Glen Dye Cabins & Cottages

Glen Dye is a private estate of around 15,000 acres and our cabins and cottages sit slap bang at its centre, surrounded by wilderness forest and moorland on the banks of the River Dye. The location is fabled; watched over by the massive granite tor of Clachnaben and at the northern end of the Cairn o Mount mountain pass. This is where the Howe of the Mearns finally gives in to the Highland boundary fault; wild, beautiful and very, very quiet.

We have a handful of perfect holiday cottages, many with outdoor, wood-fired hot tubs and one with its own private cabin. We have also converted the old estate sawmill into a private outdoors paradise; here you’ll find a 1955 Airstream with a giant bed, a fully restored foresters’ kitchen and sitting room, a spectacular outdoor shower and a wood-fired hot tub. These cabins and cottages combine jaw dropping wild locations with perfect comfort and style.

Glen Dye. You can check in anytime, but you can never leave.

In 1990, Caroline and I left our jobs in music and design and moved from South London to Glen Dye. This was a no-brainer; our first son was six months old and we wanted to live our life in the countryside, surrounded by children, dogs, chickens and horses. So, we packed our bags, sold our house and off we went.

Glen Dye is a magical place, it pulls you in and wraps you in a warm, gentle, inspiring embrace. That’s easy to write, but it’s true. It has been in my family for seven generations, since the 1840s. And now my family were offering us the chance to occupy the estate.

We knew that the main house was in pretty rotten condition; it had no heating and no functioning electricity. But it is a beautiful house in an incredible location and we had sold our home in London and so were armed with the cash, optimism and energy to renovate it.

But perhaps we should have been paying better attention when we agreed to take on the wider estate. Or perhaps someone should have pointed out a few simple things to us; you know, that the place was on its knees, deep in debt and profoundly neglected. Actually, I’m not sure that would have changed our minds, such was the lure of this special place, but, well, you know…

What we found was this: an insolvent business, over 20 houses all of which were derelict or pretty much uninhabitable, several farms in need of love, a number of tumbledown farm buildings and a small, disillusioned team.

So, in between other jobs that allowed us to pay our way and with help from a massively supportive bank (yes, there is such a thing) and a fine team of people, we slowly started to renovate the place. It was often very hard. It took around 25 years. But we loved Glen Dye with a passion bordering on insanity (it does that to people, this place) and that drove us forward. And now we’re there; houses fixed, farms working, buildings renovated, people positive and happy.

We always wanted to create a holiday business, to welcome people to this unusually wonderful place. And we knew that we wanted to do things really well, to be world class; original, unusual, beautiful, comfortable.

So, over the course of 20 years we schemed and dreamed and planned. In 2018 we were ready, and Glen Dye Cabins & Cottages launched. We’re growing, getting better, concentrating; there’s a lot to do. But our dream is becoming a reality.

One chapter has ended, another is beginning, one of fun, love, adventure, warmth and welcome. Let’s go!

Now, to familiarise yourself a little more with Glen Dye, join me, Caroline and Flash on The Charr Loop. This is one of our favourite walks in Glen Dye, and we highly recommend it to anyone who stays with us at Glen Dye.

Follow us along to see some of what Glen Dye has to offer, shot by the wonderful Department Two.

This film is part of a small series of films we have created, to show you more of Glen Dye and some of the amazing places in the area, too.

Today, we welcome guests year round in our 10 (and counting) cabins and cottages. We also host a number of micro events focused on good food, the outdoors, art, friendship and fun.

From feasts with the likes of Ixta Belfrage, Pippy Eats, Damian Clisby, Whyte Rushen, Joe Woodhouse and Tim Maddams to Artists in Residence weekends, animal tracking, guided wild swims, bushcraft and our famous Camp Glen Dye - a mix of all of the above.