House in Scotland - holiday cottage to rent

Camusblathan

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Camusblathan (Bay of Small Flowers) is located in one of the most beautiful places in the world, on the wild peninsular of Knoydart in the Western Highlands of Scotland.

The house overlooks the sea (the Sound of Sleat) to the haunting jagged peaks of the Cuillins of Skye. The views are breathtaking. Since taking this photo we have a new neighbour to the right - see photo below.

Camusblathan (Bay of Small Flowers)

View of the Cuillins from the sitting room

View up to the Kyles of Lochalsh

Rocky beach looking south west to "The Garden of Skye"

Western Isles Ferry

Knoydart is the remotest peninsular of the mainland, the last remaining wilderness in Great Britain, and can only be reached by sea, or a 20 mile hike on foot.

The passenger ferry from Mallaig to Inverie, Knoydart goes twice a day Monday-Friday in summer months, and Mon/Wed/Fri in winter months and takes 45 minutes. It is not a car-ferry; you have to leave your car in Mallaig.

There are no shops on Knoydart, apart from the post-office selling limited provisions, and opening limited hours. The total population of Knoydart is about 100 people. Here there are 35,000 acres of some of the wildest land in Britain.

Western Isles Ferry

Inverie

The ferry arrives at Inverie.

The Old Forge Public House is open all day with an excellent restaurant, and The Pier Guesthouse also serves good evening meals to non-residents. You can get tea and lunch in the old Pier Stores. It is the headquarters of the Knoydart Foundation where you can get information about the peninsular and it’s activities. There are woodland walks and a large sandy beach, camping, a hostel and a bunkhouse.

Inverie at low tide

Inverie Beach

Location

Camusblathan, (formerly called Park House)our holiday cottage, is by the sea, and is in the hamlet of Airor, which is 7 miles from Inverie along a single-track road. We arrange for our vehicle to be there (at present a red mini-bus) included in the price, and you can drive it to Airor, which takes about 40 minutes.

The drive has spectacular scenery in both directions overlooking the Sound of Sleat, Skye, and the Monroes of Knoydart.

There is a cluster of small houses in Airor but only one or two permanent residents in a couple of crofts. The road comes to an end at the house, so there is no traffic passing by, just the occasional cyclist and rambler.

The single track road to Airor.

Charter Boat

Airor Bay

Airor Pier taken from above Camusblathan

Accommodation

In all there are 5 double bedrooms. The main house has 2 large double-bedded rooms (one with an additional bunk bed)and one small double-bedded room, plus bathroom, modernised kitchen with washing machine, tumble drier and dishwasher, dining room with log fire, and sitting room with wood burning stove

Attached but with separate entrance and facilities, is The Annexe, which has a double bedroom, a kitchenette with a sofabed and log burning stove and bathroom. The house can be let with or without the annexe, which is sometimes occupied by the owner but the main house has thesole occupancy of the garden.

The house can be made even cosier and warm with the rayburn and/or central heating. There is no mains electricity, but the generator (and its inverter) provides electricity which can be used for all modern applicances (bringing the fuel in is a costly business with a £100 delivery charge!).

This house is not "done up", but has the charm of a family holiday cottage of yesteryear. Please note, the water is taken straight from the burn and is peat coloured. Therefore your bathwater will be brownish. The kitchen has a filter so the tea should be ok.

Camusblathan

Sitting room

Dining room

Kitchen

Walking, Wildlife, Flora and Fauna and Relaxation

This is a wonderful place to paint, read and relax.

The walking is to suited to all abilities, with an interesting coastal path; some steep hills and rugged mountains. There is a particularly beautiful walk down Glenguiseran to Inverie, and another one up Airor burn to the waterfall and beyond.

There are numerous small coves and pebble beaches close to the house, a  couple of small sandy beaches, one with a pier and many fascinating rock pools.

Between Inverie and Airor there are some spectacular sandy beaches, but, with the exception of Sandaig, they are not reachable by car, only by a ¾ hr walk from the hamlet of Sandaig on the road or by boat.

