A family home experience on the Isle of Skye
‘It’s a privilege to get so close to this animal’s world’
It’s a memorable experience to be ushered into Kinloch Lodge. Walking in beneath the mighty antlers over the front door to a sitting room with a roaring open fire and views across Loch na Dal, guests are warmly greeted by Isabella Macdonald at her family home-turned-hotel, with a glass of bubbly.
Isabella is the daughter of Lord and Lady Macdonald who opened the hotel in 1972 on this southern peninsula called Sleat, also known as the Garden of Skye. She lived at the hotel as a child, and you can see that putting people at ease and hosting are her superpowers. ‘It’s the sort of place where you can throw a log on the fire yourself,’ she says.
My room overlooks the loch with a door out on to the lawns. I love the tweed throws woven by Skye Weavers, whose workshop you can visit in Glendale (skyeweavers.com).
Food is a huge part of a stay at Kinloch. Isabella and head chef, Jordan Webb, have brought the hotel’s ethos back to one of seasonality and sustainability, with ingredients homegrown or foraged from the loch shore and forests. Guests can learn these skills with the hotel ghillie, Mitchell Partridge.
Isabella puts a copy of the daily dinner menu in guests’ rooms ‘just in case they don’t like it’. I think it’s unlikely anyone would find fault with dishes such as Skye venison loin, roasted salsify, kohlrabi and foraged elderberry jus. In the woodpanelled dining room, you are surrounded by family portraits including Flora Macdonald, famous for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie.
A fabulous day out is with photographer and wildlife expert, Stewart Dawber of Skye High Wildlife (skyehighwildlife.com). We head out in search of nesting golden eagles and see a family of deer relaxing on the hillside. At Ord Bay, Stewart spots a female otter he calls Bubbles. We find a hidden spot, set up a telescope and watch her devour a scorpion fish, diving back in to reappear with an octopus. It’s a privilege to get so close.
Back at Kinloch, I enjoy whisky tasting with manager and spirits supremo Dan Austin. We try drams from the two distilleries on Skye, Talisker, which dates back to 1830 and Torabhaig, which released its first malt in 2021. Both are delicious.
A lovely souvenir is the book produced for Kinloch’s 50th anniversary in 2022 – with stories and recipes from family members including Isabella and her mother, Claire.