Rent Holiday House in Argyll, Central Scotland, Scotland

The Old Barn

  • The Old Barn


Property Description

2011 Rates for The Old Barn
Low £1295 £1595
Mid £1495 £1995
High £1895 £2395
Peak £1995 £2695 The Old Barn at Ormidale has taken us nearly three years to complete and no expense has been spared in establishing it as the most luxurious of our stable of properties. A travertine marble floor runs throughout the ground floor and offers a stunning contrast to the original exposed stone walls which feature in the kitchen and living area. Underfloor heating from an environmentally sustainable ground source heat pump provides constant heating through both floors of the property, which will accommodate up to 16 guests in total, with our maximum adult occupancy usually set at 12.


Living Accommodation
The kitchen / breakfast room features an original exposed stone wall but is wonderfully light thanks to the large glass archway and door out to the private cobbled courtyard terrace. The kitchen cabinets are oak, and the granite work surface, stone Belfast sink and travertine marble floor, are complemented by Neff, Gaggia and Bosch kitchen appliances to underline the commitment to quality and to marrying genuine traditional materials to the most up-to-date facilities. There is an American-style fridge freezer, single oven, double oven, microwave, halogen hob, large toaster and coffee machine. There is seating for up to eight around the expandable island unit in French polished oak. The kitchen gives way through an open exposed stone arch into the large sitting room with three sofas. There is a separate TV room, seating up to a dozen on beanbags and benches ? which can be used to take a large single bed or pair of occasional beds if required ? and a dining room, both floored in the same cream travertine marble tiles. The lovely French-oak dining room table sits surrounded by bench seating on three sides (an improvement since the photography was done...) As a result, we have successfully accommodated over 20 diners at a sitting. This is only achievable if none of them are supersized and all are good at keeping their elbows in... sixteen is a more manageable number especially if they are all adults.


Bedroom Accommodation
The five double / twin rooms upstairs are complemented by two bunk rooms with full sized bunk beds. The downstairs TV room can convert into an extra bedroom for extra guests to take the capacity up to 16. The five main bedrooms each have wash-hand basins, king size or super king beds, and built in wardrobes featuring shelving and hanging storage. The bedrooms are smaller than those in Ormidale House, and are perhaps a little bit tighter than you would expect in four star accommodation (which is why we don?t claim it?) but we have gone to at least that level in terms of investment in gorgeous bedding, goose-feather and down duvets and pillows, quality linen, etc. If bedroom space is an important consideration for your party, The Old Barn is a better bet than The Mill House. There is a downstairs loo and shower room, and a sauna. Two other bathrooms, featuring stunning floor to ceiling travertine tiles and corner jaccuzzi baths, as well as powerful showers, are on the first floor.

The Old Barn can be taken in conjunction with The Garden Cottage just across the courtyard ? two quite large bedrooms, a shower room, and two box/ bunk rooms, all on the ground floor. It is literally a few meters away, and means that we are a more attractive prospect for those parties including guests with either limited mobility, or with a desire for a bit more peace and privacy. The Garden Cottage was chosen as their bridal / honeymoon suite by the last couple to get married at Ormidale, so it isn?t exactly the shabbiest bit of the estate?


Local Activities

Although just an hour and a half from Glasgow, Ormidale sits in some of the loveliest scenery in Scotland. The Kyles of Bute are renowned amongst both walkers and sailors as amongst the most stunning bits of coast in Scotland. Whatever the weather in Argyll ? and we do enjoy a remarkably mild micro-climate - this is great country for site seeing, with every corner revealing a new variation on the theme of mountain, loch, valley, sky, woodland, sea, rock, beach. The Cowal peninsula is a fabulous base for an active holiday with marvelous wildlife, numerous gardens and other tourist attractions to visit, and all sporting activities catered for.




Ormidale has grounds of 23 acres, and sits about a mile above the head of Loch Riddon, enjoying complete privacy and lovely views down the glen to the river Ruel. The Island of Bute itself is as little as 15 minutes away from the house ? accessed via a ferry from Colintraive ? and was a ?must visit? destination long before Stella McCartney got married there or former racing driver Johnnie Dumfries moved into Mount Stuart House as the new Marquess of Bute.





Inverary with its famous Jail and Castle, seat of Clan Campbell for the last few hundred years, is only 45 minutes away, as is Loch Lomond. Dunoon is another tourist destination in its own right, and just under half an hour away. You can get to Glen Coe, Stirling, or Oban in under two. Fort William, Ben Nevis and Edinburgh are easy enough day trips ? reachable in less than 2 and a half hours of lovely driving. Island hopping to Bute, Arran, Gigha, Islay, and Jura is easy. The Portavadie ferry terminal is only 25 minutes away and an hourly service runs across to Tarbert, Mull, Iona, and Skye are a tad further away.





Ormidale sits midway between Tighnabruaich and Colintraive

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