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Kingsburgh Boathouse - luxury Isle of Skye cottage - ( sleeps 2 + cot )

Kingsburgh Boathouse is spectacularly located just a few steps from the private rocky shoreline. The view southwards is of the whole Cuillin ridge, beyond Skeabost. Dating from Jacobite times, the Kingsburgh Boathouse is arguably the most luxurious small private retreat on Skye. Lovingly restored in recent years by Skye's pre-eminent craftsmen

Prices From

£600

£1,000

short breaks available in spring, autumn and winter

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Vernon's personal review of the accommodation, location and items of interest

Isle of Skye Cottage - sleeps 2 + cot

Isle of Skye cottages just don't get any more romantic than this. Formerly a boathouse this small cottage was rescued from ruins by the present owner and converted beautifully to what it is today.

I have a great fondness for this part of Scotland, I have been here many times as it keeps drawing me back again and again. I have seen it in glorious sunshine and in rain so hard and strong it was horizontal rather than vertical, it is also one of the few places where rainfall in Feb to May is only between 2-3cm, well below national average and less than the summer months, which means a visit in low season can be a very good choice. But whatever the weather the Isle of Skye is dramatic and memorable at any time.

The sky is broad when you stand at the side of the loch, the breathtaking view up Loch Snizort is astonishing, the sea, lochs and views of distant isles surround you, and this small stone boathouse is just yards from the edge of the loch. The cottage is immensely comfortable and gently stylish. The living room is open plan, shared with the dining area; there's a wood-burning stove (logs provided) and all mod cons, including dishwasher. Over head there is a mezzanine level double (or twin) bedroom with a dramatic steel tied roof. I was particularly impressed by the bathroom, nothing beats a long hot bath after a day's walking and the bath has a window at low level that lets you see the glorious views as you soak your aches away.

It's the sunsets that are so impressive, to have drinks on the terrace and watch the sun set over the Waternish peninsula is beyond description. You just have to do it.

There are many famous restaurants, the Three Chimneys being the foremost, but you need to book months in advance, so when you book a holiday at this boathouse my tip is to book a night at the Three Chimneys at the same time. I didn't, but went to the old Schoolhouse in Dunvegan and had a lovely meal.

I saw plenty of wildlife and loved the hares, the buzzards, I spotted a golden eagle over the loch, where a common sight are the seals that bask on the coast.

I was heavily influenced as a child by the book "Ring of Bright Water". It was based on the story by Gavin Maxwell of an otter called Mijbi (Mij) and I was hoping to see an otter on my visit to Skye and was rewarded late one evening as I caught a glimpse of an otter. It was just a moment, but to me it was overwhelming, ( soppy old geezer that I am.)

To sum up, the boathouse is possibly the most romantic holiday cottage in Scotland. You will need to book well in advance as this is going to be a very popular accommodation.

Facts and Figures

Downstairs

The two-storey cottage has underfloor warming throughout, enhanced downstairs by the solid Scandinavian wood-burning stove set within the original stonework, now expertly re-pointed. The comfortable open-plan sitting-dining area has cosy sofas and spectacular picture windows looking to the Cuillin ridge to the south and to the Outer Isles to the north, where the setting sun in summer offers the most wonderful vistas. The dining table, custom-made on Skye, is a special feature. The fully-equipped kitchen area has all necessary supplies and the downstairs cloakroom accommodates the washer/drier in case outdoor clothes need laundered while tired walkers enjoy a dram by the fire with some relaxing music or while watching a movie on the HD TV. Broadband, not too fast, is available.

Upstairs

Upstairs, the property shows its true dimensions with its large bedroom with ‘cathedral’ wooden ceiling offering also a sitting area or morning coffee corner with outlook over the loch and to the Cuillins. The super-king size zip-link bed can be offered as a double or twin, as preferred. Down and feather pillows and duvet are provided as standard, but hypo-allergenic are available by request. Adjoining the bedroom is what must be Skye’s most spectacular bathroom. Champagne flutes (plastic for the bathroom!) are available for the evening soak while watching the sunset from the double-ended bathtub. A large walk-in shower and bidet complete the usual facilities, with top quality towels enhancing the experience. By special arrangement, a baby cot could be provided in the bedroom.

Young people over toddling age cannot be accommodated - nor can pets. The cliffs to the sea are hazardous and the crofters' sheep can't be threatened by dogs, so even well-behaved types can't be welcomed.

Location - blue marks the exact location of this property (use the buttons on the left to zoom in and out)

Points of interest

close to Skye Scotlands National Book Town

Comfortable romantic Isle of Skye self catering
Scenic views over loch
Located close to Portree, Isle of Skye's capital
Enjoy the wildlife including seals, otters, buzzards and eagles.

So what is there to see and do close by ?

	Kingsburgh Boathouse is possibly the most romantic holiday cottage in Scotland. Ideal for just 2 people with breathtaking views
	Great dining is an essential part of the Skye experience. The restaurants are too numerous to mention, but Loch Bay Seafood Restaurant is a must, and Three Chimneys for a very special occasion. Portree offers a number of good, informal, spots.
	The Munro-baggers know exactly what they plan to do; it takes half an hour to reach Sligachan from Kingsburgh, and about an hour to Glen Brittle. Booklets are available in the Boathouse giving details of less demanding rambles – perhaps at the Quiraing, between Uig and Staffin, or westward, at the Coral Beach near Dunvegan, or at Oronsay across the causeway – mind the tides! Nearer Kingsburgh is the ruined ‘Hugh’s Castle’ and the Fairy Glen at Uig.
	The fishing is good – either from the rocky coastline, or a professional outing can be arranged with Skye Ghillie whose details are in the Boathouse
	There is a range of arts and crafts in Skye and Lochalsh – offering paintings, sculpture and pottery to discover, as well as yarns at Waternish. A favourite is Orbost Gallery, near Dunvegan, offering lovely watercolours, prints and wood engravings.
	A special day out would be a boat trip from Elgol – maybe to Loch Coruisk – unforgettable in good weather.
	The Cuillin Mountains attract many of the best rock climbers in the world. The Black Cuillin are mainly composed of basalt and gabbro, the latter being a very rough rock which makes for superb grip for mountaineers. It is from the dark colour of the gabbro that the Black Cuillin receive their name. The summits of the Cuillin are bare rock, jagged in outline and with steep cliffs and deep cut corries and gullies. All twelve Munros on Skye are Black Cuillin peaks, though one of them, Blaven, is part of a group of outliers separated from the main ridge by Glen Sligachan. Red Cuillins are mainly composed of granite which is paler than the gabbro (with a reddish tinge from some angles in some lights) and has weathered into more rounded hills with vegetation cover to summit level and long scree slopes on their flanks. The highest point of the hills is Glamaig, one of only two Corbetts on Skye (the other being Garbh-bheinn, part of the small group of gabbro outliers surrounding Blaven).