Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle

See all properties

Entire home

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81829.9 sq ft

Popular amenities

Dryer
Fireplace
Washer
Parking available
Barbecue grill
Kitchen

Explore the area

Dingwall, SCT

Ben Wyvis
Fyrish Monument
‪4 min drive‬
Inverness Castle
‪25 min drive‬
Inverness (INV)
‪47 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed and 1 Crib

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 4

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen

Kitchenette

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining area

About this property

This well appointed house is well equipped, in a quiet and peaceful location yet easily accessible. It enjoys panoramic views of the Cromarty Firth. Enjoy the Firth views directly from the house. Inverness is only a 20 minute drive.
Enjoy beautiful walks through woodland to the Novar Estate crossing the Black Rock Gorge bridge and it's waterfall's. An attractive house set on its own, with beautiful natural garden and large woodlands. Excellent places to eat locally. Local shop 4 miles. Hotel/restaurant within 15 minute walk.
Situated near a small village with the sea to our front and forests and hills to our rear, we are also close enough to places like Loch Ness, Royal Dornoch Golf Course, and an abundance of local whisky distilleries including The Glenmorangie.

This well appointed house is well equipped, in a quiet and peaceful location yet easily accessible. It enjoys panoramic views of the Cromarty Firth. Enjoy the Firth views directly from the house. Inverness is only a 20 minute drive.
Enjoy beautiful walks through woodland to the Novar Estate crossing the Black Rock Gorge bridge and it's waterfall's. An attractive house set on its own, with beautiful natural garden and large woodlands. Excellent places to eat locally. Local shop 4 miles. Hotel/restaurant within 15 minute walk.
Situated near a small village with the sea to our front and forests and hills to our rear, we are also close enough to places like Loch Ness, Royal Dornoch Golf Course, and an abundance of local whisky distilleries including The Glenmorangie.

Property manager

Roland van Oyen

Premier Host

Languages

Dutch, English, French, German

Protect your payment — always book on Vrbo

If someone asks you to book through them or pay them directly before you book on Vrbo, report it.

Find out more

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Outdoor space

Parking available

Have a question?

Beta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Ask a question

Similar properties

Grassy front garden leads onto the shore line.

Sea view
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Dingwall

Located in Dingwall, this cottage is in a rural area and in the mountains. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Fairy Glen Reserve and Blackmuir Wood, while Dingwall Museum and Strathpeffer Pump Room are cultural highlights. Travelling with kids? Consider Wildwoodz Paintball and Lasertag Park and Campbells of Beauly. Discover the area's water adventures with scuba diving and windsurfing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cave exploring and mountain climbing.

View more Cottages in Dingwall

Dingwall, SCT

What's nearby

Fyrish Monument - 4 min drive - 3.9 km
Strathpeffer Pavilion - 18 min drive - 20.6 km
Inverness Cathedral - 25 min drive - 31.3 km
Inverness Castle - 25 min drive - 31.4 km
Eden Court Theatre - 25 min drive - 31.5 km

Getting around

Beauly Station - 22 min drive
Inverness (INV) - 47 min drive

Restaurants

‪Cookies chinese - ‬12 min drive
‪The Storehouse - ‬6 min drive
‪Cottage Bar & Restaurant - ‬15 min drive
‪The County Tavern - ‬12 min drive
‪Highland Farm Cafe - ‬12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle located?

This family-friendly Dingwall cottage is located in the mountains, 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from Fyrish Monument, and within 9 mi (15 km) of Alness Golf Club and Dingwall Museum. Blackmuir Wood and Dalmore Distillery are also within 12 miles (20 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Vagish K.

12 Apr 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent stay

Excellent stay at west lodge. Definitely recommended.

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

John S.

22 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely House

We were in the area for salmon fishing on the River Alness. The house was lovely. Comfortable and cosy and all mod cons. I would highly recommend.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joe B.

30 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highland escape

Well located house with lots of outdoor space and beautiful views. Roland was an easily contactable host who made us feel very welcome. Fantastic base for exploring nearby countryside and villages - but also a comfy and relaxing place to spend time and unwind. We particularly enjoyed games in the garden and trying the pizza oven! Thank you for a wonderful stay!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Juliet R.

8 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A comfortable haven from the busy world.

Its a lovely, well-equipped, quiet get away. We totally relaxed, ate well, slept well, and recharged our flagging batteries. Managed to master the pizza oven eventually which of was lots of fun and a great family activity in itself!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sonya F.

