Glen Rest, Ardgay

Highland. Sleeps up to 4

Glen Rest is an idyllic, beautifully appointed, two bedroom lodge that is nestled alongside the River Alladale in the wildly beautiful, twenty three thousand acre Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.

Ideal for two couples or a small family, Glen Rest offers total privacy, peace, scenic beauty and a fabulous sense of freedom. The rugged beauty of this superb location allows guests to experience the Highlands in its wildest form while offering easy access to the picturesque seaside resorts of Dornoch and Ullapool, whisky and gin distilleries, outstanding golf courses and sensational walking trails. Spending a week exploring this dreamy wilderness reserve will be an unforgettable experience where you will discover rugged landscapes, heather covered mountain slopes, wildflower meadows, lush forests, meandering rivers and much wildlife including red squirrels, red deer and the famous Scottish wild cat. It is a nature lover’s dream destination! There are three other properties within the reserve, all enjoying the magical scenery and absolute seclusion. The Victorian manor house Caledonian Lodge is the largest of the properties, sleeping up to fourteen guests. Highland Retreat offers three bedrooms and Wilderness Lodge boasts five bedrooms. If you have friends that are thinking of taking a holiday in the same area, you may want to take a look at our web pages. One of the biggest draws of these fabulous properties is that apart from Wilderness Lodge, they are booked on a catered basis. Delicious breakfast foods will be ready for you to prepare and two course lunches and three course dinners are freshly made by the reserve’s wonderful chef using local and seasonal organic ingredients. They are delivered to you daily with simple instructions on how to heat them up. The reserve’s one and a half acre aquaponic gardens, orchards and beds produce tasty vegetables, salads, herbs and berries. There are three bee hives and over four hundred brown trout. Their ethically culled wild venison is available and they enjoy fantastic regional suppliers of fresh and wild caught seafood and local trout. Just think of venison stew, hearty pies, creamy soups, freshly caught trout and sticky date puddings in salty caramel sauce! What an amazing treat! You can walk in the hills, visit beautiful places and return to put your feet up and feast on yummy meals!

The Alladale Wilderness Reserve is simply stunning, an Instagrammer’s paradise! The nearest village is Ardgay, a small Scottish village on the south west shore of the Dornoch Firth at the entrance to Strathcarron, the valley of the River Carron and at the mouth of the Kyle of Sutherland. To the west you will find the pretty fishing town of Ullapool, nestled on the shores of Lochbroom. You can also explore Inverness easily, the Black Isle and the picturesque seaside town of Dornoch with its cosy shops, beautiful cathedral, stunning beach and famous championship golf course. Chanrony Point and the Cromerty Firth are among the best spots in the UK to see bottle nose dolphins. Sports lovers can enjoy canoe trips down the Kyle of Sutherland, fishing, watersports and much more. The location makes it very easy to visit quiet Highland beaches, historic buildings and lush green landscapes sprinkled with waterfalls, challenging hills and mountains. A day trip to Aviemore brings the thrills of white water rafting, skiing, quad biking, an aerial adventure course and various watersports. You can also canoe on the River Beauly or sea kayak in the Firth.

Offering an oasis of gracious and glorious living deep in the Scottish Highlands, Glen Rest is wonderfully remote and is surrounded by extraordinary wild views. It is beautifully appointed throughout with the majority of rooms on the ground floor. The living room is a bright and airy space with a very high ceiling into the eaves, a delightful stone exposed wall, a comfy sofa, accent chair and a giant leather bean bag. It enjoys dazzling white walls that are beautifully accented by flashes of burgundy in the rug and scatter cushions, a wonderful blend with the cool mellow stonework. Just the other side of the living room is a fabulous dining area that is drowned in natural light streaming through its many windows. You will be dining in style while enjoying the fabulously hillside and mountain views through the windows. The galley kitchen comes with beautiful cabinetry, a Nespresso coffee machine, coffee grinder, juicer, Nutri-bullet and all the other appliances you could ever need.

The master bedroom lies to the other side of the kitchen with its sumptuous kingsize bed, gorgeous Scottish fabrics, oversized headboard and co-ordinated rugs. You will deep dive into some serious shut-eye in luxury linens. The lodge’s family bathroom is also on this level with a bath and walk-in shower. A modern staircase takes you upstairs where you will discover the loft room with its two single beds that can be made up as a double and a little open landing space. It is super cute!

Outside, there is a delightful terrace, space for bikes and those magical hilly views. You will just love Glen Rest and exploring the natural Alladale Wilderness Reserve!

Glen Rest is nestled alongside the River Alladale in the wildly beautiful, twenty three thousand acre Alladale Wilderness Reserve. Set in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, the closest village is Ardgay. It is a fabulous location brimming with forests, mountains, hills, rivers and splendid views. Ardgay lies on the Dornoch Firth, close to where it becomes the Kyle of Sutherland. Ardgay owes its existence to the 3rd Duke of Sutherland whose estates were so extensive when the railway was built from Inverness in the early 1860’s that he had some control over the route. Ardgay lies at the entrance to Strathcarron, the valley of the River Carron that extends far into the mountainous area to the south west. Some walkers hike from the Kyle of Sutherland in the east to Loch Broom in the west, crossing Scotland in a day.

The cute fishing village of Ullapool is very popular. In this area you can enjoy a variety of fabulous walks in the mountains, along the rock coast and following inland footpaths with an excellent selection of fine summits. Stornoway and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides are a ferry ride away. Ullapool and its surrounding area has been described as an outdoor paradise with a ‘Scandinavian twinkle in winter and Canadian-style adrenaline in summer’ and voted as one of the top ten outdoor destinations by Outdoor Fitness magazine. The Inverpolly National Nature Reserve, just like the Alladale Wilderness Reserve, is home to a wonderful array of wildlife including pine martens, wildcats, buzzards and golden eagles.

Dornoch is just under an hour away with its stunning cathedral where services were held as early as 1239, its breathtaking sandy beach, its Royal Dornoch Golf course and its wonderful shops, restaurants and bars. The links golf course has been played on since the 16th century. You might like to take a look in The Carnegie Whisky Cellars while you are there at its unique range of malt whiskies from all over Scotland. On the way there or on the way back, you may like to stop at the Whisky Distillery at Glenmorangie or at the famous ANTA Pottery and Tain Pottery studios.

Horse lovers can visit the family run Hollingwells Equestrian Centre near Edderton. You can enjoy excellent equestrian tuition or day long treks through stunning landscapes.

If you enjoy boat trips and looking for dolphins, there are plenty of opportunies. You can take a memorable day trip to see these beautiful animals from Chanrony Point or the Cromarty Firth on the Black Isle. You can take a wonderful stroll on pretty Rosemarkie Bay, enjoying a coffee at the local beach cafe before taking out your binoculars to spot the majestic animals. Another popular trip is to Lairg, a fifty minute drive from the cottage to the small, family run Go Wild Highlands where you can take canoe trips down the Kyle of Sutherland. A day trip to Aviemore offers the thrills of white water rafting, skiing, quad biking, an aerial adventure course and various watersports. As well as Royal Dornoch, other spectacular golf courses within easy reach are Castle Stewart and Fortrose and Rosemarkie. If you take a trip to Loch Ness you will enjoy a boat cruise, stopping at the ruins of Urquhart Castle. The Black Isle is also beautiful with plenty of quaint seaside villages, smoked fish shops, craft shops and cute cafes as well as its own Black Isle Brewery where you can stop and taste the beer.