Dog-Friendly Scottish Highlands

A delightful Grantown-on-Spey cottage just five minutes' walk from the town centre in the Cairngorms National Park. Ideal for walking, skiing or touring. Aviemore 12 miles.

Lovely ground floor cottage in Glenelg. Stunning elevated location, views to Skye. WiFi. Woodburning stove. Friendly village location with good facilities. Abundance of wildlife.

Smart spacious cottage on a pretty hillside location, overlooking mountains and fields of the Cairngorms National Park. Pet-friendly. Woodburning Stove. Newtonmore 1 mile.

Fabulous secluded location. Surrounded by mature trees and hills. River close by. Spacious, comfortable and well-equipped. Woodburning stove. Kincraig 4 miles.

Escape to this delightful detached holiday cottage, part of the Old Inzievar House estate which is situated in beautiful and natural parkland, on a working farm with varied livestock, about 6 miles west of Dunfermline and 1 mile from the historic Culross village and abbey on the Forth Estuary. Fernwoodlea has been thoughtfully restored to retain many original features and provides spacious, comfortable accommodation. Ideal for relaxing and enjoying the area and all it has to offer with friends and family. You can curl up with a book in the cosy living room in front of the wood burner on cooler days or sit in the garden with a glass of wine.

If you are feeling more energetic, try the owner’s tennis court, or with permission from the owners, a tour of the restored walled garden can be arranged. This rural haven has excellent access to dog friendly walks, cycle paths, and outdoor amenities, but within easy access of Edinburgh 24 miles, Perth 33 miles and Stirling 18 miles. Shop 1½ miles, pub and restaurant 2 miles.

Enjoying a quiet setting in lovely garden grounds, The Lookout makes an ideal base for exploring one of the most scenic and popular holiday destinations in Scotland. The bright and spacious house is equipped and furnished to a very high standard to ensure as comfortable and relaxing a holiday as possible, including large living areas with a separate kids play room. There is also a private media system with access to a large collection of movies and music. Located in an elevated area on the edge of Aviemore, adjacent to a children’s play-park, the mountain bike trails of High Burnside and the Aviemore Orbital cycle-way. Within easy walking distance of the town centre, The Lookout enjoys stunning views of the Cairngorm mountain range and the surrounding countryside and within easy distance of some of the most popular attractions and activities of the Cairngorms National Park.
Aviemore which is situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park and at the head of the Speyside Way boasts a super range of shops, restaurants and bars along with a very wide range of outdoor activities including ski-ing and snowboarding, mountain and quad biking, climbing and hill walking and a variety of watersports on nearby Loch Insh, Loch Morlich and the River Spey. Take a trip on the Cairngorm Mountain Railway and the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, the Highland Wildlife Park at nearby Kingussie, and the nearby Landmark Forest Adventure Park, all within easy reach. Visit the lovely Spey Valley Golf Course and the Dalfaber Village Club with its wonderful array of leisure activities.
Further afield, take a trip to the beautiful west coast or visit 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 best coastline destinations in the world. A super base for exploring the many delights this area has to offer and there’s so much to see and do for all ages. This area is an exceptionally popular destination for the outdoor enthusiast and for the less energetic, sit back in peaceful garden grounds, relax and unwind. The Lookout is a place where wonderful memories will be made. Shop, pub and restaurant ¼ mile.

Wallace House is an imposing, historic, detached stone house, situated in the heart of the renowned village of Dornoch. Built in 1800, on land owned by the Duke of Sutherland, this bright and spacious home was completely renovated in 2018 and is ideally located for a family beach holiday. The main living room has been thoughtfully furnished with superb sofas and a warm, welcoming wood burner. The high ceilings and stunning exposed stone fireplace add to the character and charm. There is a large kitchen/dining room, which is well-equipped with built-in units and a wine fridge. The original staircase, with ornate polished wood banisters, leads up to the three generously proportioned bedrooms. All rooms are superbly presented, with good quality furniture and colour coordinated soft furnishings. Wallace House is ideal for families and groups looking for a very good standard of self-catering accommodation with all amenities just a short walk away.

This wonderful property is situated along a quiet lane, just off the main square in the centre of the historic village of Dornoch, a Royal Burgh since 1628. This attractive village, built of mellow sandstone, is one of the prettiest in the Highlands. The centrepiece is the 13th-century cathedral, with original stained glass windows. Dornoch also has an excellent selection of unusual and attractive shops, as well as a number of good restaurants and bars, all just a few steps away. The renowned Championship golf course of Royal Dornoch is just 200 yards along the lane. The nearby sandy beach is ideal for families and dog walkers alike. Situated just off the renowned North Coast 500 route, which encompasses some of the most outstanding landscapes to be found anywhere in the British Isles, there are numerous places of interest within easy reach. Loch Fleet Nature Reserve is close by and attracts a wide variety of wading birds and has been designated as an Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Just a short drive away is Dunrobin Castle, seat of the Dukes of Sutherland for over 600 years. Visitors are welcome to explore the castle and grounds, which were modelled on the Palace of Versailles. Golfers are spoilt for choice, with not only Royal Dornoch on the doorstep, but a number of other championship courses within a short drive, and the property has a stone built store, perfect for golf clubs, and with power for charging trolleys. Fishing, sailing, kayaking, hill walking, climbing and mountain biking are all local pastimes. Beach 300 yards. Shop 200 yards, pub and restaurant 50 yards.

Sea Thistle Cottage is a charming, traditional, semi-detached, 19th-century fisherman’s cottage for two. Situated in the heart of the historic fisher town area of Nairn, it is just a few yards from the stunning sweeping sands and delightful Victorian sea front. The cottage is located in one of the tiny winding streets that fisher town is noted for, yet it has its own parking and even a little courtyard area at the side. The cottage provides the best of modern living whilst retaining its original charm and ambience, such as thick stone walls. The main living area is open plan, with a large living room, with feature electric fire and wall-mounted smart TV, this L-shaped room has a dining area in the corner. There is a separate kitchen, which is compact yet bright and modern, with built-in units and is very well equipped, and a split stable door gives access to the adjoining courtyard area. There is also a handy ground floor wet room. Winding cottage stairs lead up to the fisherman’s landing. The double bedroom on the first floor has a kingsize bed and a TV, it is attractively presented, with colour coordinated soft furnishings and an adjoining room acts as a dressing room, with extra space for hanging clothes and general storage.
Sea Thistle Cottage is ideally located for enjoying all the facilities of Nairn, an award winning seaside town. It is also easily accessible by public transport, for those who may like to arrive by train or bus, or to forget the car whilst there and explore by local transport; a bus stop is just 50 yards from the cottage. Tucked away in a quiet and very quaint lane, it is within easy walking distance of restaurants, shops, bars, golf course and of course the renowned beaches that this seaside town is famous for. The pretty harbour area is well worth a visit, with numerous small craft using its facilities. A boat trip is likely to produce a close encounter with the famous resident bottle nosed dolphins that are frequently spotted close to shore. There are numerous places of interest in the area, including Cawdor Castle, Culloden battlefield and a large nature reserve that runs along this superb coastline. Dog walkers are particularly fond of this part of the Highland coastline, with sea and forest walks in abundance. Inverness, the capital city of the Highlands is just 20 minutes’ drive away. Fishing is also nearby. Beach 200 yards. Shop 200 yards, pub and restaurant 100 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.

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.