The vibe:
Super stylish, deeply cosy Scottish Highland cottages on a historic estate – woodland walks from the door, deer in the garden, evenings by the fire and a pub nearby.
Welcome to Cawdor Estate in the Scottish Highlands
Just 12 miles from Inverness and close to Nairn, Cawdor Estate is one of those places that makes you slow down the moment you arrive.
Rather than a single place to stay, Cawdor Estate offers a small collection of beautifully individual cottages and riverside lodges.
Staying here feels less like being a tourist and more like slipping into country life for a few days. The Cawdor Estate is low-key, elegant, and wonderfully unshowy – let’s check in.
Cawdor Estate Holiday Cottages at a glance
Cawdor’s cottages are dotted across the estate, each with its own setting and personality. Whether you prefer a village setting or a rural escape, there is a cottage for you.
The cottages are surrounded by ancient woodland, redwoods towering overhead, roe deer wandering past the windows, and a network of paths leading straight from your door.
Inside, each cottage or lodge’s decor feels collected rather than curated – antique-shop treasures, clashing rugs, fashion photography, and the kind of effortless cool you can’t fake.
It makes sense: the owner is a former Vogue fashion editor who later worked with Holland & Holland.
Whether you’re planning a romantic escape, a village stay with a pub on the doorstep, or a big gathering in the countryside, there’s a cottage to match.
- Achneim Cottage (2) – a charming retreat ideal for two or romantic escapes.
- Ivy Cottage (6) – village-end cottage with character and a short stroll to the pub and Cawdor Castle.
- Lochanshelloch Cottage (6) – a woodland hideaway with open fire and cosy living spaces.
- Resaurie (6) – a modern lodge hidden away at the heart of the estate (as featured on BBC’s Gone Fishing)
- Fisherman’s Cottage (6) – a waterside cottage on the River Findhorn – perfect for nature lovers.
- Gardener’s Cottage (6) – a traditional cottage with a restored Victorian fireplace and leafy views.
- Drynachan Lodge (22) – a larger lodge great for family gatherings
We’ve stayed in two of Cawdor’s cottages, Ivy Cottage in the village and Lochanshelloch out in the estate.
Lochanshelloch Cottage: a woodland hideaway on the estate
- Sleeps: 6
- Bedrooms: 3 doubles/twins
- Highlights: open fire, big kitchen table, deer + woodland setting
- Location: near Cawdor Village, Moray
- Dog friendly? Yes, well behaved pups welcome
- Book Lochanshellock Cottage
Lochanshelloch Cottage feels like a proper home rather than holiday accommodation, the kind of place where bags get dropped, the kettle goes on, and everyone immediately relaxes.
The layout works brilliantly for a few nights away with friends or family.
Downstairs, the dining room is the heart of the house. Big enough for everyone to gather, with a solid dining table that quickly becomes the dumping ground for maps, jumpers, dog leads and whatever local treats you have picked up. It’s the sort of space made for slow breakfasts and long, chatty dinners.
The sitting room is all about evenings in: fire lit, curtains drawn, something good in a glass. At dusk, the light turns silvery through the trees and deer nose around the garden as if they own the place.
Sleeping up to six, the bedrooms are spread across the house, with pitched-roof rooms upstairs and a quieter ground-floor bedroom – ideal for flexibility. There’s also a luxury shower room, perfect after a long, muddy walk.
Ivy Cottage, Cawdor: a cosy village stay near the castle
- Sleeps: 6
- Bedrooms: 1 double, 2 twins.
- Highlights: Super cosy traditional cottage five minutes from Cawdor Castle, the Cawdor Tavern and local walks
- Location: Cawdor Village, Inverness
- Dog friendly? Yes, well behaved pups welcome
- Book Ivy Cottage
In the heart of Cawdor village is Ivy Cottage, a chunky stone built cottage looking out over the woods.
Ivy Cottage is all about convenience without compromise – a traditional Highland base where you can park the car and walk everywhere.
Inside there are 3 bedrooms, a family kitchen and cosy living room. Downstairs, the sitting room is all about evenings in with the open fire lit, curtains drawn. There’s also a luxury bathroom and a shower room.
For those with dogs, the garden is enclosed.
The best bit? The local pub – the Cawdor Tavern – is just a five-minute walk away.
Book Ivy Cottage
Things to do near Cawdor Estate
Whilst it is tempting to settle into your cottage and just watch the changing skies and deer outside, the Highlands are on your doorstep and it would be a shame not to explore.
One of the best things about staying on the Cawdor Estate is how easy it is to build a few days that feel full, without spending half your time in the car.
You’re close to Inverness for a city day, near Culloden for a slice of Scottish history, and within reach of the Moray Coast when you fancy sea air and wide beaches.
Here are my favourite things to do on the Cawdor Estate:
On the Estate & in the village:
- Visit 14th-century Cawdor Castle – step inside the ancestral castle of the Thanes of Cawdor and explore its rooms, history and beautiful gardens. Don’t miss the basement, where you’ll find the remains of an ancient thorn tree hidden within the castle walls.
- Walk to the pub in Cawdor Village – at the heart of Cawdor Village is the Cawdor Tavern, think roaring fires, great food and a genuinely warm Highland welcome.
Easy local walks:
- Culbin Forest – Explore the sandy forest trails to reach the spectacular Hill 99 viewpoint tower for a 360 view over the forest and the Moray Firth.
- Randolp’s Leap and Logie Steading – follow the River Findhorn to a dramatic cleft in the rock before heading to the shops and cafe at the lovely Logie Steading.
- Take the dog for a beach walk – Nairn beach is just 10 minutes from Cawdor, or head to Findhorn, Hopeman, Roseisle and Lossiemouth beaches – some of Scotland’s best.
- Walk from Findhorn to Burghead – Follow the coastal path from Findhorn to the village of Burghead at the other end of the bay (stop here for lunch!) and then walk to Hopeman with its row of pretty beach huts.
Things to do:
- Visit Benromach distillery – over half of Scotland’s distilleries can be found in Moray Speyside. Nearby to Cawdor is Benromach Distillery and over in Elgin visit Gordon and Macphail for a great whisky selection.
- Brodie Castle – visit the rose-coloured Brodie Castle. This 16th and 17th castle has magnificent rooms and paintings and a quirky Playful Garden to eplore.
- Explore Culloden Battlefield – a short drive from Cawdor, Culloden Battlefield is one of Scotland’s most important and sobering sites. The visitor centre brings the story vividly to life through sound, light and reconstructions and the windswept battlefield itself is unforgettable.
- Spend a day in Inverness – Just 12 miles away, Inverness is perfect for a day out. Walk along the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal, browse the brilliant Leakey’s Bookshop, or take a boat trip on Loch Ness to visit Urquhart Castle.
Read more: Things to do on the Moray Firth
…and after a long day exploring, you have your cosy cottage all waiting for you. Grab a plate of local cheese and your whisky of choice – and light the log fire. Time to snuggle in for the night.
Why stay on Cawdor Estate?
If you’re looking for a Highlands stay with real character, the kind that feels like stepping into someone’s private world, Cawdor Estate is the dream. I’d be quite happy calling a 42,000-acre, 700-year-old Highland estate home.
You can explore all the cottages and check availability directly via the Cawdor Estate website.
Kate – Love from Scotland x
Thanks to the Cawdor Estate for inviting us to stay!
More of my favourite places to stay in Scotland
I’m Kate, the Scotland-based travel writer behind Love from Scotland. I share first-hand destination guides and accommodation recommendations across Scotland. Let me help you plan your best ever trip!