3 Jan 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely house with everything you need.

Lovely house. Stayed near Inverness a few times and this house is my favourite. Every cooking item you could possibly need !

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Celine H.

24 Oct 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved this property

The house is in a beautiful, quiet location but with easy access to a number of amenities and to plenty of local attractions. The huge garden is a fantastic, safe space for kids and adults to explore and play. The house was perfect for our party of 7 with lots of space and is extremely well equipped. We loved the huge kitchen/diner and the lovely conservatory. This is one of the best properties we have stayed in.

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jim P.

17 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic Highland Retreat

Spacious property with lovely gardens and surrounding area. Exceptionally well equipped with everything we needed - a home away from home. Would highly recommend and hope to return in the near future.

10/10 Excellent

kelly n.

4 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic

The property was amazing, there is everything you need for a home away from home. the grounds are beautiful and we had great fun cooking pizzas in the outdoor pizza oven. The house is clean and spacious, we spent most of our time in the conservatory. Communication with Roland was top notch answered all our queries and offered helpful info. As a family we had a great stay in a beautiful house and hope to return in the future. 5 Stars all round

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ray B., Aberdeenshire

17 Jul 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Swordale magnificent

Thoroughly enjoyed the cottage, great kitchen, dining area with opening to conservatory. Bedrooms 1 downstairs, en-suite. Other 3 upstairs with shared bathroom , all good size. Outside area very peaceful with great furniture and pizza oven. Nice to get away to a beatuful and quiet place.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Susannah E.

10 Jul 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful

We had a wonderful trip to West Lodge the garden and surroundings were wonderful in summer

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Thomas C., Edinburgh

14 Jun 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A wee gem!

I hasten to add not so “wee”! This beautiful cottage sleeps and caters for 8 very comfortably inside and out with enough seating for everyone to spread themselves in different areas. All the facilities are to a very standard and you don’t want for anything. The sweep up to the cottage from the drive is stunning and so welcoming, surrounded by woodland and immaculate lawns and beautiful flowers beds and shrubs. A lovely peaceful garden to walk around and also sit out in and enjoy watching the birds. There is plenty of entertainment at the cottage including the pizza oven, BBQ, fire pit and numerous board games. There is so much to do and we had great fun exploring the area. Lots of really good walks on your door step from Evanton without having to go far. Roland and Carla couldn’t have been more helpful before our arrival with lots of tips. We had the pleasure of meeting Roland which was fun grilling him on all the history in the area! We will definitely be back. We really had the best holiday ever and were so sad to leave. As well as a rental this cottage is clearly loved as a family home which makes it even more special.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Faye D., Sheffield, UK

6 Jun 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spacious house with unbelievable gardens & luxury finish making it a perfect family location

We were thrilled on arrival at this beautiful cottage as the online photos really did not do it justice. Every room is very spacious & finished to a high spec. The garden is so big & has lots of lovely features including a rope swing, fire pit & BBQ which all helped to make a lovely family holiday. The cottage feels very private but is conveniently located only 2 miles from a village with a Coop shop that has everything you’d need. The kitchen is very well equipped & the owner is quick to respond to any queries. We had glorious hot weather for our stay in the first week of June & the cottage is well located for lots of trips to the coast.

10/10 Excellent

Leela S., United Kingdom

18 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location, beautiful well stocked house, good communication

Really enjoyed our week at Westlodge, a peaceful retreat from the madness of Covid-19. Loved the welcome basket....the house is beautiful and well appointed, with lovely grounds. We found everything we needed in the property, and used the pizza oven a couple of times which was good fun! Loved the warmth and light of the conservatory and spent a lot of time there watching the birds feed. There is plenty to do nearby, we mainly went hiking and enjoyed the diversity of the landscape, but also ate out a couple of times. Great communication with Roland which made for a smooth check-in and stay.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Clare A.

6 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Superb property and location for a family holiday

West Lodge really is the perfect accommodation for a family or group of friends. Everything is of a very high standard with lots of personal touches. We enjoyed using the fire pit and BBQ outside and inside we enjoyed using the log burner in the conservatory. The grounds that the cottage is set in are stunning. We had great communication with the owner throughout and enjoyed exploring the local area, it is beautiful.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

caroline s.

25 Jul 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely cottage in a beautiful location

One of the most comfortable and well equipped holiday cottages we have ever stayed in; the owners were extremely helpful and had thought of absolutely everything one might require. We are going to book this cottage again.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Mark S.

