Description
Nestled on the edge of the Victorian conservation village of Tomich sits a pretty detached cottage with its views out over the surrounding countryside. The Brewers Cottage was built at the request of Lord Tweedmouth in 1865 (and as the name suggests) to house the infamous illicit whisky distiller John Fraser, the adjacent Brewery now rebuilt is a private residence.
The model Victorian village of Tomich was built in the mid 1800's by Lord Tweedmouth a Victorian peer and formed part of the Guisachan Estate.
The large Guisachan mansion which was Tweedmouths Highland estate home is now in ruins, but the cottages in the village and the farm have remained largely unchanged since they were built. Victorian lamp posts line the quiet single track road through the village. The first golden retriever dog was bred close to Tomich at (Kerrow House) by Lord Tweedmouth, now acknowledged in the centre of the village with a life-sized bronze Golden Retriever statue. Winston Churchill a relative of Tweedmouth is said to have learnt to drive in the village.
With a multitude off forest tracks, paths and lochs the area offers a wealth of activities for the outdoor enthusiast with idyllic walking for all levels, mountaineering, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking and pony trekking. The spectacular 150 foot high Plodda Falls is situated 3.5 miles away and offers Forestry Commission maintained paths and trails with more extensive trails in nearby Glen Affric.
Inverness the Highland capital is 35 miles away, Drumnadrochit and Loch Ness is16 miles away, and Beauly 18 miles away.
There is a small well stocked Spar shop in Cannich approx. 3 miles from the cottage.
** PLEASE NOTE before making an enquiry the owners would ask that you kindly note:
*Booking is from Saturday to Saturday only with arrival from Saturday 3pm onwards, and departure by Saturday 10am prompt. Due to the location and the availability of caretakers short stays or mid week lets are not available, however booking Saturday to Saturday facilitates late arrival and early departure if required but incurs the cost of the full week.
*We cannot accommodate babies or young persons under the age of 18 years.
*The property is strictly no smoking, no vaping & no e-cigarettes throughout.
*Well behaved dogs are welcome with a strict maximum of 2 per booking ( sorry NO dogs under 12 months of age and NO giant breed dogs).
*The property is for a strict maximum of 4 adults and sadly we not able to offer discount for single occupancy.
^Groups of young adults under the age of 25 cannot be accommodated, the minimum age for booking is 25.
The cottage itself consists of two ground floor entrance areas, a small cosy lounge area with log burner, a walk in shower room with toilet, hand wash basin, heated towel rail and underfloor heating, and a dining room / fully fitted kitchen complete with dishwasher, fridge/freezer, oven & hob and a microwave and crockery dresser.
The first floor has two bedrooms - one double room , one twin room - bed linen is provided plus one bath towel and one hand towel per guest.
Outside there is a large well planted, enclosed, fenced garden with seating, the fruit trees, bushes and herbs are available for guest use.
Parking is available at the front of the cottage for a maximum of 2 cars., the gates must remain closed at all times to keep the sheep and wild boar out.
The cottage has become renowned for its visiting pine martens which come to be fed each evening in an adjoining covered feeding area, (this doubles up as a wet weather clothes & boot drying / safe bike storage area) A dusk till dawn light offers close range viewing from the comfort of the lounge. Julie & Steve were nominated, and short listed for a Mammal Champion 2024 award earlier this year issued by the UK Mammal Society for their contribution and dedication to wildlife in the area. Guests are eagerly encouraged to feed the wildlife during their stay.
The wood burner in lounge is for logs only, the owners own log store is available for guests to use for an honesty donation of £6.50 per bag. Timed background heating (which is locked in and cannot be adjusted) and electricity is included,
Free Wi-Fi. is included although it is very slow, ( unfortunately fibre is not an option at the moment) there is also a landline for incoming calls only.
Please Note - The cottage is small and has narrow stairs with a turn, the handrail is on one side only and as such it is not suitable for wheelchair users or persons with significant disabilities. The bedrooms are situated on the first floor, and the wet room / toilet is on the ground floor – this arrangement may be unsuitable for some guests.
Short Term Let Licence Number HI-50494-F
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Date 31.03.2023 Energy rating Band D (58) The average EPC rating for Scotland is Band D (61). Factors including location and age of the property affect the rating. Standard Government advisories are not suitable and do not take into account property suitability. The cottage has been double glazed and insulated throughout. Low consumption energy saving radiant heaters are fitted throughout. Environmental impact measures have been implemented where possible.
Gift Vouchers now available for a stay at The Brewers Cottage - Please contact the owners for details.
What the owners Steve and Julie say …..
"Glen Affric is one of the most stunningly beautiful glens in the Highlands of Scotland and offers an ideal central location for touring this scenic and largely unspoilt region of Scotland. The region is an outstanding area for bird and wildlife watching. As cottage owners we fully encourage our guests to share our enthusiasm in feeding the visiting birds and wildlife and supporting the local environment.
The cottage garden attracts an abundance of birds and wildlife with foxes, badgers and the rare, elusive pine martens making nightly visits to the cottage to be fed.
In May 2021 we installed a pine marten nest box in the garden, the nest box comes complete with internal viewing camera, guests are provided with mobile phone app details for logging in and viewing the nest box activity.
In the skies over ahead the superb golden eagles of Glen Affric can often be seen circling the garden. Sea eagles, ospreys, red kites, buzzards and ravens are all frequent aerial visitors over the cottage.
Both the cottage and the wider Glen Affric area offer an abundance of opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts and keen photographers, we also recommend visiting Glen Cannich and Glen Strathfarrar, the latter only being open for vehicle use April - October.
Tomich and the Glen Affric region is a very, very special place with a unique energy which leaves you wanting more.
Bookings deemed to be suspicious, fraudulent or scams WILL be acted upon and dealt with through the appropriate authorities.
Thank You for your understanding.
For more information about the area please visit our own www.thebrewerscottage.co.uk