Dumfries and Galloway
Wren's Nest
Overview
Dunskey Estate covers 2,000-odd acres of coastal Galloway, running two miles from Portpatrick to Killantringan Lighthouse, and Wren's Nest is its lodge for two right beside the gardens. The maze, planted in 2003 and thought to be the first hedge maze in south west Scotland, is about twenty metres from the door. Handy if you fancy getting lost before breakfast.
Inside, the bedroom and bathroom take up the whole top floor. There's a superking bed with a mother-of-pearl headboard, a rain shower, and underfloor heating for the colder months. Downstairs, the living room opens straight onto an enclosed garden with a paved patio and that outdoor bathtub, positioned under a camellia. The estate has been in the Orr Ewing family since 1900 and only guests get access to the grounds, so the walled garden, lochs and woodland walks are shared with nobody but other lodge guests.
Prices & Availability
Facilities & Services
The kitchen comes fully stocked and equipped, with a starter pack of dish soap, sponges, kitchen roll and laundry detergent. There's a washing machine, smart TV and WiFi, outdoor furniture, and a BBQ with tools. Logs are unlimited for the length of your stay. Every booking includes a welcome hamper with bread, eggs, coffee, artisan cheese, jam and baked goods, plus Dunskey's own line of toiletries. Guests also get complimentary use of the boat on the estate loch, and ready-made meals from the estate kitchen can be ordered in.
Bedrooms
Type :
Details :
Location
The lodge sits on Dunskey Estate just outside Portpatrick, on the west coast of the Rhins of Galloway. The village and its harbour are 2.3km away, the nearest beach 2.5km, and the gardens and maze are on the doorstep. The Southern Upland Way starts in Portpatrick and follows the cliffs north past Killantringan Lighthouse, built in 1900 by David A Stevenson. Estate walks lead down the glen past a waterfall to the coves at Port Mora and Port Kale. Stranraer, eight miles east, has the bigger shops.
Good to know
Wren's Nest sleeps a maximum of two. Minimum stays run to three nights year round, rising to seven over Christmas and New Year. Up to two pets are welcome, with a £60 deep-clean fee per stay added to your bill on departure. The estate grounds, gardens and maze are closed to the public, so it's guests only out there. A car is the sensible way to arrive; public transport this far down the Rhins amounts to one bus a day from Stranraer.
What's nearby
Portpatrick is the obvious first stop, a 2.3km walk or a short drive. The village has a lifeboat harbour, several pubs, a brewery and a putting green, and the Southern Upland Way starts here before running 212 miles to the east coast. Follow its first stretch north along the cliffs and you'll reach Killantringan Lighthouse, built in 1900 by David A Stevenson. South of the village sit the ruins of Dunskey Castle, a 1500s tower house on the cliff edge, viewable from the coast path. Stranraer, eight miles east, covers supermarkets and fuel. The Mull of Galloway is about an hour south. Worth it on a clear day.
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Email