Balmory Stables North is the converted north range of a country stable block: sandstone walls, larch cladding and a cobbled courtyard outside, and inside a vaulted kitchen and dining room built for a houseful. It is a few minutes from Rothesay and well placed for the whole island.
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The stables sit in open country just outside Rothesay, with a gravel and cobble courtyard, gardens and a paddock behind. It is quiet, but the town, ferry terminal and shops are only a few minutes away by car.
Port Bannatyne, Ettrick Bay, Mount Stuart and the southern villages are all within a short drive.
The heart of the house is a full-height room under exposed steel trusses and roof lights, with a large island, a range cooker, an American fridge-freezer and a long table that seats the whole party.
Deep green walls, exposed stone and rattan pendants keep it warm rather than clinical — a good room to cook in on a wet island afternoon.
A separate sitting room with a wood-burning stove, deep corner sofas, a large TV and shuttered windows over the garden — where everyone ends up once the walking boots are off.
Logs and kindling are to hand, so evenings run on the fire rather than the thermostat.
Comfortable double and twin rooms with fresh linen, towels, rugs on wide oak boards and views over the fields and courtyard. A cot is available, which makes it workable for families with a baby.
It suits two families sharing, a group of walkers or a multi-generational trip more comfortably than a hotel would.
Rothesay Castle, Mount Stuart, the Victorian Winter Gardens and the seafront promenade are all close by. Ettrick Bay, Kilchattan Bay and the West Island Way are within easy reach for day trips.
