Newton Lodge is a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant located beside the hamlet of Kylesku in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands.
With panoramic views of the mountains of Quinag and beautiful Loch Glencoul, Newton Lodge is ideal for those seeking the perfect spot to explore the fabulous region of Assynt or as an escape from the North Coast 500.
For a true warm and (dog) friendly Highland escape with some fabulous fine dining in one of Scotland’s most scenic and remote locations, let’s check into Newton Lodge.
Thank you to Newton Lodge for having us to stay! This post uses affiliate links, thank you for supporting my site.
Stay at Newton Lodge Kylesku
> Book your stay at Newton Lodge
> Read my guide to things to do at Kylesku
Welcome to Newton Lodge and Kylesku
Kylesku (pronounced Kyle-skew) is not even a hamlet. Home to a few scattered houses and a fishing slipway, Kylesku is more famous for its location on the North Coast 500 and its (admittedly stunning) bridge than as a place.
However, by just making a quick stop for a photo op you are missing out. For if you turn off the NC500 just before Kylesku at Unapool you will find Newton Lodge, a cosy and relaxed boutique hotel and restaurant with one heck of a view.
The Newton Lodge is owned by hotel group Highland Coast Hotels who manage some of Scotland’s most iconic spots along the North Coast 500 including the Royal Golf in Dornoch, the Kylesku Hotel just next door, and a personal favourite, the Plockton Inn.
Inside Newton Lodge there are 7 cosy guest rooms (doubles, kings, twins and dog friendly rooms), a gorgeous guest lounge overlooking the loch for cool evenings with a dram (or avoiding the midges in summer) a fine dining restaurant with the same incredible view and a fully stocked bar.
Outside, well you have all the mountains, lochs, beaches and waterfalls of Assynt and the west coast of Scotland you could wish for!
In winter, Newton Lodge becomes an exclusive use venue – if you are looking for somewhere for a special event, large family holiday, or friendly gathering!
> Read more: Things to do at Kylesku
Food at Newton Lodge Restaurant Kylesku
Newton Lodge in Kylesku offers up a fantastic restaurant over looking the loch specialising in pretty as a picture local Highland dishes with fabulous service.
The restaurant collaborates with local suppliers to create exciting and unusual approaches to traditional Scottish ingredients which change with the seasons.
For starters, try hand dived King Scallops from the Isle of Ewe in Wester Ross served with satay sauce, or Scottish langoustines landed by local Kylesku fisherman Darren, bright pink from beetroot and served with young spruce.
My favourite starter was a very lightly poached Scottish salmon served with a gazpacho, pickled cucumbers and a horseradish cream.
For mains, there may be local lamb rump with fennel, absolutely delicious halibut served with in-season asparagus, radish and broad bean with a decadent buttery sauce, or an earthy cod fillet with broccoli, barley and bacon.
Deserts offer up a deconstructed mille-feuille with lemon, fresh strawberry and foraged elderflower or a homemade bitter chocolate brownie.
Make sure you try Chef Ernie’s treacle and sunflower bread – I always think an excellent bread is the mark of a very good chef in the kitchen!
> book into the Newton Lodge Restaurant.
Stay at Newton Lodge
Newton Lodge’s 7 ensuite bedrooms offer up kings, twins and double beds, comfy beds and cosy spaces to rest up before your next big day exploring the north west Highlands.
With toiletries from Arran Aromatics provided all bedrooms are ensuite.
Newton Lodge – a dog friendly place to stay on the North Coast 500
If you have a dog with you, then many of the rooms are dog friendly, some even have private doors that open directly outside to the lodge’s garden.
Doggy guests even get their own wee welcome pack with natural and sustanable toys and treats from Highland Paws!
Breakfast at Newton Lodge Kylesku
All stays at Newton Lodge come with a proper highland breakfast – and it is not to be missed, the quality of the cooking in restaurant extends to the breakfast.
For those who prefer a healthy start there fresh fruits and yoghurts with chia seeds. For those who need the energy for exploring there are full breakfasts or why not try a Highland eggs benedict with black pudding instead of ham?
Things to do at Newton Lodge
Take a boat trip – take a boat trip out on the loch to Eas a’ Chual Aluinn, Britain’s highest waterfall, wildlife spotting along the way. Boat trips run from the slipway outside the Kylesku Hotel and are operated by North West Sea Tours. Book online. (5 minutes from Newton Lodge)
Climb Quinag – this mighty series of corbetts offers a very challenging day out for hillwalkers. (7 minutes from Newton Lodge).
The Bone Caves – discover these unusual caves on a cliff face, where the bones of polar bears (yes really!), wolf, lynx, arctic fox and brown bears have been found.
The walk up to the Creag nan Uamh (Crag of the Caves) along the Allt nan Uamh burn is beautiful – watch out for where the burn emerges from the base of a crag!
Explore the Bone Caves with this circuit (3 miles, 2 hours). (18 minutes from Newton Lodge)
Ardvreck Castle – sitting on the banks of Loch Assynt sits the ruins of Ardvreck Castle, once the 15th-century stronghold of Clan MacLeod, longtime owners of the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Lewis and Harris.
Ardvreck is one of the most popular photo stops on the North Coast 500. Above the castle towers the mighty Quinag – one of the best hills to climb in Assynt. (10 minutes from Newton Lodge)
Leitir Easaidh, Little Assynt – explore a series of tiny lochs on this all-abilities path with views of the surrounding mountains – and probably the prettiest toilet in Scotland! (15 minutes from Newton Lodge)
Futher afield from Newton Lodge
Take a RIB to Handa Island – one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands and a nationally important wildlife reserve, Handa Island is home to Puffins, rare Bonxies, stunning views of the Assynt mountains.
A visit to the island is by boat (£15 cash only) and takes around 4 hours (10 mins on the ferry, and to walk around the island, 30 minutes from Newton Lodge)
The Knockan Crag – a site of special scientific interest famous for the Highland’s Controversy – a long-running argument between geologists about the age of the rocks here.
There is a visitor centre for those interested to find out just why the debate over Knockan Crag was so bitter and a walking trail for those just wishing to take in the incredible views. (30 minutes from Newton Lodge)
Drive the Drumbeg Loop to Achmelvich and Clachtoll Beaches – two beautiful beaches well worth tackling the famous ‘mad wee road’ to visit.
For nervous drivers, it is best to visit these beaches from the Lochinver side, the Drumbeg loop is a single track road which hugs the coast complete with blind summits and turns – one road it is best not to take a campervan down (30 minutes from Newton Lodge to Achmelvich, the loop will take around 1 hour)
Stay at Newton Lodge, Kylesku
> Book your stay at Newton Lodge
Love from Scotland x