21 Jul 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great holiday house - perfect for our needs

We really enjoyed our stay in West Lodge. The house was perfect for our family, with room for everyone to spread out and have their own space. We particularly enjoyed the big conservatory, with its three sofas. The kids spent time in there playing games, or just reading. We enjoyed sitting in the conservatory in the evening, watching the wildlife (loads of bats and several owls) from the comfort of a sofa, and away from the midges! The kitchen is large and really well provided for with every implement you could ever need. We tend to cook for ourselves when on holiday, so the kitchen was great for that. We tried out the outside wood-fired pizza oven, which was fun and had mixed results (I think we need to practice a bit more on this form of cooking). The house is in a lovely setting. It has a really huge garden which the kids enjoyed playing in and had lots of room for them. There are no other houses in sight or ear-shot, so it feels private and peaceful, but it's not isolated. The road that runs past is very quiet with little traffic. We have visited the area before, so knew what to expect. There are lots of interesting walks and outdoor activities within reach. Getting over to the West Coast was a real highlight for us. That is about an hour's drive away, but there are lots of other nice spots closer than that too. Booking and communication with Roland was easy and hassle-free and all went smoothly. We would definitely recommend this house to others - we had a great stay.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Andy H.

18 Apr 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

West lodge

Excellent property, plenty of room and superb location. Well worth booking. Owner obliging and helpful.

Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Andy R.

2 Jun 2019

Golf week

Everything we needed was available at this lovely cottage in a very peaceful location.

Stayed 7 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Susannah E.

23 Apr 2019

Great Easter

We had a wonderful time at the Lodge House. It is very comfortable and has everything you might need. The gardens are beautiful lots of birds including an owl and we could see bats in the evening as well as deer. We were a mixed age party and everyone had a great time. There are lots of places round about to visit. Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Gordon B.

16 Apr 2019

Great week away

Had a very peaceful time in the excellently equipped house. Lots of nice walks close by, and interesting things to see. Have no negative comments at all. Would go again.

Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Simone E.

8 Oct 2018

Wonderful experience!

Westlodge is the perfect get away in the Highlands. Our entire family met there for our annual reunion and we could not have been more pleased. The house is gorgeous and so is the area. You will not be missing anything since Westlodge is so well equipped. The location is perfect for day trips and there are endless places to visit and explore. The contact with Roland was great. I hope we will be able to come back one day and I would highly recommend staying at Westlodge! We made memories there that will last us a lifetime.

10/10 Excellent

Simone E.

2 Oct 2018

Great get away!

The West Lodge is a beautiful house and so well equipped! Nothing was missing, and the contact with Roland was very good as well. There is so much to do and see in the area. We highly recommend staying there!

Stayed 15 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Katharina K.

11 Sept 2018

Fantastisch, erholsam & mit großem Wohlfühlfaktor

Wir waren zum 2. Mal in Schottland und auch zum 2. Mal im Westlodge Cottage. Es ist sehr liebevoll eingerichtet, hat Charme und ist der perfekte Ort zum Wohlfühlen. Der Wintergarten ist für uns dieses Mal neu gewesen und hat sich gleich als neuer Mittelpunkt des Hauses etabliert...besonders da man jeden Abend zur selben Zeit Rehe am Hang beobachten konnte. Idylle pur! Der Kontakt mit Roland war sehr angenehm und unkompliziert. Wir können nichts beanstanden oder Verbesserungsvorschläge machen...es fällt uns nichts ein! Bottom Line: Great Cottage - Great stay - we will certainly come back....

10/10 Excellent

Claire C.

28 Aug 2018

Beautiful house

Beautiful house, very well maintained inside and out. Equipped with everything we could possibly have needed. Would recommend.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

David R.

11 Apr 2017

Perfect Holiday Cottage

This was our second stay at West Lodge and we were delighted to be able to return. Since our last visit, a large conservatory has been added with a wood burning stove to keep us warm in the evenings. Our two grand daughters loved playing in the huge gardens and going to visit the horses in the next field. The kitchen has every amenity which you could hope for and the house in general is well equipped. We hope that this will not be our last visit here.

About the host

Hosted by Roland van Oyen

Languages:

English, French, German, Dutch

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Hotels

Villas Mauritius

Town Houses London

Guest Houses Paris

Apartments Saint-Malo

Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle

Photo gallery for Former Lodge House to Swordale Castle

Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

About this property