Our family have been visiting the area of Assynt in the Scottish Highlands for over 30 years. On our very first visit we fell in love with the beauty and remoteness of the area. The gorgeous turquoise sea and white sandy beaches with the fabulous mountains and lochs of Assynt as a backdrop, captured our hearts. Unsurprisingly we have been returning to the area ever since, exploring the beaches and local walks and the wider area of Assynt and the North West Highlands. This year we are fortunate enough to have our own fabulous 3 bedroom cottage which we have decided to share as a holiday let.
Elderbank is located on the Stoer Peninsular within woodland gardens stretching to around half an acre and within a 10 minute walk of Balchladich beach. The area has become increasingly popular due to the launch in 2015 of the North Coast 500 which is a 516 mile route around the north coast of Scotland.
The 3 bedroom cottage started life over a hundred years ago as a tiny croft and has been sympathetically improved and extended over the years. At one time access to the first floor was by a wooden ladder! Thankfully the house is now fully equipped and comfortably furnished, complete with staircase; sleeping 6 in the 3 bedrooms, it can accommodate up to 8 people utilising the double sofa bed within the family room/second sitting room. You’ll find comfy beds and a variety of pillows along with large comfortable sofa’s in the living room. Wifi and a fairly decent mobile signal is available at the house (although the signal elsewhere in the area can be non-existent). Pets on request. Elderbank is a non-smoking property.
Accommodation comprises: small sun porch leading to the living room with wood burning stove, large sofas and patio doors. A door to the left leads to a second sitting room/family room with double sofa bed. This room is open plan leading to a ground floor bedroom (a privacy curtain separates the 2 rooms) with a king size sleigh bed and en-suite shower room. Through the main living room is a hallway with access to the stairs, fully equipped dining kitchen, boot room and back door. To the first floor is a king size bedroom with views of the garden and Loch Na Claise beyond. The twin bedded room and landing share similar views. A second bathroom is also located on the first floor.
Outside there is ample parking on the gravel driveway and a seating area is to the side of the house. A small stream runs through the garden to join the loch beyond. The previous owners spent many years creating a magical garden which is a haven for wildlife. A willow tunnel and small tree den can be found near the bottom of the garden along with a hammock among the trees. Fruit trees and fruit within the frame can be enjoyed in season by guests.
We have also equipped the house with books and games and a few dvd’s for rainy days or evenings in.
A hairdryer is provided in the Master bedroom.
Non-smoking throughout.
Living room with wood burning stove and patio doors leading to the garden
Family room with double sofa bed (open plan to ground floor bedroom)
Fully equipped dining kitchen with induction hob, electric double oven, fridge freezer, microwave and washing machine
3 bedrooms - 2 with king size beds (1 located on the ground floor) and 1 twin bedded room
Ground floor shower room
Bathroom located on first floor
Large gardens
Secluded location near to beaches
Wifi
Smart TV in living room and family room, DVD player, Wii console and Bluetooth speaker
Hairdryer
Ample parking
Outside seating
Pets on request
Non-smoking
Prices from £500 per week includes bed linen, towels and heating.
The fishing village of Lochinver is approximately 8 miles away and has a good range of facilities including a petrol station, Post Office, Spar, Convenience store, hardware store, gift shops, restaurants and cafes.
Choc-O-Latte Café is a newly opened chocolate café just 1 1/2 miles from Elderbank. They serve delicious home made chocolate goodies made with Belgian chocolate as well as tea and coffee.
Flossie’s Beach Store is just over 2 miles from Elderbank and is open from Easter to October selling fresh bread and milk, fresh coffee and hot and cold food.
The Jammery, 2 miles in the opposite direction produces homemade jams and crafts as well as cakes and light bites.
Drumbeg is a crofting village approximately 8 miles north of Elderbank, here you will find Drumbeg stores, an award winning independent licensed grocery shop selling general groceries, fine food and ‘Drumbeg’ whisky. Assynt Aromas Candle shop & Secret Tea Garden is located a short walk from here selling handmade candles and soaps as well as coffee and cakes to be enjoyed in the garden.
A chip shop is open at Achmelvic caravan site during the season. Check their website for opening times.
The stunning natural beauty of the area is the main reason to visit this part of the world. Just some of the things to see and do are detailed below and we’re sure you’ll have your own favourites that we hope you’ll add to the guest book in the cottage.
The beautiful beaches near Elderbank include Clachtoll (with nearby Clachtoll Broch), Clashnessie and Achmelvic, popular for kayakers, windsurfers, water-skiers and snorkelers. The North and West coast offers some of the best places in Europe to spot whales, dolphins and porpoises. There is a whale and dolphin spotting point at Stoer lighthouse, (approximately 3.5 miles from Elderbank) you’ll need binoculars and a calm day. Seals and otters may be seen in various places around the coastline, a particularly good place is Culkein bay, just over 2 miles from Elderbank. Other wildlife to spot in the area are the Red Deer as well as Golden Eagles and Sea Eagles.
The area is fantastic for hillwalking and mountain climbing with the mountains of Assynt being famed for their distinctive shapes. These include Quinag, Canisp, Ben More Assynt and Suilven (which recently featured in the film Edie, staring Sheila Hancock and Kevin Guthrie). For the less energetic there are many more gentle walks to take in the beautiful surroundings, including the Falls of Kirkaig (close to Lochinver), Clashnessie Falls (just north of Elderbank) and Stoer Lighthouse. The quiet roads also make the area pleasant for cyclists.
If you are interested in geology then a visit is a must, to the North West Highlands UNESCO Global Geopark where the oldest rocks in Europe are to be found. The visitor centre and coffee shop is located in The Rock Stop, Unapool just north of Drumbeg and a mile south of the Kylesku bridge.
A little further afield, take a boat trip in the summer to Handa, an island just off the west coast recognised for its birdlife including guillemots, razorbills, puffins, great skuas, kittiwakes and fulmars. The island is managed by Scottish Wildlife Trust and a small ferry sails from Tarbet. (Approximately 33 miles north of Elderbank).
While this far north you may want to take the route over the Kylesku bridge to Durness in the far north west of the Highlands. Here you will find Smoo cave a large combined sea and freshwater cave. During the summer, boat tours take visitors to the inner chamber of the cave. A mile outside Durness is Balnakeil craft village, home to a range of local artists and businesses including Cocoa Mountain, a chocolatier serving freshly made chocolates and their self acclaimed ‘The best’ hot chocolate. We regularly take the 50 mile journey for this so it must be pretty good! The journey itself is stunning and we often stop off for dinner at the Kylesku hotel on our return journey (also a good place for a bit of seal spotting on the shore here).
A mention must also be made of the unpolluted skies in the area that make a perfect location for stargazing and if you’re lucky you may see the Northern Lights.
It is a truly stunning area and never fails to impress us.
Saturday to Saturday (flexible depending on availability). Arrival from 4.30pm and departure by 10am.
A non-refundable deposit of 25% is payable to secure booking (refunds given if the booking is filled).
Balance payable 6 weeks before arrival along with £100 good housekeeping deposit.
Prices and availability can be found at www.elderbank.wordpress.com or email [email protected]
Maximum occupancy is 6. Pets on request. No smoking throughout.
