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Live Like a Laird
Annabel Goldie-Morrison crosses the border into Scotland to explore castles and houses designed not only to impress but also to give pleasure and a sense of escapism to all lucky enough to cross their thresholds.
Canary Wharf and The City Magazines - October 2011
There's nothing quite like throwing a house party in a Scottish castle - all the grandeur you could desire, plus comfort, service and genial Highland hospitality. LTR organises bespoke holidays to a fantastic range of castles throughout Scotland, where the key is privacy, service and spectacular surroundings. Whether it's a family holiday, shooting trip or celebration, all your needs will be taken care of - just relax and enjoy the glorious surroundings. We explored three of the best properties in LTR's Elite Portfolio.
Aldourie Castle - Lying on the shores of the fabled Loch Ness, Aldourie Castle is a vision of fairytale grandeur. There are turrets, towers, nooks and crannies aplenty and it has recently been completely, and sensitively, restored into a luxurious yet intimate home. Set in 500 acres of highland countryside, with lawns leading from the castle down to Loch Ness, the gardens and woodland have been returned to the splendour of their 19th century heyday and the original kitchen gardens have been preserved.
The castle is rich in history and great attention has been paid to its heritage and period detail; rich fabrics, elegant furniture and fine antiques are in abundance. Sleeping up to 28, the 15 bedrooms range from grand four-posters to cosy single rooms and each has a charm and personality of its own, with distinctive furnishings and decor. The bathrooms are spectacular, many of which are bigger than the bedrooms, and some have vast Victorian baths and hand-painted murals.
There's plenty to do on the estate and further afield. Relax by the roaring fire in the opulent Red Drawing Room, chill out in the Games Room, go for a bracing walk, try clay pigeon shooting, archery or quad biking, or, in season, go fishing or game shooting. Aldourie Castle has a private marina from which you can take a boat tour around Loch Ness, including lunch or dinner, or just an exhilarating RIB (rigid inflatable boat) ride up to Urquhart Castle.
Ackergill Tower - Is there anything more romantic than a castle by the sea? Perched on the most northerly tip of mainland UK, Ackergill Tower is a doyenne amongst castles, dating back to 1476. Seclusion doesn't have to mean inaccessible - Ackergill is only four miles from Wick Airport, with daily flights from Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Despite having the service and amenities of a five star hotel, Ackergill puts every effort into ensuring that it feels like your own for the time you are there.
Ackergill Tower can accommodate up to 48 guests in 25 bedrooms, all of which are en-suite. Some of the bedrooms look out towards the sea, over Sinclair Bay, and others look inland over the gardens and croquet lawn. Here alarm clocks are redundant, as you are roused in the morning by bagpipes playing outside your room and a welcome cup of tea is placed by your bedside. Up for a hearty Scottish breakfast (porridge is compulsory), it's then off to enjoy the great outdoors.
There's golf, archery, clay pigeon, rifle and game shooting, stalking, falconry, fishing, walking and sightseeing to keep you busy here. In nearby John O'Groats you can take a boat tour out towards the Orkney Islands or head to Castle of Mey to have a look around the Scottish retreat of the late Queen Mother. Lunch can be a picnic on the sandy beach outside Ackergill Tower or perhaps an indoor barbeque of venison sausages and monkfish at the bothie or Loch Killimster.
After an afternoon of outdoor pursuits, or perhaps relaxing in the Tower with a massage or a good book by the fire, Afternoon Tea is laid out in the drawing room - a cornucopia of homemade cakes, scones, biscuits, jams and hot drinks. The warmth of a roaring fire while a wild sea rages in the bay outside is enough to make anyone feel cosy and content.
The former coach house has been converted into the Opera House, where musical and drama performances, parties and ceilidhs can take place. There's also a huge tree house in the grounds, for meetings, events or dinners. Dinner itself is held in the medieval Great Hall, fires flickering in the hearths, and the table gleaming with silver and cut glass. The chef is a master of his craft and uses local, in-season produce.
Try sweet Caithness lamb, local beef, wild salmon caught in the bay, Orkney oysters, scallops from Strathy, Sinclair Bay crab and game when it's the season, accompanied by selections from the extremely fine wine cellar.
After dinner is the perfect time to admire the amazing night skies, with the occasional meteor shower and maybe a glimpse of the Northern Lights. A good way to round off the night is with a bonfire on the beach, accompanied by music and a wee dram of the local malt.
Corrour Lodge - Without a doubt, this is one of Scotland's more unusual 'castles'. Designed by acclaimed architect Moshe Safdie, the imposingly geometric Corrour Lodge is built of silvery granite, steel and glass in strong contrast to the wild and romantic countryside surrounding it.
Although only two hours from Inverness, Corrour takes privacy to extremes and once you've driven the 11 miles along a rugged track from the main road to the Lodge, you're unlikely to venture far from the estate, although there really is no need to. Here you can truly escape the pressures of everyday life and allow yourself to be superbly looked after by the resident housekeeper and her husband.
The Lodge is a sanctuary of luxury and modernity in the heart of Scottish wilderness. The interiors have a strong Scandinavian influence with contemporary furnishings and pieces of art, mixed in with antiques - artwork that would be at home in the Guggenheim wits alongside deer antlers and ancient tapestries.
The seven en-suite double bedrooms all have views over Loch Ossian and there's also a bunk room for up to 14 children. Unlike many traditional counterparts, Corrour Lodge is light and spacious, with a formal dining room seating 32, a huge sitting room with vast windows looking out over the Loch, a library, office, various seating areas and a stellar games room in the basement with enough to keep any adult or child occupied for hours.
The 60,000 acre Corrour estate spreads out beyond the enormous windows, a real wilderness filled with abundant wildlife. The estate operates a world-renowned deer management programme and offers excellent stalking. You perhaps go trekking on one of the hardy Icelandic ponies. Intrepid hill walkers can challenge one of the five munroes (mountains over 3,000 feet) or go mountain biking along the rugged tracks.
Corrour has its own station, the highest in the UK, and you can arrive by overnight sleeper direct from Euston, and be driven to the Lodge in time for breakfast. On the return leg, if you leave on a Sunday night you can be at your desk on Monday morning, still windswept from your Highland fling.
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Emma Cripwell
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