Skye in Metro
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S 40 METRO Monday, October 26, 2015 Edinburgh's Award Winning Independent Travel Agent Great Deals on Emirates Flights and holidays to Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Indian Ocean and Dubai! Complimentary Chauffeur-drive Service and access to new Emirates Lounge at Glasgow Airport for all First and Business Class passengers! Free access to Sky Lounge at Glasgow Airport for Economy Class passengers, Quote ‘Metro’ *terms and conditions apply, limited availability Call 0131 228 2227 for live prices on First, Business & Economy class flying from Scotland. Flight and Tailor-Made Experts! www.bryton.co.uk NOW ACCEPTING WINTER LETS A two-night stay on Skye has Stuart Ross dreaming of life outside the city All hail this truly magical island Travel | Culture | Adventure Escape Escape A ustralian Director Justin Kurzel described Skye as ‘brutal’ but ‘inspiring’ when filming the new Macbeth movie on the island in the middle of a wild winter. Fast-forward to a warm, clear-blue sky weekend in mid-October and replace brutal with magical. This is how my wife and I experienced it on a two-night stay in the north and south of the island at Skeabost House and Duisdale House, owned by Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn. Situated off a rural road six miles west of the island’s main town Portree, Skeabost House is a dazzling white- washed Victorian building that sits on the banks of Loch Snizort. The 14-bedroom hotel and restaurant was acquired in May and has been fully renovated inside to give it a stylish boutique look while respecting the classic features of the building. The large conservatory will also have couples searching for a wedding venue squeezing each others hand that little bit tighter. The site that greeted us when entering our room, the Snizort Suite, was the romantic view through the sash windows overlooking the hotel’s nine- hole golf course and idyllic loch. The wood-carved four poster bed didn’t go unnoticed either. It was evident the interior, with its combination of modern appliances and classic, dark wood furniture, had been carefully considered. However, the real surprise came when entering the vast, white-tiled bathroom containing a vintage-style claw foot bath and double sinks – most city flats have smaller living rooms than this. Before dinner we relaxed with a drink in the lounge area warmed up by a log fire and Motown soul coming through the speakers. Local produce featured heavily on the menu and I opted for the hand-dived Sconser scallops to start and guinea fowl as a main. Vegetarian options were limited to the choice of two starters and one main, so my wife chose glazed goats cheese with cous cous to begin and tagliatelle in white wine and wild mushroom cream sauce to follow. The food was artfully presented but by no means measly, and by the time we had finished our sumptuous puddings of Skye Ale sticky toffee pudding and chocolate marquise with orange ice cream we were ready to burn it off in the games room playing billiards – well, randomly potting balls anyway. A hearty bowl of porridge with honey for breakfast was the perfect fuel for a day exploring the island, as we headed north towards Uig in search of the mysterious-sounding Fairy Glen. Having successfully dodged the sheep on the farm road we reached our destination which resembled something out of Lord Of The Rings. Conical grass mounds dotting the landscape reflected in pools of crystal clear water, with a Hobbit being the only thing that was missing. It really is a breathtakingly beautiful place. The imposing site of the jagged Cuillin mountain range is never far from view when driving to the south of the island, where the muliti award- winning Duisdale House is located. A former hunting lodge built in 1865, the 18-bedroom luxury hotel boasts views on to Loch Hourn. Another four-poster bed in our first- floor room was welcome, as was the peaceful view on to the flower-filled garden. It’s easy too see why this establishment has won awards for style as the interior resembles a modern 21st-century hotel within the shell of a handsome 150-year-old mansion. In the lounge before our evening meal we sampled a Caithness Rock Rose gin and tonic, one of the many Scottish gins featured on the drinks menu, and then enjoyed a four-course meal served in the busy two AA Rosette restaurant. In the morning we went in search of a final slice of tranquillity and found it at the tiny beach settlement of Ord. The view over Loch Eishort with the Cuillins behind will have any city dweller questioning whether they should pack up and become a farmer. Skye, itself, was the real star of the weekend but the lead cast of Skeabost and Duisdale Houses were certainly worthy of more awards in the future. Skeabost double rooms with dinner & breakfast start at £109 per person Duisdale DBB start at £128 ppn www.skeabosthotel.com www.duisdale.com Skye high: Clockwise from above, Skeabost House and the Snizort Suite (inset); Fairy Glen; the view of Loch Eishort from Ord; and Duisdale House situated at the south of the island Dessert: Chocolate marquise
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Duisdale and Skeabost Hotels in Metro
Transcript of Skye in Metro
S
40 METRO Monday, October 26, 2015
Edinburgh's Award WinningIndependent Travel Agent
Great Deals on Emirates Flightsand holidays to Thailand,Australia, New Zealand,Indian Ocean and Dubai!
