Undiscovered Scotland

Badnabein Steading, Near Ballater, Strathdon. Set in a very remote location on a rural estate in Corgarff, Aberdeenshire, just 7 miles from Tomintoul, Badnabein Steading sits nestled into the hill behind it, with magnificent views all around. The accommodation is spacious, light and airy. The open plan kitchen, dining and sitting room is immense, with plenty of room for everyone to spread out. The kitchen comes well equipped with all modern appliances and ample workspace, a farmhouse dining table sits adjacent to the kitchen and comfortable seating wraps round a cosy woodburning stove in the lounge area from where French doors open out onto the garden. There are two double bedrooms downstairs, one with a king size bed, the other with a zip link double, which can also be offered as a twin. A downstairs wet room has a large walk-in shower. Upstairs are two further bedrooms, a double and a twin, and a family bathroom with a wood-panelled bath. Open all year. From £650-£850 per week. Short break rates may be available. Tel: +44 (0)1835 822277.
WWW: Badnabein Steading Web Page

Cedar Holiday Cottage, 17 Johnston Street, Laurencekirk, AB30 1AN. Located on on the edge of Memorial Park in Laurencekirk, Cedar Cottage is newly built and ideally located for the seaside town of Stonehaven, the stunningly beautiful Royal Deeside and the cities of Dundee and Aberdeen. It offers modern amenities for up to 4 people, being well suited to a family, but also good for couples, solo adventurers and business travellers. The well appointed accommodation is all at ground floor level and comprises an open plan living space with separate kitchen, dining area and lounge with feature wood burning stove, one double bedroom with en suite bathroom and one twin room. There is ramp access into the property and adjacent parking for two cars, plus a private garden with patio. There is an entrance into the park from the garden and Cedar Cottage benefits from a lovely view of the Garvock Hill. Open all year. Rates from £370 per week. Short breaks of three nights or more welcome. All bed linen and towels are provided as is WiFi internet access. Sorry no smoking and no pets. Contact: Alison Ingram. Tel: 01561 378819.
E-mail: cedarholidaycottage@gmail.com
WWW: www.cedarholidaycottage.co.uk

Driftwood Cottage, 60 Church Street, Portsoy, Near Banff, AB45 2QR. Driftwood Cottage is, unashamedly, a seaside cottage. There are lighthouses and driftwood decorations, lobster pots and hemp rope banisters, but it is practical and well equipped and has fibre optic broadband. The double bedroom, shower room, lounge and kitchen are all on the ground floor. The rooms upstairs, a twin room and tv snug, have low ceilings and are most appropriate for children. The real attraction of this cottage is however, the garden. It is rare in a holiday cottage to have such an amazing outside space! Admittedly, the garden is steep, but there are terraces on the way up to the summer house offering a chance to stop and admire the view as well as to catch your breath. There is also a gate if you want to keep young children within a more manageable lower patio area by the back door. Rates from £350-£600 per week. Short breaks and weekend breaks may be available in quieter periods. Please call to discuss. Contact: Mrs Wendy Clements. Tel: 01261 843386. Mobile: 07717 220018.
Email: holidays@moraycoastcottages.com
WWW: www.moraycoastcottages.com/portsoy

Erroll Schoolhouse, Sycamore Hall, Cruden Bay, AB42 0QD. Sycamore Hall, with views towards the sea and Slains Castle on the cliff top, is half a mile south of the village of Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, a coastal village with a picturesque fishing harbour and a long uninterrupted sandy beach. It is ideally situated for exploring the Castle, Coastal and Whisky Trails and is an ideal base for golfers, being half a mile from Cruden Bay Golf Course and with many other famous and interesting courses well within an hour's travelling time. Sycamore Hall is the converted classroom of Erroll School, a Category B listed building built by the Earl and Countess of Erroll in 1834. The fully equipped accommodation comprises a large entrance porch with utility room, a shower room with toilet and an open plan ground floor with kitchen, lounge and dining areas. A spiral staircase leads to a galleried upper floor with shower room and toilet and two twin bedrooms. A double sofa bed in the lounge area allows for a larger family group to stay. Children are welcome. A cot, high chair and stair gate are available and the enclosed garden is child-friendly. The Hall is a short distance from the big sandy beach and a nearby well-equipped play park. There is off road parking for guests. Sycamore Hall is offered at £85 per night. Minimum 2 nights. Reduction for weekly stays. Free WiFi. Sorry no pets. Contact: Angela or Barry Keating. Tel: 01779 813355.
E-mail: angie@errollschoolhouse.com
WWW: www.errollschoolhouse.com

Fern Cottage, Braemar. A stone-built cottage in traditional Scottish style, Fern Cottage stands in its own garden on the outskirts of the village of Braemar. The accommodation is comfortably appointed, is ideal for a larger family and comprises a fully fitted kitchen with all modern appliances, a spacious lounge/dining room with open fire, TV and DVD player, one double bedded room, one twin bedded room, one single, a family bathroom and separate WC. The rear garden backs right on to the hillside, where deer often graze and there is a nearby duck pond. Braemar has an excellent choice of shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels and there is plenty to do in the area including hill-walking and climbing, skiing, fishing, golf and horse riding. From £345-£525 per week including all bed linen, towels and a £10 electricity allowance. Heating is by gas central heating (£15 allowance included) and open fire (starter pack of fuel also included). Short break rates may be available. Tel: +44 (0)1835 822277.
WWW: Fern Cottage Web Page

