Dog-Friendly Scottish Highlands

Originally the village school that served a small rural community in north west Sutherland, The Old School House has been transformed into a delightful stone cottage surrounded by its own enclosed landscaped cottage gardens. The lounge runs the length of the cottage. With the original high ceilings, large windows and Victorian fireplace, this superb room has a warm, welcoming ambience and provides plenty of space for guests to sit and admire the view whilst enjoying a wee dram or two in front of the open fire. There is a large double bedroom with a super king sized bed, a twin room and a small third bedroom with bunk beds for two children. They are all attractively presented with colour co-ordinated soft furnishings. The gardens are a real delight, with a stone slab path leading up through the flower beds to a garden seat from which there are spectacular views across the bay to Handa Island and the Outer Isles. The mountains of Foinavon, Ben Stack and Arkle are also visible.

The immediate area is haven for outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of the great outdoors generally. Hill walking, climbing, canoeing, kayaking and sailing are all local activities. There is a thriving pony trekking centre in the nearby village of Sheigra, with rides amidst spectacular scenery. Fishing in the surrounding lochs and rivers as well as sea fishing is a popular pastime. The area is also a haven for wildlife, with seals and otters in the bay and numerous varieties of birds attracted to the region.

The beaches in this area are renowned. Sandwood Bay is particularly noted, with a wonderful walk across the machair to its secluded sweeping sands. The nearby beaches of Oldshoremore and Polin are also renowned for their unspoilt beauty. Kinlochbervie is the nearest main village. The most northerly port on the west coast of Scotland, this pretty village has an active working harbour and offers good local facilities, including a shop and post office, as well as a hotel with restaurant open all year to non-residents for meals.

Osprey Lodge is situated in an elevated position, deep in the Sutherland hills, tucked away down a private track, and enjoying unbelievable views across the surrounding hills and open countryside. This superb, detached solid wood lodge enjoys total peace and privacy, set in 50 hectares of croft land. The accommodation is presented to a very good standard throughout. The delightful open plan living space features a welcoming wood burner in the living area, as well as patio doors that open onto the raised decking, with a private hot tub and sitting-out area. There are two beautifully presented kingsize bedrooms with colour coordinated soft furnishings allowing for a good nights’ sleep. 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.

Situated on a working farm where the friendly cattle and sheep roam freely, this is a haven for wildlife and you may also stumble upon osprey, deer, pine martin, red kites, golden eagles and curlews. Whilst completely private, it is just over 1 mile to the pretty stone village of Rogart which is home to 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, and 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 you can visit the sandy beach and the renowned championship golf course, as well as the 12th-century cathedral that dominates the central square. Beach 17¾ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 1½ miles.

Enjoying a quiet setting with panoramic views across the extensive grounds and on towards the beautiful Cairngorm mountain range, Sunnyside House makes just the perfect base for exploring one of the most scenic and popular holiday destinations in Scotland. The house has been equipped and furnished to a high standard which will ensure you have as supremely comfortable and relaxing holiday as possible, with your every need taken care of. Robes are provided for after a soak in the hot tub and dog beds, cages and dishes are included for your four-legged friends.
Located just a mile or so from the centre of the village of Carrbridge and only 11 miles from the vibrant town of Aviemore, both situated in the heart of The Cairngorms National Park and at the head of the Speyside Way, Sunnyside House can be used as a base to explore or to relax and unwind. Carrbridge has the usual village facilities with a larger range available in Aviemore. The area boasts a super range of shops, restaurants and bars along with a wide range of outdoor activities – skiing and snowboarding, mountain and quad biking, climbing and hill walking and a variety of water sports on nearby Loch Insh, Loch Morlich and the River Spey, zip lining and zorbing are just a few of the myriad of activities available. Take a trip on the Cairngorm Mountain funicular railway, the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre or the Highland Wildlife Park at nearby Kingussie and the Landmark Forest Adventure Park which is just a short distance from the house – a superb day of fun for all ages. Visit the lovely Spey Valley golf course and the Dalfaber Leisure Resort in Aviemore with its wonderful array of leisure activities.
Further afield, take a trip to the beautiful west coast and the Isle of Skye or a day trip to the Orkney Islands is well worth the effort. Visit the Moray coastline peppered with little fishing villages and beautiful beaches – voted in the top 20 of the best coastline destinations in the world. This is an area with so much to offer, see and do for all ages. For the less energetic, you can sit back by the side of the wood burner or soak in the hot tub and let the stresses of everyday life slip away. So many happy and unforgettable memories will be made on your holiday in Sunnyside House. Beach 24½ miles. Shop 1½ miles, pub and restaurant ½ mile.

