Cairngorm Lodges

UK Scotland Highlands Aberdeenshire Nr Ballater

01339 289 103   Logie Coldstone Aboyne Aberdeenshire AB34 5PQ

  • From £65 a night
  • 5 Lodges Sleeping 4
  • Great Outdoors
Homely, well-furnished, eco-friendly lodges deep in the woods of Aberdeenshire.

There's something special about waking up deep in a forest: sleeping in the woods engenders a cosiness that can't quite be replicated anywhere else, and the truth is that staying in a wooden lodge in some of the Cairngorms National Park's deepest, darkest woodland is about as far away from most people's day-to-day existence as it's possible to get. That is perhaps why the enterprising folk up here founded Cairngorm Lodges, which offer the chance to get away from it all in some of the finest natural scenery the UK has to offer. Situated on the 750-acre Blelack Estate in Aberdeenshire, they started with the repair and renovation of just one building, an existing 'Woodcutter's Cabin', and it was such a success they decided to build four more lodges from scratch, each in its own secluded forest location.

It's a real get-away-from-it-all break, with no wifi, no reception building or additional facilities: just the lodges, and the woods. Nonetheless, the lodges are very well equipped. Each has two bedrooms – one double, one twin, so perfect for a family of four; they each have a sitting room/kitchen and bathroom, outside decking with barbecue, and are heated by a wood-burning stove and lit with low-energy lighting, and logs are laid on in generous supply. Everything is done with the environment in mind: the lodges are built from sustainable wood and the forest is sustainably managed; they re-cycle everything, and, perhaps most importantly, they are passionate about preserving and encouraging the local flora and fauna, encouraging dragonflies, running bee-keeping courses and offering lots of advice on where to spot local wildlife – red squirrels are daily visitors to the lodges and there are red deer in the woods and beyond; and among an abundance of birdlife you will be able to spot kestrels, sparrow hawks and pine martens.

The only real difference between each of the lodges is their location. For example, Osprey Lodge overlooks a small loch, while Red Squirrel Lodge is sited deepest into the woods – the ideal location for jaded city folk wanting to immerse themselves in complete peace and quiet. All the lodges are dog-friendly, and the forest has a multitude of marked paths it would take weeks to walk – plus there are plenty of hill and mountain walks beyond, with no less than 24 'Munros' accessible from the site. It's also a fabulous area for horse riding and in particular mountain biking, with some great cycling routes through the forest. It's also not far from the mountain biking centre of Tarland Trails, and you can hire at Cycle Highland in Ballater, a few miles southwest of Cairngorm Lodges.

All in all, we reckon this could be the perfect place for both an active holiday and a peaceful contemplative one – or, even better, a mixture of the two! It's also worth noting the owners have a nearby sister property: Cairngorm Bothies.

Details

Nearby

It is the absolute quiet of the place and the clean fresh air, combined with the vast space from mountain to valley that makes our hideaway so unique. For those who want to discover more than the dramatic natural environment, the Queen’s Highland home Balmoral (01339 742 534) is a 25 minute drive away. The trim Victorian village of Ballater and the newly re-opened Ballater Railway Station are just 15 minutes away. A drive to Braemar and its grand castle (01339 741 219) takes around 40 minutes.

Open

Available all year.

Short Term Let Full Licence Number AS 00911F
EPC Rating C

Pricing

The four newest lodges £555 – £815 a week, depending on the time of year; short breaks £410 – £500. The original Woodcutter’s Cabin is £460 – £650 a week, short breaks £348 – £455. They allow 3 dogs per lodge at £20 each and will receive a dog treat on arrival, dogs are not allowed on the beds.

The Owner Says

Our forest hideaway, located on the eastern edge of one of the last greatest places on earth, The Cairngorm National Park and right in the heart of Royal Deeside is a very special place. Queen Victoria fell deeply in love with the area, making her Scottish home at nearby Balmoral, and we certainly have too. The ancient Scots pines of our estate allow us, and our guests, to roam for miles beneath the tree canopy. We never tire of spotting a red squirrel, roe deer, capercaillie or pine marten.

Some guests come to simply sit by the woodburner and enjoy the forest setting. Others take in the place and visit the castles, the distilleries, the farmers markets or partake in skiing and mountain biking.  Many of our guests come back again and again which pleases us immensely.

Offers & Deals

Find the best offers on Cairngorm Lodges by booking with Cool Places.

Location

Contact Website  01339 289 103  Cairngorm Lodges, Logie Coldstone Aboyne Aberdeenshire AB34 5PQ

Show Map

Getting There

From Aberdeen, take the North Deeside road through Banchory, Kincardine O’Neil and Aboyne, continuing on towards Dinnet. Just before Dinnet a sign indicates you are entering both the Cairngorms and the Highlands of Scotland. Once in the village, make a right turn at the brown tourist sign towards 'Huntly, Logie Coldstone and the The Lecht ski centre' and after 4 miles a brown tourist sign points to Cairngorm Lodges. Proceed on to Logie Coldstone: as you approach the village, Cairngorm Lodges is on the right, just after the first of two '30 mph' speed-limit signs.

Facilities

  • Gardens & Grounds
  • Parking
  • Dog-friendly
  • Eco-friendly
  • Family-Friendly
  • Walking

Related Guides

See Self Catering in Nr Ballater

Reviews

Add Your Review

Be the first to leave a review!

List Your Property

Do you have a Cool Place to stay to tell us about?

List my place

What Customers say about Cool Places

Everything I needed for a stay

I'm already looking forward to going again and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting the area. It definitely deserves a five star rating!

Nathan, Verified Customer

6 out of 5!!!!

This place was amazing… I could not recommend this place enough, I’ll be singing their praise for many years to come and we are going to book again soon.

Barbara, Verified Customer

Easy to navigate

Great site that offers a really broad range of places to stay across the UK. Easy to navigate and book holidays.

Patrick, Verified Customer

Such a great variety of properties

Found this website when looking to book a staycation for later in the year. Such a great variety of properties and the website is really easy to use. Already shared with my family and friends.

CT, Verified Customer

Great, simple, straightforward

Great, simple and straightforward. I will definitely be using Cool Places again.

SM, Verified Customer