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Alladale Wilderness Reserve



In Sutherland county near Ardgay, Sutherland


The Wild Side of the Highlands



Overview

23,000 Acres12 bedrooms
Sleeps 2611 bathrooms

Unique Features

Sauna and Gym
Remote location
Garden to Table
Unique location to see Atlantic Salmon spawn

A Hosted Experience

Guests are greeted by landowner or landowner representative, cooked for, guided and are attended to throughout stay.
Your Host

Stuart and Mandy McLean

Hospitality Manager

Stuart and Mandy lead an outstanding team, insuring your time at Alladale is filled with delicious food, educational adventure, and memories to last a lifetime.

About the Ranch

The Experience

As one of the most remote locations in Scotland, the journey to Alladale is an experience in itself. Driving from Edinburgh, you have the opportunity to see much of Scotland's beauty - rolling hills, pristine rivers, centuries old castles, and if you're lucky, weather that changes by the hour and only enhances the majestic landscape.
Once you arrive, you are greeted by an enthusiastic team, led by Stuart and Mandy, eager to ensure your time on the Reserve doesn't disappoint. Alladale’s chef Natasha Buttigieg produces consciously prepared local and organic fare. Their state of the art aquaponic gardens and exterior raised beds produce the vegetables, salads, herbs, and berries. Alladale's ethically culled wild venison is available together with local game if so desired. Regional suppliers offer fresh & wild caught seafood and local trout. Bespoke menus are available upon request.

The rugged beauty of Alladale Wilderness Reserve allows for guests to experience the Highlands in its wildest form. Being out there sometimes feels like staying at the edge of the world. This makes spending a few days exploring the Reserve an unforgettable experience. Alladale offers a great range of indoor and outdoor activities for you to enjoy onsite.
Ryan is your local guide and expertly navigates his way around the terrain, through the rivers and restored peat bogs, to take you hiking to an ancient forest. Along the way, visit and feed the Highland cows, learn about how they are helping conservation efforts, and stop to visit the Scottish wildcat rewilding program. A trip to the Cairn River is a class in Atlantic Salmon spawning, and its importance to the overall ecosystem.
They also offer a variety of interesting day trips to local historic gems. Or go dolphin watching before having a nice local lunch. And what about a visit to a lovely whisky distillery? Alladale is a fantastic base from where to explore a unique part of the Highlands and northern Scotland.
You might have been drawn to the lore of the Highlands, but Alladale will capture your heart with its passion, and you'll leave planning your return.

The Accommodations

Set against rugged hills and the country’s most northerly ancient Caledonian pine forest, the Alladale Lodge is the ultimate private getaway. This beautiful Victorian manor, available on exclusive use basis only, is comfortable and spacious. Its traditional design makes it a true Scottish home away from home. The property boasts a set of lovely extras, such as an in-house sauna, gym and snooker room.
Six of the seven rooms can be converted to twin rooms on request making the lodge accommodating to larger groups and multiple families.
The lodge sets itself apart from other accommodations on site not only by its Victorian style and extras, but also by its fully catered and serviced character. With talented Chef Natasha preparing amazing meals every day, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy an evening by the fire after a day of exploring the reserve.
Both Eagle's Crag and Ghillie's Rest are beautifully restored cottages catering to those interested in a self guided and unhosted option.

History and Rewilding

Although strikingly beautiful, the Highlands are not what they once were. These barren lands used to be home to lush pine forests and large predators. Few people know that just one per cent of what the Romans called ‘the Great Forest of Caledon’ remains today. As a result, much of the flora and fauna that once thrived here, have disappeared and the landscape has altered dramatically.
In 2003, Paul Lister was fortunate enough to buy Alladale Estate, deep in the Highlands, with the goal of creating a wilderness reserve. Over the last 15 years, amongst numerous projects, his team has planted almost 1 million trees, restored damaged peatlands, brought back the red squirrel, and hosted thousands of local teenagers for week-long outdoor school trips.
The Alladale team works hard to rewild this unique part of the Highlands to its former glory, reintroducing original plant and wildlife species, including the Scottish Wildcat.


The Land

A 23,000-acre utopia – with dramatic glens and colorful hills to glistening rivers and native wildlife, including Red Stags, Golden Eagles, and red squirrels.

From The
Ranch
Owner

From The
Ranch Owner

"Our vision is to restore a wild expanse where nature is returning, not only benefitting the Highland ecosystem but also the local community. "
-Paul Lister

