Braidwood Castle - UK10672, Braidwood Castle, Braidwood, Near Carluke

Lanarkshire. Sleeps up to 5

Enjoy a stay at this magnificent restored tower, awash with history, which boasts a majestic great hall and is set over four floors.. Ground Floor:
Step to entrance.
Kitchen/dining room: With electric oven, electric hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, vaulted ceiling and flagstone floor.
Separate toilet.
Very steep and narrow stairs with deep treads to.... First Floor:
Great hall: With wood burner, Freeview TV and DVD player.
Very steep and narrow stairs with deep treads to.... Second Floor:
Bedroom 1: With single bed.
Bathroom: With shower over bath, and toilet.
Very steep and narrow stairs with deep treads to.... Third Floor:
Bedroom 2: With twin beds and vaulted ceiling.
Very steep and narrow steps with deep treads to.... Fourth Floor:
Bedroom 3 (accessed via short external gantry/walkway): With double bed, door leading to external gantry/walkway and en-suite with shower cubicle and toilet.. Electric central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels, Wi-Fi and logs for wood burner included. Travel cot and highchair available on request. Welcome pack.. Enclosed garden with garden furniture. 1½-acre natural grounds with lawned area and orchard (shared with Orchard Cottage at Braidwood Castle ref UK10671). Private parking for 2 cars. Please note: The headroom is low from the stairs onto each floor level of the property. There is a fenced stream in the garden 20 yards away.. This is an extraordinary place, merging the history of a 500-year-old building with contemporary, high-end comforts. It is like time travelling, but Braidwood Castle also offers Wi-Fi, a dishwasher and a fabulous en-suite master bedroom right at the top of the tower. Braidwood Castle is in a class of its own, a rare gem owned by the same family for 350 years, but however tempting it sounds, please be aware that the stairs are steep and narrow, and a stay here would not be advisable if you would usually prefer to take the lift! Orchard Cottage set beside the tower (ref UK10671, sleeping 2) would be a more suitable choice.
Set in the lovely Clyde Valley and also known as Hallbar Tower, Braidwood Castle has a venerable history, being built around 1581 as a fortified tower to protect the Douglas family and neighbours from Border Reivers, and it still is a refuge of peace today. The tower was restored with enormous care and attention to authentic historical detail throughout this ancient building, and the great hall has a unique, painted ceiling.
The somewhat austere exterior has crow-step gables, narrow windows and an external parapet walkway with fantastic views over the Braidwood Burn and the surrounding countryside. The tower was designed, of course, for that very purpose of giving early warning of unwelcome visitors!
Very effective electric central heating helps maintain this ancient stone building and is very cosy for visitors too. A steep stone staircase with deep treads, built within the 1.5-metre exterior wall, connects each floor with the kitchen/dining room and a toilet on the ground floor. The kitchen/dining room has a stone floor, a barrel-vaulted ceiling and is fully equipped. On the next floor is the great hall, which has a low (5ft 6in) doorway, a huge original fireplace with a wood burner and it is beautifully furnished with period oak furniture and lovely fabrics. The painted ceiling shows heraldic motifs, flowers and beasts of the forest, reflecting the fact that hunting was an everyday pursuit 500 years ago. Just imagine an evening in the peace and warmth of this special room, then going up onto the battlements to look at the moon and stars. The bedrooms are on the next three floors, and include a pretty single room and well-appointed bathroom above the great hall. There is also a spacious twin bedroom with a wash hand basin, period furnishings and a vaulted ceiling. Finally, the master bedroom, at the top of the tower, is reached by going out onto the parapet walkway; it has a good sized shower room and lovely period furnishings.
The surrounding enclosed 1½-acre grounds comprise native woodland, and an orchard with a seating area which is shared with guests in Orchard Cottage. A walk leads to the River Clyde directly from the grounds. The central location of this historic tower house enables easy access to some wonderful countryside in the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve just north of Lanark, 5 miles, where there are way marked trails to explore, while at the UNESCO New Lanark World Heritage Centre on the magnificent Falls of Clyde, you can discover how life was lived at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Youngsters will love a visit to the Clyde Valley Family Park close by, or enjoy a day in Glasgow which is very easy by train from Carluke. Shop 1 mile, pub and restaurant ¾ mile.
Braidwood Castle can be booked together with Orchard Cottage at Braidwood Castle (ref UK10671) to accommodate up to 7 guests.

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