This is the very tip of Scotland, the top left-hand corner of our small island, a land of infinite splendour - of soaring mountains, of aquamarine seas, of views that stretch for miles under a vast sky. It is one of the most beautiful places you will encounter on our planet, a majestic wilderness that offers the chance to sweep away the concrete and reconnect with the wonder of nature. Those who like the middle of nowhere, who enjoy long journeys into the wilds, who like to swap the bright lights for the end of the road - this is the place for you.
As for these spectacular cottages, well, they’re the stuff of dreams, every bit as breathtaking as the land they sit in. Completely private and set far apart, Shore Croft is nearer the water, Hill Croft has broader views. Both have walls of glass that run along the front, framing views of Loch Eriboll - imperious stuff. Inside, an open-plan wonderland waits: concrete resin floors, roughly hewn wooden walls, Caithness stone bathrooms, magnificent kitchens for all occasions. You get long dining tables, Sonos music systems, leather sofas in front of cool wood-burners. There are 2 clawfoot baths in each, one inside, one outside on your huge terrace so you can soak under a starry sky. Come in winter and you may see the Northern Lights. Out of this world.
Highs
- This wildly beautiful landscape and the ever-changing light - you can sit for hours watching nothing at all, a strangely satisfying pastime. We especially loved watching storms pass; once you’ve seen one, you’ll want more!
- Heaven for a romantic escape; bike and hike empty beaches and majestic mountains, then hunker down for candlelit evenings
- You’re at the end of the world with little to do - this is a seriously relaxing spot, and the journey in is stunning, cutting through the middle of nowhere
- Owners Robbie and Fiona are passionate about the environment and both cottages are carbon negative courtesy of wind turbines, solar panels and local sheep, whose wool insulates the roofs
- Beautiful kitchens and you can arrange to have meals waiting for you in the freezer
Lows
- Extremely remote (2-3 hours' drive from Inverness) with unpredictable weather
- Weekly stays (Sat-Sat) only - though given the spectacular remoteness, you wouldn't want to stay less
- The beaches may be pure white sand but the water is icy cold, so bring a wet or dry suit if you want to swim, then join the locals who like to bodyboard in good weather
- There’s no nightlife - a couple of restaurants in high season and that’s about it; the nearest pubs are 5km away in Durness
Best time to go
In summer there’s more to do and the days are longer - it’s light until 11pm. You can get across to Cape Wrath and the restaurants will be open. Midges come from June to August, but they’re much worse to the south. However, bring Jungle Formula with you. In winter, snow falls further south and you may not be able to get here, but most of the time you'll be fine - the west coast is wet, it’s the interior that gets the snow. We can’t think of a better place to hunker down for a week in midwinter and you may see the Northern Lights.
Remember the weather is entirely unpredictable all year round, so coming in high summer does not guarantee sun. Having said as much, on our last visit it seemed the whole of Britain was drowning from torrential rain. But not Durness. On the contrary, your intrepid reporter was playing some very bad golf and getting sunburnt in the process!
Remember the weather is entirely unpredictable all year round, so coming in high summer does not guarantee sun. Having said as much, on our last visit it seemed the whole of Britain was drowning from torrential rain. But not Durness. On the contrary, your intrepid reporter was playing some very bad golf and getting sunburnt in the process!
Our top tips
- Boutique Cottages
- 2 cottages for 2 people
- Self-catering (restaurants a drive away)
- Over 16s only
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car essential
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Laundry facilities
Rooms
One of the loveliest features of these pleasure domes is that while they’re huge, they’re only intended for 2 people apiece, and each has just 1 bedroom. They’ve also been built with privacy in mind, and as you’re completely invisible to the rest of the world, you can sleep with the curtains open and wake at dawn to see the first light of day creeping over the mountains before splashing down in the loch. OK, it might seem like an early start, but you can go back to sleep immediately and you won’t regret it for a moment.
As for the bedrooms themselves, they’re deliciously uncluttered. You have concrete resin floors, wood-clad walls, then a couple of armchairs and a vast 7ft feather bed dressed in crisp white linen. You don’t get wardrobes, but there's uncovered hanging space on each side of the bed, and acres of tartan curtain in case you want to shut out the light. The huge ensuite bathrooms are a thing of great beauty, with Caithness stone walk-in power showers and clawfoot baths for a good soak. There’s also a bath outside on your terrace, and cosy bathrobes to whisk back and forth in.
The rest of your cottage is an open-plan space: a lounge with a wood-burner, comfy chairs and that fabulous view, then a kitchen/dining area. Tucked away, you'll find a laundry room (with a washing machine and tumble dryer).