A warm highland welcome awaits you at Blueberry Hill, which enjoys a peaceful setting just a mile outside of the popular village of Beauly. This lovely, cosy holiday apartment has been furnished and equipped to a very good standard to ensure your holiday is as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. Blueberry Hill makes a super base for exploring this fantastic part of the northern Highlands. The village of Beauly has a lovely selection of quality shops and restaurants for you to enjoy. Nearby Muir of Ord boasts the Glen Ord Distillery and Visitor Centre, where you can sample their lovely whisky. Inverness, the Highland capital, is only 15 miles away from the Beauly and enjoys a large number of shops, a cinema, theatre and museums. Take a trip along the Moray coastline, which is dotted with small fishing villages and unspoilt and quiet sandy beaches, and you can also take a trip along the Moray Malt Whisky Trail, the only one of its kind in the world. Enjoy a day at Culloden Battlefield, Fort George or Brodie and Cawdor Castles, all steeped in history and well worth a visit.
Slightly to the south is Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit where you can explore the ruins of Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness. To the north you will find the vast unspoilt counties of Sutherland and Caithness. Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park are within an easy drive with so many outdoor pursuits and visitor attractions that you will be spoilt for choice. Visit the stunning beauty of the west coast and the Isle of Skye within driving distance, you can enjoy a super day out where castles, historic sites and great places to eat are abundant. Amongst the many activities the area has to offer you will find mountain biking, water sports, hill and mountain climbing, horse riding, paint balling and quad biking just to name a few. A holiday in Blueberry Hill is where many happy memories of your holiday will be made. Shop, pub and restaurant ½ mile.

Enjoying a peaceful yet central setting within the pretty village of Auldearn, this semi-detached, traditional holiday property has been furnished and equipped to a good standard to ensure as comfortable and relaxing holiday as possible. Just three miles from the seaside village of Nairn with its long sweeping sandy beaches and local amenities, Tigh Na Bruiach (Gaelic for ‘House on the Hill’) makes a super holiday base for exploring this wonderful part of the Northern Highlands. Visit Culloden Battlefield, Fort George, Inverness, and Loch Ness, all within a very easy drive. Brodie and Cawdor Castles are just a short distance and well worth a visit. You can meander along the Moray Coast and visit some of the beautiful, unspoilt beaches and hopefully catch sight of the dolphins, seals and large variety of birdlife this area is renowned for. Take a trip along the Malt Whisky Trail – the only one of its kind in the world! Further afield, go to the scenic West Coast, Fort William or the enigmatic Orkney Islands. Golf, mountain biking, kayaking, hill walking and photography are some of the many activities available.

Balmore Farmhouse is located just a few miles south of Inverness and is only 2 miles away from the infamous Loch Ness. The property has been fully renovated to a good standard and offers guests a superb level of comfort and space.
Enter into the spacious reception hall, leading to a living room with comfortable leather sofas that wrap around the cosy wood burner. The kitchen/dining room is well-equipped with all you could need during your stay, and provides great views over the countryside. The utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer offers a useful space for cleaning mucky clothes after a busy day of adventuring. On the ground floor there is a kingsize bedroom with a private dressing room and an en-suite shower room that is also accessed from the hallway.
On the first floor there are three large bedrooms, two with kingsize beds, and one with a single bed, all served by a family bathroom. Outside there is ample parking and a large enclosed garden. Balmore Farmhouse makes an ideal holiday base for exploring the many delights of the Northern Highlands. Located on the outskirts of the Highland capital of Inverness and close to Loch Ness and the Moray Coast, the area is renowned for its natural beauty along with the many activities available, including golf, kayaking, water sports, mountain biking, climbing and hill walking to name just a few. Discover some of the many historic castles, such as Culloden Battlefield and Fort George, or stroll along some of the many unspoilt beaches. Beach and bar and restaurant 3 miles. Shop 2 miles.

Set in a quiet rural location, this cosy holiday cottage enjoys lovely views across open countryside towards Nigg Bay and the Cromarty Firth. An RSPB Reserve, sea trips, fishing, golf, castles and south, west and east facing beaches all within easy reach. Great for touring the scenic Highlands. Historic Cromarty is a short ferry trip (only available in summer, also accessible by road) with Inverness, the Highland Capital approx 45 minutes’ drive. Shops 4½ miles, pubs 3 miles. Can be booked with property 19987 (which has adjoining garden) to sleep up to 12 guests.

This attractive ground floor holiday apartment forms part of a stone cottage situated in the village of Castletown which is on the North Coast 500. Its high ceilings, original wooden shutters and cottage garden (grassed area outside the main garden provides space for dogs’ exercise) all add to its charm. Four miles of sandy beach adjoins the fishing harbour 800 yards from the property. Sea angling and loch fishing are available. Known for its unspoilt beaches and wide variety of wildlife and, at certain times of year, the Northern Lights are visible. Central to many surfing locations, golf courses, fishing and the Castle of Mey (8 miles). Take a day-trip to the Orkney Isles. An all weather short mat bowling green is available for guests to use. Shop, pub and restaurant 200 yards.