Smugglers Bay

Jellyfish in rockpool

Sea Anenomies

Andy sailing the Drascombe Lugger

Pulling the dinghy up the beach

Deer

Feral goats

There are opportunities to go on whale and dolphin watching sea trips.

Sometimes the seals are in residence on Airor Island visible from the house, and sometimes they are on the next island along – Samadalan.

You often see one or two swimming in Airor Bay, along with the otters, and to the horror of Andy’s sister Maggie who was in a canoe at the time – a 30’ basking shark. (They are harmless to humans).

This is a great place if you have your fishing tackle, with mackerel abounding.

Dolphins

Seal

Cormorants

Bay of small flowers

Rhododendrons at Airor Bay

Kayaking in the sea

Weather

The weather is typical Western Isles - atmospheric, changeable, with romantic mists, brief squalls, bright and sunny episodes and then torrential rain. Sometimes, when you are blessed, long, hot, still days.

Midges can be a problem in July/ August -take midge cream.

Shopping

Mallaig, fishing port and car ferry terminal to Skye, has a couple of small supermarkets which are not sophisticated, so if you want balsamic vinegar etc, you need to shop for your supplies in Fort William. Once over in Airor, you can phone the supermarkets in Mallaig before 9.30 in the morning on a weekday and they will make you up a parcel, and put it on the afternoon ferry to Inverie. You can pay by credit card. You can also order fish from the fish merchants.

Getting to Mallaig by Car

The road to the Isles from the Erskine Bridge up to Mallaig has some of the most beautiful and varied scenery you could wish to experience. The gentle and romantic shores of Loch Lomond, through the forests of the Bridge of Orchy and the isolated moonscape of Rannoch moor, then the evocative and historical Glen Coe to Fort William, home of Ben Nevis. If you take the old coast road, you can take in the breathtaking Silver sands of Morar.

Ben Nevis

Silver sands of Morar

Where to stay on the way up

There is a useful place to stay with wooden tipis near Tyndrum (see below), which is the perfect distance for catching the 2 o'clock ferry from Mallaig.

Getting to Mallaig by Rail

The Caledonian sleeper from Euston leaves at 9pm and stops at Fort William in time for you to catch the train to Mallaig, or you could take the 'Jacobite Steam' train, which stops at Glenfinnan station museum. This is a wonderful way travelling.

Getting to Mallaig by Air

Fly to Inverness and get public transport or hire a car. 3 hours drive.

From Mallaig and Arisaig it is possible to explore further afield from Skye to the Outer Hebrides and Rhúmm, Eigg, Muck, Canna etc.

What You Need to Bring

Food, wine, loo paper, washing-up liquid, soap, dishwasher tablets, wellies, torches, matches, firelighters, slippers. Leave anything sophisticated behind and go for comfortable …

Rental Charges 2012

Reflecting the un-poshness of the property, our rentals are half the going rate for such an amazing location!

High Season (Christmas, New Year, Easter, School/Bank Holidays, half terms): £750 per week for main house, with annexe add £200

May-September £650 (Excluding half-term and holidays see above) with annexe add £150

Mid Season (April and October) except half term £500 with annexe add £125

Low Season (Jan -March, Nov-Dec): £400 per week, with annexe add £100

Check availability

Tenants had a wonderful wedding up there - here is her letter and a link to her fantastic photos

Fantastic recent views Sept 2010 of Knoydart http://www.flickr.com/photos/jowaddell/

Contact Details

For further information telephone Sally or Andy Birtwell on 01608 684239, or on 07771 983738 if no reply.
Alternatively, email sally@holycombe.com.

Address for correspondence: Holycombe, Whichford, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 5PH

Camublasthan: Camusblathan, formerly Park House, Airor, Knoydart, nr Mallaig, Invernesshire PH41 4PL

Helpful Websites and Telephones

Knoydart Foundation

The Road to the Isles

Mallaig to Inverie Ferry

Andy Race Fish Merchants, Mallaig

The Old Forge Public House, Inverie

Strathfillan Wigwams (accommodation on the way up)

Scot Rail: Caledonian sleeper trains from Euston to Fort William

Steam train between Fort William and Mallaig

Jacobite Steam Train