HOME FROM HOME

Self-catering breaks are perfect for families with children, dogs or even couples looking for some peace and privacy, so this month SF’s subscribers are doing it for themselves

SF’s subscribers enjoy the best of Scotland’s self-catering breaks

Auchteralyth Steading, Near Alyth, Perthshire Reviewed by Gelert the dog, Jeremy and Isobal Portch from Jedburgh

We arrived at The Steadings, tired, and late in the evening. However our cottage, Glen Prosen, was lit up and we could see the personalised heart sign welcoming Isobel, Jeremy and Gelert. On entering the cottage, our stress levels were immediately reduced by the warmth and comfort of the cottage, for Gelert the welcome bowl of water, dish mat, dog towel and organic shampoo. To us, the relief of seeing that the living areas are tiled or wooden, so no anxieties about cleaning up after muddy paws.

Anne’s welcome pack of fresh flowers on the kitchen table was next to an envelope with a card and a note from her four black hens stating that their eggs were in the china chicken. In the fridge was a selection of local cheeses from The Cheesery in Dundee, bacon and sausages, as well as prepared meals from Alan Pirie, the butcher in Newtyle. All very yummy. Likewise, the tea and ground coffee were from merchants in Dundee. There were so many other touches, such as all the magazines were the current month’s, including the TV Times, and the information pack contained local daily weather forecasts, pet friendly restaurants and pubs, and local food suppliers. In the sitting area, there is a supply of books and writing paper, and an umbrella and torch are at hand.

Everything in the kitchen was of top quality. The electrical appliances easy to use with no need for instruction manuals, and the dishwasher fascinated me, as the interior lit up when being loaded. There is even a sensible pinnie.

The bedroom and bathroom were luxurious with Egyptian cotton linen, a selection of soft towels and personalised organic bath products. There was bottled water on the bedside tables, an electric hair dryer and a first aid kit in the drawer.

The visitors’ book made fascinating reading as all the guests were full of compliments and many were return visitors who have become firm friends with Anne. Anne has a great empathy with dogs and their owners, and for us the welcome she gave us will remain and we will be back to write in the visitors’ book again. The Steadings is a must for pet owners.

Prices from £350 for a week

Atholl Woodland Lodges, Blair Atholl Reviewed by the Stockdale family from Glasgow

The word ‘lodge’ covers a multitude of architectural sins, so it is always with trepidation that team Stockdale sets off on an adventure that involves a night or two in what could be a glorified garden shed. Fear not!

The Woodland Lodges in the grounds of Blair Castle are a million miles away from your potting shed. After a five-minute drive from the A9 we were in central heating heaven signing on to the wifi. We were staying in a two-bedder, which comes with a double ensuite bedroom, twin bedroom and family bathroom complete with full size bath. The kitchen put our own to shame with every mod con, including Smeg appliances. The living area was cosy with a flame effect heater and Freeview TV. We later learned that the lodges had been there for three or four years, but hats off to the team at Atholl as they looked and felt brand new.

The lodges are part of the huge Atholl Estate and this is undoubtedly the real star of the show. We were surrounded by snow-capped mountains, wild glens, and some of the best shooting and fishing in the Highlands. But Atholl is no longer just the playground of the shooting set, as the estate seems to have embraced changing times with the sympathetic construction of campsites, lodges and way-marked trails. The highlight of our stay was a Land Rover Safari on the estate with Sandy, a retired head ghillie, who drove us through rivers and wilderness, up beyond the snow line, spotting herds of red deer, black grouse and the occasional white hare. The rest of our weekend was spent exploring the estate on foot following its excellent walking trails, the best of which was the ten-minute walk from our lodge to the Atholl Arms hotel Bothy Bar!

Prices from £320 for a short break