Dog-Friendly Scottish Highlands

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.