Holiday Cottages

There are two holiday houses at Druminnor: the Garden Cottage (sleeps 7) and the Laundry (sleeps 4-6).  They are situated in the gardens of the castle and share its environment and atmosphere.  Both are old stone houses, originally built as the castle's coachhouse and laundry, and renovated in recent years to what we hope is a high standard for holiday letting.

 

Garden Cottage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The area

Druminnor is situated in Upper Strathbogie, in a very historic and unspoiled farming landscape.  East of here the rich farmlands of the Garioch and Mar stretch to the sea at Aberdeen.  Immediately to the West the land rises sharply and becomes the wild highland moorland districts of the Cabrach, Glenfiddich, Strathdon and the Forest of Clashindarroch. 

The nearest villages are Rhynie (with shop, hotel and medical centre) and Clatt, each 1-2 miles.  The nearest shopping towns are Huntly and Alford, each c. 10 miles.  Further afield are Inverurie, Elgin, Banff and the Deeside resorts of Banchory, Aboyne and Ballater.

Rhynie is the centre of one of the most important Pictish landscapes in Scotland, with an unmatched cluster of vitrified forts, recumbent stone circles and sculptured stones.  Recent archaeological work has dramatically underlined the importance of this landscape; a further programme of excavation is expected in summer 2012. 

Activities

West Aberdeenshire is an ideal base for many outdoor activities: 

  • Walking, cycling, horse-riding, sailing, hang-gliding, climbing, skiing & langlauf, water-skiing - all of these are easily available from here.  The area is vast and sparsely populated once away from the East coast - if you want to chill this is the place to come. 
  • Golf - the north-east has dozens of courses presenting a wide range of challenges, soon to be 'crowned' by Donald's masterpiece at Balmedie. 
  • Country sports - fishing on Deveron, Don, Dee or Spey, or innumerable lochs; game shooting (grouse, pheasant, pigeons); deer-stalking (roe and red). 

If it rains (or if you've had enough outdoors):

  • Castle & Garden visiting - this is Scotland's 'Castle Country' with ten major National Trust properties, backed up by 20 or so privately owned but often equally interesing and important houses and castles.  An even larger number of wonderful ruined castles are in State care and open to the public. 
  • Arts - there is an astonishing amount to see and do, from the numerous art galleries and museums, theatres and opera houses, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Aug-Sept), the North-East Open Studios week (Sept), film clubs, ceilidhs - and of course the world-famous highland games at Braemar, Lonach and Aboyne (all Aug-Sept).  
  • Food - good restaurants are harder to find than one would like but there are enough places of real excellence to fill a holiday week!  In contrast local produce - which can be sampled in full at the regular local Farmers' Markets - is wonderful, including meat of all kinds, fish and shellfish direct from the sea or the river, bread, oatcakes and buscuits (not to mention stovies, Cullen Skink and Finnan Haddies).  We don't make wine for some reason, but we do have this local stuff we call whisky, which you may like to try.   

If you are interested in any of the above activities or attractions, please ask us for details of what's available and who to contact. We are very keen to help you make your holiday as enjoyable as possible.