Highland Belfrey, Braemar. This cleverly converted Victorian church includes the self-contained first floor apartment Highland Belfrey. Offering comfortable, spacious and stylishly furnished accommodation for up to four people, this charming property comprises a fully fitted kitchen/dining room, a separate sitting room with TV and DVD, one double bedroom with king size bed, a second single bedroom with additional pull out bed and a family bathroom with both bath and shower. The church stands among trees, set back from the road and on the banks of the river where guests may fish if they choose. Highland Belfrey is just 2 minutes walk from the centre of the village, where there are shops, hotels and restaurants. There are excellent walks and cycle trails which can be accessed right from the door and Braemar is a superb centre for touring. From £285-£415 per week including all bed linen, towels and a £20 electricity allowance. Short break rates may be available. Sorry no smoking and no pets. Tel: +44 (0)1835 822277.
WWW: Highland Belfry Web Page

Howe of Torbeg Glamping Pods and Campsite, Torbeg, Glen Gairn, Ballater, AB35 5XL. Howe of Torbeg is a small campsite in the heart of Royal Deeside. Set in just 1 acre of land, surrounded by open farmland and birch woodlands, we offer tranquil camping in style with 4 wooden Glamping Pods and 2 tent pitches. The site sits on a hillside in Glen Gairn, just outside Ballater with open fencing to the surrounding farmland and birch woodland, offering direct access to countryside walks and the River Gairn. Our pods can comfortably accommodate 2 adults or a family of up to 4 and our fully heated shower block has two self contained shower rooms, one with a baby change unit. There is a fire pit for cooking and logs and other essentials can be purchased from our small onsite office and shop. For everything else, Ballater is just a five minute drive away. Open from May through October 2018. Glamping Pods from £60 per night. Tent pitches from £10 per night. Well behaved pets are welcome. Contact Nicole Gildea. Tel: 013397 56262.
E-mail: howeoftorbeg@gmail.com
WWW: www.howeoftorbeg.co.uk

Puffin Cottage, 6 Beach Road, Johnshaven, By Montrose, DD10 0EP. Puffin is a former fisherman's cottage, a charming property which has been sensitively refurbished to provide a high standard of guest accommodation. Deceptively spacious, Puffin sleeps five and overlooks the beach in the picturesque village of Johnshaven. All the accommodation is on the ground floor and includes a bright, fully fitted dining kitchen, a spacious lounge with feature fireplace, a bathroom with a full suite including a bath with shower over, one double bedroom plus a twin room with an additional sofa bed. Outside is a safe, enclosed rear garden and, at the front, a grassy area which slopes down to the beach. Located between Aberdeen and Dundee, the cottage provides an ideal base for relaxing and also for exploring the North-East coast and nearby Royal Deeside. Open all year. Rates from £375-£650 per week inclusive of all electricity, heating oil, coal, WiFi, bed linen and towels. Short breaks from £75-£90 per night. Children and pets welcome. Sorry no smoking. Contact: Mrs Lindsey Wardle. Tel: 01561 361901. Mobile: 07905 320353.
E-mail: lindseywardle@hotmail.com
WWW: www.cottageguide.co.uk/puffin

Sandend Cottage, Sandend, Near Banff. Set in the picturesque 'get-away-from-it-all' fishing village of Sandend, between the pretty harbour towns of Cullen and Portsoy on the Moray Firth, Sandend Cottage benefits from stunning views over the wide sandy beach from the kitchen, lounge and two front bedrooms. The elevated garden terrace and summer house, again with stunning views, are ideal for outdoor entertaining and barbecues. The enclosed garden and back utility/'wet' area, along with fantastic coastal walks, makes this an ideal cottage for families, dog owners or walkers. With a fitted kitchen and totally refurbished bathroom, this 3 bedroom traditional cottage comfortably sleeps 5 yet still provides all the modern facilities you would expect. Open all year. Dogs welcome. Free WiFi. Parking on quiet road in front of cottage. TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2017 and 2018. Rates from £380-£725 per week. Short breaks and weekend breaks may be available in quieter periods. Please call to discuss. Contact: Mrs Wendy Clements. Tel: 01261 843386. Mobile: 07717 220018.
Email: holidays@sandendcottage.com
WWW: www.moraycoastcottages.com/sandendcottage

Seahorse Cottage, Gardenstown. Just yards from the harbour in Gardenstown, Seahorse Cottage offers comfortable and spacious accommodation for up to 4 guests. This well appointed property comprises a fully fitted kitchen/dining room, a separate sitting room with multi-fuel stove, one double bedroom with en-suite shower room, one twin room and a separate shower room. Gardenstown has a lovely atmosphere - the town is built on a series of terraces, linked by charming walkways. There are cafes and craft shops, an excellent baker, a butcher and a small supermarket, so most needs are catered for. For major shopping, Macduff and Banff are about 8 miles away. The village of Crovie can be reached by a pleasant cliff top walk and Pennan is close by. There are some excellent golf courses along the coast, while inland you can head for the Speyside Way, or follow the Whisky Trail. From £295-£495 per week. Tel: +44 (0)1835 822277.
WWW: Seahorse Cottage Web Page