Carskiey

  • Location: Beach / Coast
    Beach: In walking distance
    Machrihanish golf course: 18km (20 mins by car)
    Whisky-producing region of Campbeltown: 18km (20 mins by car)
    Dunaverty golf course: 6km (10 mins by car)
  • Campbeltown Airport (CAL): 18km (20 mins by car)
    Glasgow Airport (GLA): 225km (3h 20 mins by car)
    Airport transfer available on request
    Car recommended
    Free parking

Spectacular location on one of the most breathtakingly beautiful destinations on the Scottish mainland with views over Carskiey Bay to Sanda Island and Ailsa Craig and onto the Scottish mainland.
You are on a 7.500 acre private estate with your own private beaches and 9 miles of breathtaking coastline.
A unique chance to experience a Scottish Edwardian estate with warm hospitality and stunning scenery.

Though easily accessible, Carskiey feels remote and island-like. This is a place to relax and recharge.

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For the house a side of smoked salmon from the local Kintyre Smokehouse and a bottle of locally distilled Mitchell’s Whiskey

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An introduction to Carskiey

How would you describe Carskiey Estate in a nutshell?

Carskiey is like being on a beautiful island, although you are still on the Scottish mainland, not that far from Glasgow. It has a very remote feeling, yet it is incredibly accessible. It is the last 7500 acres on the Kintyre peninsula with over 9 miles of coastline and it is completely private.

What we have tried to create is a relaxing, comfortable and hospitable away-from-it-all experience. It is not a formal place. We just want everyone to enjoy themselves and have a great time full of happy memories. Even though it is quite grand, you always feel welcome and not in the least bit intimidated as some of these Scottish places can be.

Please tell us more about the estate.

We bought the estate 12 years ago. In addition to Carskiey House and Shore Cottage, there are a further five habitable dwellings. There is a wonderful cottage where the shepherd lives, the manager’s house — he is the third generation of the same family looking after the place — the Lodge at the bottom of the drive, the Artist's Studio situated in a woodland setting overlooking Strone burn, and Strone Cottage, a wonderful, remote cottage, 3 miles away up the glen. It’s a brilliant place to go for a picnic: an indoor one by candlelight or outdoors with a bonfire.

What was your inspiration to buy the estate and rent the house and cottage to holiday guests?

I have always loved being by the sea, waking up in the morning and looking through the window onto this wonderful, ever-changing sandy beach with palm trees growing in the gardens.

The house was literally untouched since it was built during 1905 to 1908. We did not have to replace a single window. Even the slates on the roof are original. My whole working life I was involved in restoring big houses and I never ever thought I would want one myself, but when I saw it...I changed my mind.

Drawing room
Library
Staircase Hall
Mr Boyd’s study
Gunroom and Mrs Boyd’s bathroom
Hunter bedroom
Strone bedroom
Detail of Paisley bedroom
Dining room
Billards Room with the original architect's model of Carskiey House
Carskiey House
Sunrise over Carskiey Bay
Carskiey to the sea
Shore Cottage, Carskiey Bay
Shore Cottage in winter
Carskiey House Drawing Room
The view from Shore Cottage kitchen
Shore Cottage living and dining area
Shore Cottage living area
Shore Cottage
Carskiey from the sea
Mull of Kintyre lighthouse
Strone Glen and burn
Carskiey coastline

Carskiey rooms & rates

Carskiey House and Shore Cottage are available to let all year round. Shore cottage is about 600 meters away along the green walk from the house and is located on its own private beach on Carskiey Bay.

Upon entering Carskiey House there is a large, stone entrance hall, with a vast cloakroom leading off it . Looking south to the sea are two smaller rooms one being the cosy whisky and cigar room, also known as the train carriage, which is lined with Spy cartoons. A large drawing room looking onto the terrace houses a grand piano and drinks trolley, whilst opposite the dining room, also looking onto the gardens, with a painted dining table, comfortably seats 20. The scene of much laughter.

A wraparound staircase forms the core of the house and at the top of the staircase is the library, which is our favourite place in the evening to have a glass of whisky with a friend or two, looking out over the sea to Sanda Island.

The largest common room in the house is on the attic floor with incredibly high ceilings. That is the billiard room.

There are seven main, spacious bedrooms in the house each with a dedicated bathroom. There is ample room in the bathrooms, a couple with the original tin baths and some with large chairs to lounge on after a hot bath. There is a room called the hydrotherapy room, which was really a treatment room and whilst it works, it is mainly a ‘museum’ room.

On the servants’ side is a butler’s pantry with a generous kitchen. That is where the cook hangs out. There is an enclosed kitchen courtyard and four additional bedrooms above the kitchen all named after food.

Shore Cottage is in the most incredible position. The whole front of the cottage is five meters from the sea. It used to have a kitchen, living room, hall, two bedrooms and a bathroom, but we made that entire space into just a living room, kitchen and hall, then doubled the size of it by adding identical bedrooms and bathrooms on each side. Every single room in the house has an incredible view of the sea.

