As beautifully renovated as this old gardener’s cottage certainly is, it’s the setting you’ll marvel at first. Tucked away down an estate track, Culdoach enjoys total seclusion, greenery aplenty and startling views over rolling countryside to Screel and Bengairn beyond.
Factor in the majestic woodland behind and, unsurprisingly, rural peace abounds. On balmy days, you can linger in the garden, listen to birdsong (and distant moos or baas) and enjoy perfect privacy.
Culdoach is part of the private, 5,000-acre Barwhillanty Estate. Family-owned and run since 1884, biodiversity and sustainable farming practices are a key focus for the current custodians. The estate has a dedicated yoga (and aerial yoga!) space as well as picturesque walking, running and biking trails (maps are provided) and the option (on request) to go trout-fishing. Wildlife tours can also be booked, as well as home-grown vegetable baskets and more. There’s also fantastic riding nearby and the option to bring your own horse.
Downstairs, the cottage features an open-plan kitchen, dining and seating area heated, when necessary, by a large, crackling wood burner (with logs provided).
One bedroom is downstairs and en suite with a walk-in shower. The other two beckon up a narrow staircase and share the main bathroom and its roll-top soaking tub, heated towel rails and own shower. Two chambers can be set up either with twin beds or one solitary king-size unit, depending on what suits you best. The remaining chamber is always a king-sized bed.
The design is bright and cheerful, aided by vibrant paintings, wooden floorboards and pops of colour.
Active groups will find heaps to do in this corner of unsung Dumfries and Galloway, from golf courses and 7stanes mountain bike routes to sailing, windsurfing and kayaking on Loch Ken. If all that sounds far too tiring, you’re about half an hour’s drive from the spectacular Solway Firth coast and pretty sandy beaches at Rockcliffe, Sandyhills or Dhoon.
Closer still are Castle Douglas, an acclaimed ‘food town’ rich in local producers, and the art hub of Kirkcudbright, where longstanding colonies (including Edward Atkinson Hornel) have lived and worked in the vivid riverside site. Galleries, led by the exceptional Kirkcudbright Galleries, and festivals proliferate while Hornel’s handsome old home and gardens, beautiful Broughton House, is open to visitors.
There are a range of activities available at Barwhillanty Estate during your stay at Culdoach Cottage. The following are pending the external availability of the activity provider:
Aerial Yoga Instruction / Class - Aerial yoga is an exhilarating practice, promising to deliver on strength training, flexibility improvement, and a fun way to feel good. The aerial hammock is a delightful prop that allows you to stretch deeply and access movement in flight. Book an aerial yoga class, hosted by Maria Yerburgh (@thelifestyledentist) in the beautiful yoga space, located right by the Barwhillanty Estate Office.
Group / Private Yoga Classes - Yin-Yang flow sequences offer comprehensive movement, benefitting both body and mind. Yin focuses on our joints and connective tissues (the “yin” tissues). Maria Yerburgh (@thelifestyledentist) will lead the class in the wonderful yoga space or the walled garden (weather permitting in the summer months) by the Barwhillanty Estate Office. This is a floor-based flow, focusing on your connective tissues and joints in yin poses alongside dynamic movements that work on building fitness, strength and flexibility.
Trout Fishing Full and Half Days - Cast your line for good-sized rainbow and brown trout. Half-day and full-day permits are available for 2 lochs on the estate - please note, you must use your own equipment.
Wildlife Tours - Immerse in the natural environment and surround yourself with the beautiful wildlife native to Barwhillanty. Join David, Barwhillanty Estate’s gamekeeper, on a guided tour to see deer, circling birds of prey and explore the wider estate. There is also the opportunity to sit in a high seat at dawn or dusk to experience the stillness and wonder the local landscape has to hold.
Home Grown Vegetable Hamper - Barwhillanty Estate understands the importance of locally grown produce. There’s nothing better than the satisfaction of eating something that has been lovingly grown in the nutritious soil of South West Scotland. Purchase and enjoy a tasty vegetable box which reflects the changing seasons with the freshest harvest.
Please note that booking Culdoach Cottage does not guarantee access to the activities listed above. If your booking for Culdoach Cottage is dependent on the availability of an activity, please contact the Crabtree & Crabtree bookings team at info@crabtreeandcrabtree.com or on 01573 226711 before placing your cottage booking. We can provisionally hold your dates and check availability for you.
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