Only a few hours north of Edinburgh is the picturesque area of Perthshire; often referred to as the gateway to the highlands. This area of stunning natural beauty has been a favourite of mine since childhood. From its rolling hills, endless woodlands and meandering rivers, Perthshire is truly a captivating and mesmerising area. I often travel up at least once a year in order rekindle old memories and ignite new ones.
I recently visited the village of Ballintuim, a place that I had never been to before. Once again I was completely taken aback by its beauty. The destination this time was Blackcraig Castle, but it wasn’t the castle I was staying in, it was the unique bridge house located on its approach. As I drove along its tree lined road i couldn’t help but feel like I was in the middle of nowhere. The Bridge House dating back to 1870 was a unique and tranquil escape that can be rented out as a whole house or two separate apartments.
As I arrived to the baronial covered bridge it felt like something out of a fairy-tale, its unique structure straddling the trickling river below it. Looking at the property from the outside was highly deceiving as its small red door opened up to a beautifully sized living/dining/kitchen area.
The room was adorned with antique furniture which fitted the room perfectly and the kitchen had a traditional stove perfect for lighting a fire and warming up the space.
Its most noticeable feature is a relaxing swinging chair in the corner where you could sip on your warm drink as you stare out the quaint sash windows. As you can imagine, this was one of my favourite places to relax.
In a beautiful adjoining turret was a unique spiral staircase that led up to the upper floor.
Here I found a small but perfectly formed bedroom with a stone fireplace and a lovely window overlooking the river.
This room allows you to lay back in bed and listen to the relaxing sound of the water below. The space had numerous windows and skylights allowing light to seep in and brighten the room. Again it is filled with lovely antique furniture and the original window shutters that finished of the room perfectly.
If that’s not enough, I then climbed the stairs again to reach the outdoor space of the accommodation providing the perfect place to relax and a view of the river below. In the tip of the turret was the sauna, perfectly sized for two people with a large window looking out across the landscape allowing you to sit back and admire the beautiful countryside around you.
Adjacent to the property through was small iron gate leading you to descend down the stairs into a fantastic large garden area with numerous seating areas.
It is here where I would wander down to the edge of the river and truly take in the full view of this special building.
The surrounding area is fantastic for walking and there are numerous trails that run by the property. If you are looking for something more sedate then there are numerous traditional pubs in the nearby villages of Bridge of Cally and Kirkmichael. Further afield and within an hour’s drive is the renowned town of Pitlochry (one of my favourite places to visit) and of course the neighbouring town of Dunkeld, famous for its approaching bridge and my favourite interior design store, Jeffrey’s interiors.
So if you’re looking for a unique stay in the heart of Scotland that is both rural and peaceful then this is the place for you. I was completely blown away by its style and location and it will be a place that I will be visiting again soon. It definitely gets the Blublazerguy seal of approval.
Blu Blazer Guy Rating :
Location – 5/5
Customer Service – /
Rooms/Accommodation – 4/5
Cleanliness – 4/5
Food/Drink – /
BLU BLAZER GUY 