Complimentary Chauffeur-driveService and access to new EmiratesLounge at Glasgow Airport for allFirst and Business Class passengers!
Free access to Sky Lounge atGlasgow Airport for Economy Classpassengers, Quote ‘Metro’
*terms and conditions apply, limited availability
Call 0131 228 2227 for live priceson First, Business & Economy classflying from Scotland. Flight andTailor-Made Experts!
www.bryton.co.uk
NOW ACCEPTING WINTER LETS
A two-night stay on Skye has Stuart Ross dreaming of life outside the city
All hail this truly magical island Travel | Culture | AdventureEscape
EscapeEscapeEscape
Australian Director Justin Kurzel described Skye as ‘brutal’ but ‘inspiring’ when filming the new Macbeth movie on the
island in the middle of a wild winter.Fast-forward to a warm, clear-blue
sky weekend in mid-October and replace brutal with magical. This is how my wife and I experienced it on a two-night stay in the north and south of the island at Skeabost House and Duisdale House, owned by Anne Gracie and Ken Gunn.
Situated off a rural road six miles west of the island’s main town Portree, Skeabost House is a dazzling white-washed Victorian building that sits on the banks of Loch Snizort. The 14-bedroom hotel and restaurant was acquired in May and has been fully renovated inside to give it a stylish boutique look while respecting the classic features of the building. The large conservatory will also have couples searching for a wedding venue squeezing each others hand that little bit tighter.
The site that greeted us when entering our room, the Snizort Suite, was the romantic view through the sash windows overlooking the hotel’s nine-hole golf course and idyllic loch. The wood-carved four poster bed didn’t go unnoticed either. It was evident the interior, with its combination of modern appliances and classic, dark wood furniture, had been carefully considered. However, the real surprise came when entering the vast, white-tiled bathroom containing a vintage-style claw foot bath and double sinks – most city flats have smaller living rooms than this.
Before dinner we relaxed with a
drink in the lounge area warmed up by a log fire and Motown soul coming through the speakers. Local produce featured heavily on the menu and I opted for the hand-dived Sconser scallops to start and guinea fowl as a main. Vegetarian options were limited to the choice of two starters and one main, so my wife chose glazed goats cheese with cous cous to begin and tagliatelle in white wine and wild mushroom cream sauce to follow. The food was artfully presented but by no means measly, and by the time we had finished our sumptuous puddings of Skye Ale sticky toffee pudding and chocolate marquise with orange ice
cream we were ready to burn it off in the games room playing
billiards – well, randomly potting
balls anyway. A hearty bowl
of porridge with honey for breakfast was the
perfect fuel for a day exploring the
island, as we headed north towards Uig in search
of the mysterious-sounding Fairy Glen. Having successfully dodged the
sheep on the farm road we reached our destination which resembled something out of Lord Of The Rings. Conical grass mounds dotting the landscape reflected in pools of crystal clear water, with a Hobbit being the only thing that was missing. It really is a breathtakingly beautiful place.
The imposing site of the jagged Cuillin mountain range is never far from view when driving to the south of the island, where the muliti award-winning Duisdale House is located.
A former hunting lodge built in 1865, the 18-bedroom luxury hotel boasts views on to Loch Hourn. Another four-poster bed in our first-
floor room was welcome, as was the peaceful view on to the flower-filled garden. It’s easy too see why this establishment has won awards for style as the interior resembles a modern 21st-century hotel within the shell of a handsome 150-year-old mansion.
In the lounge before our evening meal we sampled a Caithness Rock Rose gin and tonic, one of the many
Scottish gins featured on the drinks menu, and then enjoyed a four-course meal served in the busy two AA Rosette restaurant.
In the morning we went in search of a final slice of tranquillity and found it at the tiny beach settlement of Ord. The view over Loch Eishort with the Cuillins behind will have any city dweller questioning whether they
should pack up and become a farmer. Skye, itself, was the real star of the weekend but the lead cast of Skeabost and Duisdale Houses were certainly worthy of more awards in the future.
Skeabost double rooms with dinner & breakfast start at £109 per person
Duisdale DBB start at £128 ppnwww.skeabosthotel.com
www.duisdale.com
Skye high: Clockwise from above, Skeabost House and the Snizort Suite (inset); Fairy Glen; the view of Loch Eishort from Ord; and Duisdale House situated at the south of the island
Dessert: Chocolate marquise
