Rientraid Cottage is a traditional, detached house set in a spectacular location amongst one of Scotland’s most dramatic and rugged landscapes near Lochinver (18.5 miles) in Sutherland, with a stunning view out over Loch a’Chairn Bhain.
Quick Info
Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 3 |
Changeover Day: Tue, Sat | Pets Allowed: Yes (2) |
No smoking | Bathrooms: 2 |
As the cottage is set down half a mile of very steep rough track there is off road parking at the top and the owners meet guests and transport them and their luggage down to get settled in (and back up at the end of the stay). It is then a 10 minute walk back up to your car for days out. The cottage is ‘off grid’ with a generator that provides electricity and no other houses for miles around making this is the perfect retreat for those with a sense of adventure that appreciate peace, quiet and magnificent scenery.
You are welcomed by a bright sunroom and the real heart of the house is the large dining kitchen with a traditional wood-fired Rayburn that provides heat and hot water and doors leading out to the garden from the far end. The handy utility room has plenty of storage for coats, boots, drying space for wetsuits, etc and there is also a downstairs double bedroom, a shower room and a little snug/study with a cosy wood-burning stove.
The sitting room has been cleverly positioned upstairs in order to make the most of the amazing loch view that is showcased by its vast picture window. A hallway then leads along to an additional sunny seating area, a further double bedroom, a twin room and the family bathroom.
Outside the elevated patio is ideal for admiring the loch and Eilean a’Ghamhn island from and the nearby outbuildings are just used for storage. There is a little burn just 50 metres away and some steep drops from the garden, which is not fenced off from the surrounding countryside, so care should be taken with children and pets. The wild landscape around the house extends to over 40 acres and just begs to be explored with unrestricted access all around and private access down to the sea where you can fish or launch small boats, canoes or kayaks.
Please note: Due to Rientraid’s unique setting there is no vehicular access during your stay, therefore the cottage is not suitable for those with limited mobility.
The local landscape is dominated by the imposing Quinag mountain range that is made up of three peaks that are all Corbetts - Sail Ghorm, Sail Gharbh and Spidean Coinich. It takes the best part of a day to climb them and the views from the summits are absolutely incredible.
More about the Quinag Mountain range
(courtesy of the John Muir Trust)
There is a well-stocked village shop in Drumbeg (6 miles) that offers home delivery and the Kylesku Hotel (5 miles) serves excellent meals with lots of local produce and seafood. Boat tours from Kylesku head up Lochs Glendhu and Glencoul and make the ideal vantage point from which to spot birdlife, seals and Britain’s highest waterfall Eas a Chual Aluinn.
The North Coast 500 route passes right by the cottage and you can explore some of it on a drive out to the sandy beach at Clashnessie Bay (11.5 miles). The bay is warmed by the Gulf Stream to create a wonderful little microclimate and a short walk up the valley you can see the impressive Clashnessie Falls waterfall.
Heading north, a passenger ferry runs from Tarbet (20 miles) out to Handa island, a nature reserve that is classified as a SSSI (site of special scientific interest) and is home to thousands of seabirds including Atlantic puffins, guillemots and razorbills. While in the area it is also well worth continuing on to visit the wonderful Smoo Cave at Durness (41 miles).
There is sea, trout and salmon fishing all around with thousands of trout lochs and some of the best salmon rivers in Scotland. The cottage is set within the UNESCO North West Highlands Geopark that was the first of its kind in Scotland and contains some of the oldest rocks in Europe. You can find out more about the park from the café and visitor centre in Unapool (4 miles).
Local Events and Attractions
Please note: while we make every effort to be as accurate as possible, the actual position of the cottage indicated on the map above and the proximity of the amenities in the Local Info section cannot be guaranteed to be precise and should be used as a guide only.
Accommodation
Downstairs
Kitchen/dining room with wood-fired Rayburn and gas hob and oven, fridge/freezer, etc
Utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer
Snug/study with wood-burning stove
Double bedroom
Shower room with WC and wash basin.
Upstairs
Sitting room with TV/DVD
Double bedroom
Twin bedroom
Bathroom with bath, WC and wash basin.
What's included
- Linen (Double Bed)
- Free
- Linen (Single Bed)
- Free
- Sets of towels (per person)
- Free
- WiFi
- Free
- Pet
- Free
- Cot (excluding linen)
- Free
- Highchair
- Free
Services
Bed linen and towels are INCLUDED. The first £30 of electricity is INCLUDED with any additional usage payable at the end of your stay. Heating is by wood-fired Rayburn and wood burning stove (logs INCLUDED). Satellite broadband is available (subject to a fair usage policy) for email checking and general web browsing. Not suitable for large downloads or high bandwidth applications (such as Skype, YouTube, Netflix, iPlayer/video streaming, etc). Water is from a private source which is UV filtered and regularly tested; however (as is typical in many parts of Scotland) it can become discoloured, particularly after heavy rainfall. Guests may therefore prefer to bring bottled water to drink. A maximum of 2 dogs is welcome at an additional charge (2 large, 2 medium, 2 small). No smoking.
Please note: Due to Rientraid’s unique setting there is no vehicular access during your stay, therefore the cottage is not suitable for those with limited mobility.
Weekly Prices
The weekly guide prices for this property are shown below. Use the availability & book sidebar on the right to select your holiday or calculate short break rates (where available).
From 11/10/2024 to 14/10/2024
From 18/10/2024 to 21/10/2024
From 27/09/2024 to 30/09/2024
From 13/09/2024 to 16/09/2024
From 04/04/2025 to 07/04/2025
From 04/10/2024 to 07/10/2024
From 25/10/2024 to 28/10/2024
From 18/10/2024 to 21/10/2024
From 11/10/2024 to 14/10/2024
From 20/12/2024 to 23/12/2024
From 27/12/2024 to 30/12/2024
From 06/09/2024 to 09/09/2024
From 20/09/2024 to 23/09/2024
Changeover Day: Tue, Sat
Rental - Date Range | Sleeps 6 |
06 Jan 2025 - 31 Jan 2025 | POA |
01 Feb 2025 - 04 Apr 2025 | POA |
05 Apr 2025 - 25 Apr 2025 | POA |
26 Apr 2025 - 02 May 2025 | POA |
06 Jan 2026 - 05 Jan 2027 | POA |
06 Jan 2027 - 05 Jan 2028 | POA |
06 Jan 2028 - 05 Jan 2029 | POA |
Please note: Prices are calculated based on your party size at the time of booking. If your party size changes for any reason after booking, please let us know so we can ensure the accommodation provided meets your exact requirements.
Reviews
(Supplied Independently through Feefo)
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Comfortable cottage with good facilities in a stunning location. We thoroughly enjoyed our week and didn't want to come ...
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Rientraid Cottage is a very special property. It's location, the history of the surrounding area and most importantly, t...
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Absolutely the place to cleanse your mind and soul. Solitude has an address and we hope to revisit many times, it was an...
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This is a special place in an amazing part of the world and we have been lucky to have travelled much of it. A fantastic...
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The location was already superlative but the comfort and style of the cottage, added to the owner's attention to detail,...
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