  • Carskiey for 18 people / 2000 m²
    8500 / night
    • 3 Twin bedrooms
    • 6 Double bedrooms
    • 2 Bathrooms (ensuite)
    • 5 Bathrooms
    • 2 Shower rooms
    • 2 Living rooms
    • 2 Dining rooms
    • 2 Kitchens
    • 10 Other rooms
    • 1 Baby cot (on req.)
    • Terrace
    • Fireplace
    • Sea view
Included in the rates
Rates at Carskiey House are full board and include an excellent chef who specializes in locally sourced produce, a front of house, housekeeping and evening turn-down service. Menus are chosen prior to arrival and may incur supplementary charges. We ask all clients to purchase all beverages and ship ahead, prior to arrival. Carskiey will cellar until arrival. Carskiey can recommend wine & spirits merchants that deliver regularly.
Optional extras
Additional services such as helicopter tours, boat trips, guided hikes and whisky tours are extra, but we are very happy to organise and tailor your stay and arrange such excursions or bookings. We are also the ideal venue for weddings and large celebrations in addition to location and photographic shoots.
Children & Extra beds
Children are welcome. There is one baby cot available free of charge. Accommodation for staff is available on the property.
Minimum stay
2 nights
Check in time
after 16:00
Check out time
before 11:00

Facilities & services

  • Concierge service
  • Terrace
  • Children welcome
  • Maid service
  • WiFi
  • Washing machine
  • Fireplace
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Garden
  • Babysitting on request
  • TV
  • Central heating
  • Business / Remote work facilities
  • Courtyard
  • Room service
  • Music system
  • Movies/DVDs
  • Iron & Board
  • BBQ area
  • Gym
  • Laundry service
  • Hair dryer

A wonderful chef who specialises in locally sourced food comes with Carskiey House, in addition to front of house and housekeeping. We are very much into the slow food movement and wherever possible go to great extent of sourcing everything locally including from our walled garden.

When letting Carskiey House, Shore Cottage is included in the price. All meals are served in the dining room at Carskiey House and can easily seat 18 guests.

We provide daily cleaning and turn down in the evening. In Scotland you usually take the house and do everything yourself, but we do like to help people with whatever they need. We do not want to get in the way, but we want to be there if needed. We can provide extra staff such as a barman or yoga instructor - just say the word.

There is a specially devised menu including vegan, gluten free and dairy free options for guests staying at Shore Cottage. Guests choose their meals and these are delivered to the cottage at a convenient time to them, all that has to be done is for the guest to serve them up and enjoy them.

Things to do in Scotland & Campbeltown

  • Art / Culture
  • Wildlife / Animals
  • Massages / Treatments
  • Yoga classes
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Hiking
  • Cycling
  • Horseback riding
  • Sailing / Kayaking
  • Boat trips
  • Fishing

Whenever there are guests, they tend to spend the first day on the beach taking walks and relaxing. You can have a picnic on the beach, walk up to this wonderful glen with Strone Cottage, or go to the local Mull of Kintyre lighthouse.

There are two easy-access beaches: Carskiey Bay right outside Shore Cottage and Garvault Bay, a safe, completely private beach about a five-minute walk from Shore Cottage, or about 10-15 mins from Carskiey House. That is where we swim in the summer.

There are also 9 registered archaeological sites on the estate. One is an incredibly well preserved Neolithic fort right on the cliff overlooking the sea. There is deer stalking and also fishing on the estate.

Off the estate, there are boats to go on nearby island tours. There are three excellent links, golf courses, one of which is Dunaverty in Southend, the nearest village, a 10-minute drive. On one of the tees, you actually shoot over the sea.

Campbeltown, a short journey away is one of Scotland’s four recognised whisky producing regions.

There is good surfing at nearby Westport Beach.

Carskiey reviews

5 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
Absolutely amazing. The house is beautifully decorated, the food is delicious, a stunning location, highly recommended!
Robert S.
stayed at Carskiey in July 2022

The location of Carskiey

Access is so much better than people imagine. There are two scheduled flights a day from Glasgow. We usually fly from London City to Glasgow and get on the little hopper which takes 30 mins. Or you can hire a car in Glasgow and then it’s a beautiful, 3-hour drive.

The biodiversity at Carskiey is really wonderful. There are golden eagles on the estate and all around the cliffs are wild goats, which we believe were left over from the Spanish Armada. On the hills surrounding the house is our farm with Aberdeen Angus cattle and sheep.

When is the best time to visit Scotland?

I always think autumn is the most romantic of the four seasons in this part of Scotland, whereas a lot of people like spring.

Most people go to Scotland at the end of May when the weather is fantastic all the way through summer. But just outside that time, I love it through the winter to the end of January. I just love the wildness of the sea and the storms. If I had a choice of when to take Shore Cottage, I would try to organize it when a big storm was coming. I don’t think it should be thought of as only a summer beach place.