Siren call of a wood burner
Schiehallion loses out to the creature comforts – and creatures – writes Gaby Soutar
You’ll be our first visitors!” said Ally, the owner of Braes of Foss farmhouse in Kinloch Rannoch. Usually, when you visit a self-catering property, there’s an expectation that it might be slightly dogeared. Not so with the 19th century building that is this large and recently refurbished farmhouse, which has just been added to Scottish holiday property rental business Cottages & Castles’ portfolio of over 500 properties.
When we visited, it was whitewashed and box-fresh, complete with cream carpets, pristine white walls and kitchen worktops that hadn’t been christened by a single toast crumb.
We left our boots at the door and felt glad that we hadn’t stuck to the original plan of attempting to tackle the nearby munro Schiehallion (this cottage is the nearest accommodation to the Braes of Foss car-park, where this walk starts), or we would have been much muddier.
There are three large double bedrooms and a neat children’s twin, a huge dining space and kitchen, plus a lounge with a wee telly. We stoked up the two wood-burning stoves, though the heating system and thick carpets make it toasty enough that you can easily do without. Still, it adds to the cottagey ambience.
On our visit, there was an enforced digital detox, since lightning had struck the nearby pylon.
Good for us, I thought, as we were forced to get off our phones and get outdoors, which was necessary anyway with two energetic small people (aged six and four) in tow. It’s mainly hilly farmland directly outside the cottage, with a little stream running past nearby. Once we’d explored and said hi to each of the sheep, we took the ten-minute drive along the road to find Highland Safaris.their 90-minute Forest Safaris in the Land Rover are perfect for big and small people.
Our kilted driver and guide was brilliant with the children, engaging their attention and telling them stories about the local woodpeckers, pointing out the red squirrel’s drey, showing them how to identify tracks and trees and, so we could spot deer on the hillside, even deploying the telescope at varying levels for those ranging in height from two to six footsomething.
Afterwards, the Highland Safaris Cafe has all the things you want to eat after being outdoors – macaroni, baked potatoes, ploughman’s lunch, pies, toasties and big fat slabs of
chocolate fudge cake. As well as a small play park and shop, their site also features the Red Deer Centre. When you know you’re going to meet these guys, it’s hard to be patient during the education section of your visit, even if it is interesting to find out the difference between roe, sika and red.
All we wanted was to get hold of the cups full of hay nuts and go outside to see them. On our visit, it was rutting season, so their resident stag, Zoom, resembled a glassy-eyed and noisy drunk in the mood for a fight. The does and fawns were more chilled, and happy to crunch their way through our edible offerings and leave dribble on our palms.
After this, you have an opportunity to meet their snowy owl, Ossian, who does a couple of soundless flights through the cabin.
If you’re not ready to return to the cottage yet, for other activities nearby, there’s Mains of Taymouth Country Estate. This mainly offers holiday accommodation, though there are things to do for non-residents, like playing their nine-hole golf course or visiting the stables.
Clockwise from main: the Braes of Foss farmhouse; the kitchen and dining area; a bedroom
The fawns happily ate our offerings and left dribble on our palms
After a riding hat fitting in the paddock, my nieces were taken off into the hills on a led trek on the backs of two dumpy, biddable and very cute ponies. Taffy was our favourite.
This place also features the Courtyard Bar & Restaurant, which serves comfort food like fish and chips and ginormous five-storey high burgers for those with a rural appetite. It’s adjacent to their large shop and deli, where you can stock up on snacks, toys and books. If you’ve consumed loads of calories, you might think about tackling Schiehallion.
Nah. When you’re staying in a cottage that’s this pristine, you have the perfect excuse to stay indoors, stoke the woodburning fires, and not get dirty boots. ■
Find Braes of Foss on Cottages and Castles’ website (www.cottages-andcastles.co.uk). A week is from £850. Highland Safaris, Aberfeldy ( 01887 820071, www.highlandsafaris.net). Admission to the Red Deer Centre is £10 for adults, £5 for children. The Forest Safari is £25 for adults, £17.50 for children. Mains of Taymouth, Kenmore, Perthshire (01887 830 226, www. taymouth.co.uk). A 30 minute trek is £20.