Frequently Asked Questions

Balmore Cottage, Tuim Cottage, East Lodge, Rose Cottage and Old Laundry

Old Post Office, Maragdubh, West Drumchastle and Bridge Cottage

Yes, there is off-road parking adjacent to each cottage.

Not all the gardens are enclosed. See cottage descriptions.

From 4 o'clock onwards. If you are going to arrive after 7 pm, please let us know.

We ask guests to check out by 10 am. on the day of departure. This is to allow time for cleaning and preparation before guests arrive.

Groceries can be delivered for your arrival from the village shop (see Booking Form). An excellent delicatessen/farm shop also delivers to the cottages (see Links page).

Logs are provided free of charge. The log fire is made up ready for your arrival.

Yes, you may order coal and kindling in advance and pay for it on arrival as it is not provided by us but by a local person.

Yes, we strongly advise that you do. We can suggest Schofields Holiday Cancellation Insurance (see Link). For overseas visitors, please include cancellation insurance with your other travel insurance. If you have to cancel your booking, you must telephone us as soon as the reason for the cancellation occurs. You must also confirm your cancellation in writing. Deposits and balances are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation and you should be covered by appropriate insurance. Please note that you are liable for the balance due even if you have to cancel before it has been paid and this will be refunded, less a £50 administration fee, only if we have been able to re-let the holiday. We advise that you ensure that your holiday insurance covers you for this.

Electric cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, washing machine, tumble dryer, toaster, electric kettle, iron, tea towels, bath mats, colour TV (except Bridge Cottage which has video and DVD players only), pillows, duvets, extra blankets. There are dishwashers in East Lodge, Bridge Cottage, Balmore, Rose Cottage, Old Laundry, Tuim Cottage and Old Post Office.

Pets are welcome (maximum 2 dogs) for which there is a charge of £15 per pet per week. Dogs must be kept under control as this is a working sheep farm. Please bring your pet basket as under no circumstances may pets lie on bedding or seating. Any damage or extra cleaning caused by pets will be charged for. Pets must not be left in accommodation unattended or allowed into bedrooms. Guests must clear up after their dogs in the garden areas.

Being in a remote area, the water comes from private water supplies and although it is tested regularly, we cannot guarantee the quality 100%. It is sometime brownish as it comes through the peat. However, we have been letting cottage for 35 years and people have been drinking the water during all this time and we have never had a problem. If it concerns you, we recommend you boil it or drink bottled water. We ourselves use water from a private water supply and find it delicious especially with whisky and tea! No chlorine taste.

We provide basic cleaning supplies such as Flash and toilet cleaner, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, a roll of lavatory paper, soap for hand-basins and some black rubbish bags. Please bring washing machine powder and other supplies. A welcome tray is ready for your arrival with tea and coffee, sugar, milk and shortbread.

As is normal with self-catering cottages, we ask that you leave the cottage and its contents clean and tidy, emptying all rubbish into black bags and putting it in the wheeliebin. We reserve the right to make an extra charge of £35 where extra cleaning is required.

Vodafone and Orange have masts in the glen and a signal from Vodafone can usually be received in or near the cottages. However, this cannot be guaranteed. Other providers do not usually work. In emergencies, messages to 0845 230 1491 or 01882 632 314 will be passed on to the visitors concerned.

We would ask visitors not to smoke in the bedrooms or kitchen at all and preferably not at all in the cottages for the sake of other visitors. However, we do not ban smoking yet. We would ask that you do not drop cigarette ends on the ground in the garden. From January 2009 we will ban smoking.

Yes, Broons Buses & Taxis in Kinloch Rannoch provide a bus and taxi service. See their website at www.broonsbusesandtaxis.co.uk/ or ring them on 01882 632 331.

We do not suffer from midges as much as in the west of Scotland. They only appear in the summer months anyway and if there is any breeze, they are not a problem. On still evenings one tends to notice them most. If you are coming in July and August it is as well to have some midge repellent.

Yes, but not normally in June, July, August and September. See availability calendar.

Tuim Cottage is heated by an oil-fired boiler and radiators. The other cottages have storage heating and convector heaters plus extra portable heaters and Rose Cottage has a Raeburn Cooker in addition.

Yes.

Bed Linen is included and the beds are made up for arrival. Towels are £2.50 per person extra (except for overseas visitors where they are included).

We can provide these without charge. Please indicate your requirements on booking. However, please bring your own cot linen.

Yes, we give you a permit automatically when you arrive.

Yes, a local byelaw forbids fishing from the bank on this loch. Boats are available free for your use. If you want to reserve one for a particular day, you can do so by ringing 01882 632 354 and speaking to Jim. We allow electric outboards only, however we do not provide these.

Yes, there is a tennis court at Lochgarry House which you can use free of charge. If you require tennis rackets and balls, ask at the house.

Blair Castle Trekking Centre is open from April to mid September (except Saturdays).

There are two hotels with bars, a guesthouse/restaurant and a licensed café in the village of Kinloch Rannoch as well as other restaurants a bit further away. There are many places to eat in the surrounding towns. There is a list in each cottage.

There are numerous shops in Aberfeldy and Pitlochry and there is the famous House of Bruar an enjoyable half hour's drive from Kinloch Rannoch over the hills and near Blair Castle.

From March 15th to October 6th.

From January 15th to October 15th.

Yes, there are two fishing shops. One, Quayles, in Pitlochry and the other at the back of the Dunalastair Hotel in Kinloch Rannoch. They also sell permits for other lochs and rivers.

We do have ticks here and all over the Highlands and it is advisable to wear long trousers when out walking in long grass, heather or bracken in spring, summer and autumn. After a walk it is sensible to check yourself for ticks and remove them if attached. They do not often attach themselves to humans, mainly to dogs and other animals. We provide a tick removal kit. If you put antiseptic on the bite, that should suffice. However, Lyme Disease is a rare infection from tick bites, so if the site of a bite gets red after a day or two, see the local doctor for preventative antibiotics. Dogs do not usually need any treatment other than removal. We all have dogs and have never had serious problems.

You can walk around the estate on estate roads and tracks and on the hills and in fields where there are no stock or crops. There are some places where dogs can be walked off the lead provided they are under control. There are certain places where pheasant and partridges are encouraged and it is appreciated if dogs are not walked in these areas, which have notices. During the deer stalking period, 21st September to 21st October we ask walkers to check with the keeper if they are planning to go to the hills so that he can advise them where to go to avoid stalkers. Stalking (culling) is an essential part of the environmental conservation on Dunalastair. Rannoch has many other beautiful places to walk including Schiehallion, the 'hill of the fairy caledonians' and the famous Black Wood where you will see ancient Caledonian Pines and rare wildlife. Leaflets available locally.

If you do the walk to Macgregor's Cave from Bridge Cottage, you need wellies to cross the burn. In winter wellies are useful for low ground walks as there is sometimes mud about. Otherwise, walking boots are usually adequate.