Belladrum Estate

Belladrum Estate

A browse through the visitors' books in our cottages will tell you just how much our guests enjoy the whole experience of staying in the midst of a family estate with all the history and places of interest to see within a short walk from your doorstep. One of the first things you'll see on entering your cottage will be a map of the estate with a comprehensive key. You can access this map below.

For those of you who haven't yet savoured its delights, Belladrum is a traditional estate owned by my family (with the exception of one short break) since 1857. I live with my wife Leonie, a celebrated Scottish sculptor (for examples of her work, go to www.scottish-sculptures.co.uk and our three children, Hermione, Eion and Jeanie. Of the 1100 acres near the village of Kiltarlity we look after, around 700 are in the commercial and amenity woodlands you will see stretching up the hill behind.

The rest, the agricultural land, is farmed mainly for malting barley, the principal ingredient of whisky, and for some livestock. We have recently won a place in the Rural Stewardship Scheme, an agri-environmental programme which will help to add further to the diversity and quantity of wildlife seen around the estate.

From your luxury cottage, you can explore the farm and forest, down rhododendron lined drives or along woodland paths, from the ruined gardens below up to the wild heathery tops and the Pictish fort remains above. Wildlife abounds at all times of year – pine martens, wild cats and deer, and birdlife too – red kites and buzzards wheel above the many old trees that line the policies,  the occasional rare honey buzzard may be glimpsed (they breed nearby), and duck flight into the wet areas in the evenings. In the parks you will see some of our horses grazing, including Pure Bred Spanish which we are starting to breed here.

Come and see us here. We look forward to you enjoying all of this as well.

Joe Gibbs

Spring:
The last snows are leaving the hills across the glen; outside your cottage, a roe deer feeds on the first green shoots of the year. A red squirrel crosses your path as you head off to Glen Affric and a walk through the remnants of the great Caledonian forest.

Summer:
The secluded calm of Belladrum seems a welcome refuge from your busy programme of monster spotting on Loch Ness, dolphin watching on the Moray Firth, castle crawling at Cawdor. If only the nights were even shorter.

Autumn:
Out on the high tops, the stags are roaring. On a blustery day, you explore the estate - full of the atmosphere of old buildings, shades of past lives. The leaves on the tall beech trees have turned. Back to roast some chestnuts on the open fire.

Winter:
A bracing walk through the estate woodlands in the crisp evening air brings you home to the warmth and comfort of your cottage; you light the log fire, and nurse a hot drink; and plan tomorrow's excursion … if the snow holds off.