Seven Cosy Hideaways in Scotland to Book Now
Scotland is a destination that does cosy countryside hideouts like no other. We’ve pulled together the best bothies and Scandi-Scot-style boltholes that still have availability for autumn/ winter 2020. Planning a staycation? Book now, before we do.
05 October, 2020
Why
is it that as soon as the weather turns from balmy to barmy,
the lure of golden coastlines starts to wane and cosy countryside
hideouts surrounded by blustery tumult become infinitely more
appealing?
Scotland is a destination that does cosy countryside hideouts
like no other. For a handful of the best, look no further. We’ve
pulled together our favourite places in Scotland to see out the
colder months, whether you’re looking for a Scandi-Scot-style
bolthole with scant decoration and bigger-than-life vistas or a
souped-up bothy nestled under bowing forestry.
At time of writing, these places still have availability for
autumn/winter. You know the deal. It’s first come, first served, so
book now or risk missing out.
Book now: Scotland’s best bothies, boltholes and boutique
hideaways
Harlosh Black H
Isle of Skye
Sleeps: two
Black H
isn’t like those other cabins. Clad in sheets of rippling,
shiny-black timber and outfitted with a carefully selected
assortment of designer furniture in soothing tones of nothingness,
this place puts the Chic in cosy-Chic (yes, that’s Chic with a
capital C). This moody, waterside lair bathes in natural
light. Clean lines and polished-concrete floors are softened with
artfully strewn sheepskins and a tidy wood-burning stove. Expect to
see otters, eagles and dolphins dancing through the rolling
landscape.
Inverlonan
Argyll and Bute
Sleeps: two to four
The humble bothy – that is, a traditional shelter or refuge used
by farmers in poor weather conditions – has undergone quite the
facelift over the past decade. Just look at Inverlonan; there’s
nothing perfunctory about these perfectly weekend-sized cabins,
each of which have been outfitted with natural furnishings, fabric
and products sourced from some of Scotland’s most sought-after
craftspeople. Those who love nothing more than hunkering down in
complete seclusion will be delighted to learn that these bothies
are only accessible by bike, foot or buggy so the only disturbances
you’re likely to encounter will be from the local fauna.
57 Nord
Wester Ross
Sleeps: two
It would be too easy to describe this architect’s delight as Scandi-style. This
designer hideaway harks back to the ninth century, when the
Norse-Gaels settled in western Scotland. More than its minimal,
Nordic interiors, this place is about the epic views; 57 Nord’s
floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Highlands like Horatio
McCullough paintings of yore. The glorious Eilean Donan Castle is
within hiking distance and the Isle of Skye is a short drive away,
though we’re planning to spend most of our time nestled on the sofa
with a book or, more likely, getting the pages soggy while soaking
in the freestanding bathtub
Westside Woodshed
Midlothian
Sleeps: two
Blanketed in a coarse carpet of heather and spiked with hills
made for walking off indulgent Sunday lunches, the Pentland Hills
Regional Park provides the perfect conditions for an autumn
hideout. Tucked within one of its fleecy folds, Westside Woodshed is a timber-framed,
fairy-tale cottage for two that does cosy without being at all
stuffy or twee. Gaping skylights and sliding glass doors mean that
even when you’re snuggling down for an evening by the fireside, the
magnificent landscape is right there with you. It might only be a
40-minute drive from Edinburgh, but the city feels a world
away.
The Beekeeper’s Bothy
Aberdeenshire
Sleeps: two to four
This bothy is set in a wildflower meadow, clad
in strips of nude-toned larch wood and lined with expansive windows
that allow you to see in one side and out the other. From your
super king-size mezzanine bed, you’ll wake up to views out over the
icy North Sea. The beady-eyed will spot seals larking about in the
middle distance, but we suggest heading down to Seal Beach to get
up close and personal with these adorable, little mammals. It’s a
little tight on space for four people, but would be terribly
romantic for two.
The Cart Shed
Kincardineshire
Sleeps: four
Okay, it might not be teeny-tiny, but we couldn’t not include
this airy barn conversion. With slip-and-slide smooth concrete
floors, vast, two-storey ceilings and industrial-chic furniture
The Cart Shed manages to be both cottagecore
and deliciously modern all at once. Some of Aberdeenshire’s most
enticing beaches and lip-smacking distilleries are a short drive
away, but those who’d rather keep things simple can roll out of bed
and into a magical woodland of Scots pine, just 10 minutes’ walk
from the doorstep.
Sound of Harris
Isle of Harris
Sleeps: two to four
This coastal cubbyhole on the Isle of Harris
comprises two adjoined houses (Big House and Other House) both of
which sleep two. Inside, it’s surprisingly capacious. Big House is
an exercise in loft-style living, while Other House offers all the
same perks – a reading area, a bathtub big enough for two and
spindly, late-modern furniture made by some of Britain’s most loved
manufacturers – albeit on a smaller scale. Outside, porpoises,
dolphins, otters and seals will keep you company (from a
comfortable distance, of course) as you trundle along the sandy
crescent of Scarista Beach.
