottage via the back door there’s a utility room which is excellent for leaving boots and drying coats, as well securing bikes and other sports equipment. There is a woodshed outside that also serves as a bike shed. Beyond the utility is the amazing open plan living/dining/kitchen space. There are two wood burners in here, one in the fireplace in front of the sofa, and another by the dining/kitchen area, the latter being the solid fuel central heating and also an extra oven. This space also enjoys lots of lights coming in the windows with window seats, sea views are wonderful from here.
There’s a large bathroom with great bath, and the owner has thoughtfully erected large candles in here for guests to enjoy a peaceful, comforting bath. And finally, the double bedroom is yet another relaxing space with two large windows bringing in the landscapes.

It’s a lovely, peaceful, comfortable cottage that you won’t want to leave once you’ve arrived. However, it is recommended you do a bit of exploring of course. The walks locally are tremendous, you can explore the coastline for as far as you wish in both directions from just down the road at the marvellous Harrow harbour. The Castle of Mey is the neighbouring property to Mey Bee and can be seen across the fields from the rear of the cottage. The NC500 is only a minute away so you can tour till your heart’s content to amazing sights across the north coast and northeast coast. It’s a truly outstanding cottage to spend a week, two or three.