Accommodation

Suidhe Farm Cottages is a group of three delightful two-bedroomed holiday cottages, located a mile west of Bunessan on the Isle of Mull. The cottages have stunning panoramic views, are within easy walking distance of the village of Bunessan, and are conveniently placed for visits to the historic island of Iona and the numerous sandy beaches that can be found on this part of the island. Completed in 2011, they were built using modern materials but in a traditional style and are furnished and equipped to a high standard, including satellite TV, telephone and WiFi access. Suidhe Farm Cottages is the perfect place to stay if what you seek for your holiday is relaxation in comfortable surroundings, a slow pace of life, and easy access to the rugged but beautiful countryside that is the Island of Mull. The three cottages, named Fraoch (Heather), Caorann (Rowan) and Ros-Mairi (Rosemary), are surrounded by farmland, so there are sheep and the occasional Highland cow to be seen in the adjoining fields.

Disabled access

The cottages have been designed with wheelchair access in mind. A ramp leads from the parking spaces at the front of each cottage to the front porch and all rooms are wheelchair accessible.

WiFi and telephone access

Each cottage has WiFi coverage for Internet access; if you bring your WiFi capable laptop, palmtop, PDA, phone, or whatever you should be able to configure it to access the Internet.

There is a telephone in each cottage that can be used for both outgoing and incoming calls. The cost of reasonable use of this facility is included in the weekly rental.

 

 

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging

 

Each cottage has its own EV charger for the use of guests, attached to the wall next to the parking spaces. If you are bringing an EV, please let us know in the "special requirements" box on the booking form so that we can provide you with the RFID card needed to operate the charger. There will be an extra charge payable for this facility.

 

 

Defibrillator

 

There is a Public Access Defibrillator attached to the wall of the garage, in the parking area for the cottages.

 

 

Entrance porch/utility room

The entrance to each cottage is via a spacious porch that contains a washing machine/tumble drier and a heated drying/coat cupboard with ample storage space for coats, muddy walking boots, hiking gear, etc.

 

Inner hall

 

The central hub of each cottage has doors off to the bedrooms, shower room, and the living area. In each cottage, there is a beautiful hand-engraved glass panel that forms the internal window between the inner hall and the dining area, each one individually designed to reflect the name of the cottage (heather, rowan flowers and berries, and rosemary). The glass panels were designed and made by Chris Jeffree, an artist based in Edinburgh.

 

Bedrooms

Each cottage has two bedrooms – one double bedroom and one twin-bedded room. Each room has ample built-in wardrobe and clothes storage space, a bookshelf, and bedside tables. Bed linen and towels are provided at no additional charge.

Living area

The living area is open plan, with a small but fully equipped kitchen, a dining area, and a comfortable sitting area with spectacular views out to the Burg to the North. From the lounge and rear bedroom windows in two of the cottages (Caorann and Ros-Mairi) you can also catch glimpses of the sea in Bunessan bay. The kitchen is fully equipped with an oven, hob, fridge-freezer, dishwasher, toaster, kettle and microwave with a full range of kitchen ware, crockery, and cutlery.

A modern LCD television with satellite freeview reception and a built-in DVD/CD player is provided in the lounge. A small selection of DVDs is available in each cottage; DVDs can be rented from The Ferry Shop in Fionnphort and the Spar in Bunessan. There is a well-stocked bookshelf in each cottage, and a selection of board games to keep visitors occupied on wet days. We know how frustrating it can be to find yourself half-way through a book at the end of a holiday, so if you have started reading one of our books and can't bear to put it down when you leave, feel free to take it with you as long as you leave a suitable replacement book in exchange.

Shower room

Each cottage has a shower room with a fitted shower unit, sink, and toilet. Hot water is provided by an electric immersion heater; this is heated on a regular cycle in the afternooon and overnight by the "Total Control" electric heating system, and can be boosted if necessary by using the booster control in the alcove above the washing machine in the entrance hall. See the folder in the cottage for more details on how this works.

Heating

The cottages are heated by means of electric storage heaters in the main living areas and thermostatic convector heaters in the bedrooms. A flame effect electric heater in the lounge/dining area provides an instant heat boost should it be needed.

 

Outside

The rear door of each cottage opens onto a patio area, with beautiful views over the adjoining farmland and the hills in the distance.

