Benarty Holiday Cottages - Stables Conversion. Photo courtesy www.benartyholidaycottages.co.uk
"Still may the eye with rapture scan,
The wondrous works of God and man,
Outstretched for miles around.
Still see old Scotland's mountains high,
Lift then proud foreheads to the sky,
With heath and heather crowned"
Benarty by Henry Urqhuart
There are times when you are traveling that you are lucky enough to come across a place that you feel right at home. For me, that place is Benarty Farm. As a country girl, cities such as Edinburgh or Glasgow are nice places to visit, but after being there for a little while I begin to feel closed in and surrounded by the mass of humanity and vehicles. I enjoy visiting the city, but having a retreat to escape to at the end of the day is essential. When I initially booked a self catering unit at Benarty Holiday Cottages, the main draw was it's easy access to Edinburgh. It is located just off the A90, approximately 25-30 minutes north of the city. However, it is a perfect base for touring a large portion of Scotland. It is less than 30 minutes drive to Perth, has easy access to the Fife coast, and is just over a 30 minute drive to Stirling.
For history buffs, the area of Benarty is teaming with history. Benarty Hill is the site of an ancient Pictish Hill Fort, below Benarty Hill is Loch Leven and the famous Loch Leven Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned before escaping to England (she rode over Benarty Hill during her escape), and Benarty House and Farm itself is a historically listed property, being built in 1850 by a Mr. Wm Constable (the Constable family are still the owners of this property!).
There is only one issue that you might have if you choose to stay at Benarty Holiday Cottages, and that will be having to choose between staying in the historic converted Stables, or in the new Parkside Lodge. I have stayed in both, and they each have assets that make them attractive. First, to tell you about the historic stables. The stables are part of the original buildings on the farm, having been converted into comfortable holiday accommodation several years ago. We were fortunate enough to stay in the Horsemill during our first visit to Benarty. It will definitely spoil you for any other self catering accommodation. It is completely updated and modern with 3 bedrooms, a huge living area in the old horsemill, 3 bathrooms (one that is handicap accessible.), and an updated kitchen that includes a washer/dryer (a must when I am traveling, because I like to pack light). The horsemill living area is surrounded by windows, and in the evenings we would sometimes see pheasants outside.
The next time that we visited Benarty, we stayed in their newly constructed Parkside Lodge. This too was a 3 bedroom lodging, with 1 large bathroom and an open concept living area/kitchen. It also had all the amenities that you would expect at Benarty, kitchenware, washer/dryer/good heating, but the most impressive aspect of the Parkside Lodge was not what was inside, but what was outside. The living area has a large glass door that opens onto a deck and overlooks the fields. One of our favorite things to do was to sit on the deck and watch the sheep, which were lambing at the time that we were visiting.
Parkside Lodge. Photo courtesy: www.benartyholidaycottages.co.uk
Within walking distance of the holiday cottages, there are lots of places to hike and enjoy the countryside, even a woods nearby that is rumored to be haunted! The owner of the cottages, Mrs. Barbara Constable, has always been delightful to work with. There is a deposit that is required when you book the cottages, and I would strongly recommend sending it through Western Union, their fees are much more reasonable than most banks ($7.50 as compared to $30 at my bank). Benarty is also convenient to grocery stores in Kinross and Dunfermline, and there are lots of restaurants to choose from in Dunfermline (only about 10 minutes away).
I would strongly recommend staying at Benarty Holiday Cottages if you are looking for a touring base in Fife!
Their website is:
Benarty Holiday Cottages
or email Mrs. Constable: E-Mail
Until Next Time,
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