Cottage in The Highlands, Lairg

Sutherland. Sleeps up to 12

Explore the wild beauty of Sutherland and the Highlands with the lodge as your ideal base. Stay close to home and discover all that Loch Shin has to offer: choose a route to follow either on foot or by bike, or cross the water in a canoe or kayak. Drive to the picturesque Falls of Shin (11 miles), recognised as one of the best places in Scotland to see salmon leaping, and afterwards enjoy a drink and a light bite at the cafe. For an unforgettable day trip, venture east to romantic Dunrobin Castle (26.5 miles). The castle's turrets and spires, as well as the elegant formal gardens, make it seem like a castle from a fairytale. Enter the property into the hall, and store coats and shoes away in the boot/utility room, which also comes with a handy drying cupboard perfect for rainy days. The colourful and spacious drawing room is where everyone will spend their evenings, while the wood burner keeps you warm and cosy. Watch the TV, practise a tune on the piano, and settle onto the sofa with a good book. There's a table in the bright kitchen for snacks and leisurely breakfasts; for more formal meals sit down together in the sumptuous dining room. The kitchen has all you need to serve up a hearty meal, with an AGA, electric oven and hob, and microwave, as well as a larder for storage. Also on this floor is the study with sofa bed, and a bathroom with shower and WC. Climb the charming wooden staircase for a good night's sleep in one of the pretty bedrooms. Choose between the three doubles, the twin, or the two zip and link twins (which can be made into doubles on request). Unwind with a warm soak or a hot shower; along the corridor you'll find a bathroom with bath and WC, a bathroom with bath, shower and WC, and a separate WC also. Outside there is a veranda with seating, perfect for a BBQ and al fresco dining on a warm evening. Remember to keep your eyes peeled for sightings of local wildlife. It's a fantastic place for bird watching, and deer have also been spotted from the house. If it's a rainy day, go head to head over table tennis in the garage.

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