To the West of the development, there is a fresh-water lochan that was created as part of the landscaping work from what was a very boggy area of the field; we have named it "Grant's Lochan" in memory of Steve Grant who designed and dug it for us, but who sadly passed away in 2008. The lochan is a focal point for all kinds of wild life – frogs, newts, eels, visiting water fowl, and of course the occasional heron looking for a spot of lunch. The lochan is not particularly deep – around 3-4 feet – but the bottom is very slippery (the subsoil here is sticky clay) and the sides slope steeply in places, so it should be considered as a potential hazard for small children and swimming or paddling is ABSOLUTELY NOT permitted. If you need any further discouragement, the lochan is home to a good number of leeches!

To the North of the development, the remains of a stone circle can be seen breaking the skyline at the top of the hill. Just over the brow of the hill are the ruins of the crofting township of Suidhe; documentary evidence of a settlement on the site goes back to the Blaeu map dated 1654, where it is named as "Suy", but there is evidence of human activity on this site very much earlier than that. A later 19th century Admiralty chart names the township as "Suidhe Farm". During the initial site clearance for the building of the cottages, two charcoal pits and a flint knife were uncovered; charcoal from the pits was sent for carbon dating and revealed that the timber had been cut approximately 4500 years BC. More information can be found on Suidhe.co.uk

 

Weather

 

The weather on Mull can be mild and sunny for long periods, but can also be challenging at times – there are approximately 20 days of gales per year; however, as you get to know Mull, you will find that the changing weather, and the changing moods and sometimes startlingly beautiful lighting that it can bring to the stunning landscape, is one of the great attractions of the island. The western end of the Ross of Mull receives about 50 inches of rain annually, which is about half of the rainfall that can be expected on the rest of the island; this makes it one of the driest places on the west of Scotland. The Ross is also close to the island of Tiree, which has more hours of sunshine per year than anywhere else in the UK. If you come looking for sunbathing on hot sandy beaches, then you are likely to be disappointed; however, on a sunny day, the sea and the sky can create blues and greens that the Mediterranean would rightly envy. If you come prepared and equipped for a variable climate, then you will find that you are able to be out and about walking or wildlife spotting on most days; if the weather is not so kind, then relaxing in a warm cottage and watching the world go by is a good antidote to the stresses of modern life.

 

We have a weather station that records weather information at Suidhe and uploads it to the website at regular intervals, here. This weather data is also available via Weather Underground.

 

 

Dogs

You are welcome to bring well-behaved dogs with you; however, as the cottages are set in actively grazed pasture land, dogs must be kept under full control at all times. One of the cottages (Ros-Mairi) is kept pet-free, so if you plan to bring a dog, please request either Fraoch or Caorann.


What is provided?

A supply of ecologically friendly detergents and cleaning products is provided for use in the washing machine, dishwasher, kitchen sink, and for cleaning the toilet; we ask that guests do not use other types of cleaning product as they will upset the proper operation of the septic tank/water treatment system.

Fresh linen, bath towels, tea towels and a bathmat for the shower room are provided at the beginning of each stay. If additional sets of bed linen are required for multiple week stays, this can be requested on the booking form.

No additional charge is made for the cost of electricity, WiFi access, or reasonable use of the telephone. More information can be found in the information pack; there is a paper copy of this in each cottage.

A child’s cot can be made available on request – mention this on the booking form.

Prices?

Current prices per week are shown on the bookings page

 

When are the cottages available?

The booking calendars for each cottage show the dates that are available and the dates that are tentatively or firmly booked. The cottages are potentially available at all times of year, but for obvious reasons, some times of year (Easter, Summer, Christmas/New Year, and when there are particular island events such as the Mull car rally) are likely to get booked up quickly. There is much to see and do at all times of the year, and an off-season holiday can be even more relaxing as there are fewer visitors; however, please bear in mind that off-season is also the time when some of the island's attractions may be unavailable and some restaurants may be closed. Christmas and New Year can be a particularly magical time to visit the island; the pace of life is even slower, and it is a perfect time to get away from it all and unwind after a busy year.

 

We operate a waiting list if you find that your favoured weeks are unavailable; please indicate on the booking form that you wish to be placed on the waiting list.

 

For all three cottages, we offer flexible arrival/departure days and any length of bookings from two nights upwards.

 

 

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- A perfect holiday on the Isle of Mull -