The Lodging

Alladale has three lodges for exclusive use groups. Choose from the comfortable Victorian ‘home from home’ Alladale Lodge, or the two catered lodges Eagles Crag and Ghillie's Rest.
Alladale Lodge
5,945 sq. ft.
7 bedrooms
7 bathrooms
sleeps 14
Eagle's Crag
2,050 sq. ft.
3 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
sleeps 8
Ghillie's Rest
1,070 sq. ft.
2 bedrooms
1 bathrooms
sleeps 4
Alladale has three lodges for exclusive use groups. Choose from the comfortable Victorian ‘home from home’ Alladale Lodge, or the two catered lodges Eagles Crag and Ghillie's Rest.
Alladale Lodge
5,945 sq. ft.
7 bedrooms
7 bathrooms
sleeps 14
Eagle's Crag
2,050 sq. ft.
3 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
sleeps 8
Ghillie's Rest
1,070 sq. ft.
2 bedrooms
1 bathrooms
sleeps 4

amenities

Billiards Room
Wifi
Cable/Satellite TV
Washer & Dryer
Fireplace
Coffee maker
Iron
Hair dryer
Linens
Fitness room
Towels
Telephone
Fully equipped kitchen
Air conditioning
Outdoor Grill
Kid-Friendly
Non-Smoking
No pets allowed
Activities
The rugged beauty of Alladale Wilderness Reserve allows for guests to experience the Highlands in its wildest form. Being out here sometimes feels like staying at the edge of the world. This makes spending a few days exploring the Reserve an unforgettable experience. Alladale offers a great range of indoor and outdoor activities for you to enjoy onsite.
Biking
Bird watching
Fishing
Hiking
Horseback riding
Paddling
Stargazing
Swimming
Wildlife Viewing
Skeet Shooting

Equipment Available

4WD Transportation - 2
Fishing Equipment - 5
Mountain Bikes - 20
Telescope

Available Activities

Let us know what you're interested in when you request to book.

4x4 Tour of the Reserve

£250 per vehicle

Clay Pigeon Shooting / Archery

£60 per person for 25 clays, 25 cartridges £40 per person / max 12 people

Guided Hikes

£200 full day £100 half day

Guided Trout Fishing on a Hill Loch

£250

Guided Bike Ride

£100

E-bike Rental

£50 for half day £75 for full day

Foraging

£100 for half day £200 for half day

Bushcraft

Survival skills, fish skin tanning, rock oven cooking £500 for full day

Canoeing

£75 per person

Helicopter scenic flights

Prices upon the request

Whisky Tasting

£500

Musical Entertainment

Pianist £250 per hour Celtic Band £800 for 2 hours Bag Pipes £175 per hour

Cocktail nights with professional mixologist

Price upon request

Highland Games

£50 per person / max 30 people

Falconry Display at Alladale

£1000

Dolphin watching

£600/max 10 people per boat

Horseback riding

£75 per person for 2 hours

Excursion to Dunrobin Castle

VISIT THE FAMOUS DUNROBIN CASTLE, DATING BACK TO THE 1300’S, VISIT HISTORIC VILLAGE DORNICH AND SPOT SEALS AT LOCH FLEET ON THE WAY. DISTANCE - 143 miles DURATION - All day Leave Alladale after breakfast, heading 45 minutes East to Dornoch. Spend the morning perusing the historic Scottish village, featuring local shops, cafes and a beautiful sandy beach. Have lunch at LUIGIS or the HIGHLAND LARDER then head north, passing loch fleet, a common resting spot for seals. Arrive at DUNROBIN CASTLE in time for the 2:30 falconry display, Enjoy the castle and its beautiful gardens. Head back to Alladale Wilderness reserve (approximately 1 hour) and arrive back in time for dinner.

Handa Island Excursion

THE PERFECT DAY TRIP FOR BIRD WATCHERS AND WILDLIFE LOVERS. HANDA ISLAND IS A RESERVE HOME TO COLONIES OF PUFFIN AND OTHER SEABIRDS. DISTANCE - 137 miles DURATION - All day OPTIONAL EXTRAS FALLS OF SHIN- one of the best places in Scotland to witness Salmon leaping, the attraction also features a playpark and forest trails. Leave Alladale Reserve after breakfast. Drive for around 1.5 hours northwest passing Loch Shin. Arrive at Tarbert in time for lunch at the SHOREHOUSE then head out on the small rigger boat that crosses the channel to Handa Island. When you arrive the Scottish Wildlife Trust rangers will greet you and send you off around the island. The walk takes about 2.5 hours and you will witness tens of thousands of seabirds including great skuas, razorbills, puffins and guillemots. Take the boat back to the mainland and head southeast, stopping at the Kylesku hotel or the Oykel Bridge hotel for refreshments on the way back to Alladale.

Excursions to the West or North Coasts

Inquire for details

Request to stay at Alladale Wilderness Reserve

In Sutherland County near Ardgay

In order for us to ensure you have the best experience, we take your requested date and party size and confirm with the ranch owner before you finish and pay for your booking. You will not be charged to request to book.

512-230-3345
info@exploreranches.com

$5,950

Per Night
5 night minimum
Max number of people: 26
All inclusive stay. Pricing is per night for up to 14 people in the Lodge. Please inquire about additional accommodations and pricing.
Arrival
 
Departure

Adults

Kids

512-230-3345
info@exploreranches.com

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation less than 6 months prior to arrival, you will only be refunded 50% of the booking fee. Cancellation less than 3 months prior to arrival, you will not be refunded, but we are happy to offer the opportunity to reschedule your stay.

Ranch Rules

No smoking
No pets
Do not litter and please pick up any trash you see on the ground.
Be respectful of all wildlife and your surroundings.
Please don't disturb plants and fungi.

Access

1.5 hours from Inverness
5 hours from Edinburgh