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Iron
- Tumble dryer
- Washing machine
- WiFi
Eating
The crofts' kitchens are divine - there is little in this world that's going to make you want to cook more than being here; even the washing-up is a dream. The sound system plays in every room, so you can cook local shellfish with cool tunes floating around you, and you’ve got all the kit: huge aluminium fridge/freezer, gorgeous oven and hob, coffee maker, built-in microwave, even a barbecue on the terrace. Ceramics come from Lotte Glob, and you get stunning surfaces, beautifully polished black Caithness stone that you’ll want in your kitchen at home. There's an electric handwhisk, champagne flutes, kitchen scales. In short, no excuses!
You can eat inside or outside on your enormous terrace with views of sea and mountain. You’ll need to bring most of your food with you (although basic ingredients are provided) and that will mean a supermarket stop en route. If you fly into Inverness, you’ll find all the big supermarkets in town. If you come up the west coast, Oban and Fort William also have big supermarkets, but after that (ie the final 200km) there’s really nothing bigger than a village shop to harvest from. Your hosts Fiona and Robbie own the small supermarket in Durness (5km); it’s not Waitrose on the King's Road, but it’s got lots of the little things you might forget. Finally, a fish and meat van passes through once a week and you can order great local produce in advance.
You can arrange for homemade meals to be waiting in your freezer in case you want a night off, and there are restaurants a short drive away - not least Mackay’s, Fiona and Robbie’s small hotel, which serves the best food in town. Note that most shut in mid-October and don’t open until mid-March. In season, you can also try Smoo Cave for a pizza or Sango Sands for pub grub. Finally, if you want to splash out, head 55km south to The Albannach at Lochinver for some of the best food in the North.
Features include:
- Barbecue
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Food blender
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Meal delivery service
- Microwave
- Oven
- Toaster
Activities
- Both cottages are utterly divine and hanging about at home is likely to be your chief pleasure of choice. So bring loads of books, a pack of cards, a box of games and a stash of CDs and DVDs, and simply chill out in the lap of contemporary luxury
- In summer you can visit Cape Wrath, the top-left corner of Britain. You take a ferry across the kyle (May-September), then you either walk, jump on a minibus or spin off on your mountain bike. Craggy 200-foot cliffs covered in seabirds plunge into the sea, the lighthouse was built by Robert Stevenson, and there’s a beautiful beach at Kearvaig. Unmissable. Puffin season is late-May to mid-July
- Head to Durness Golf Course - it’s not Gleneagles, but it’s looked after well and provides a good test of golf. Don’t expect a par 3 pitch and putt, it’s actually quite long. The 18th, a par 3, requires a shot over - or more likely into - the Atlantic! Keep your eyes peeled for killer whales hunting seals in the bay
- Local hiking is sensational, anything from a 30-minute stroll along the coast to a 7-hour ascent of a local mountain. Ben Hope - you see it from both houses - is the most northerly munro in Scotland
- Believe it or not people surf up here. The best spot is Sango Bay and its beautiful sandy beach. But remember, the water is ice-cold, so you’ll need a good dry suit
- Visit Smoo Cave, in town. A well-maintained, decked path leads down. It’s 65m deep, 40m wide and 20m high with a small stream flowing out of it
- On a good day head to the beaches at Oldshoremore for vast expanses of wild sand. You can drive as far as Sheigra, then walk up to Sandwood Bay, one of the most beautiful spots on the wild west coast. You’re only about 10km south of Cape Wrath, so you can walk in during summer
- Take the wildest drive in Britain - east to Tongue, south to Lairg, then back up to Durness via Laxford Bridge. There’s a pub in Lairg for lunch
- The Highland Games in Durness take place on the last weekend in July. It’s the biggest day in the town’s calendar and the odd dram is drunk in the evening
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Boat trips
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Mountain biking
- Plantlife / flora
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Whale watching
- Wildlife
Kids
The crofts welcome over 16s only, with a maximum occupancy of 2 adults per house.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The cottages are 5km from Durness, the most northwesterly small town on mainland Britain, and part of Sutherland. It's on the shores of Loch Eriboll and 161km north of Inverness. Driving from Edinburgh or Glasgow will take 5-6 hours; from Inverness it's 2-3 hours, and from Fort William it's about 4-5 hours.
By Air
The nearest airport is Inverness, which offers daily flights
from the south. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.
From the Airport
You'll need to hire a car - see our car rental recommendations.
By Train
The sleeper from Euston goes variously via Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fort William and Inverness. See Seat 61 for more details. You can hire cars at the respective stations and drive from there.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- Inverness 168.0 km INV
Other:
- Beach 15.0 km
- Shops 5.0 km
- Restaurant 5.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
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