A most charming and characterful property set in the centre of Ballater within the wonderful Cairngorms National Park, Clippie Lodge is a historic building with a fascinating past as part of the village’s former bus station.
Quick Info
Sleeps: 4 | Bedrooms: 2 |
Changeover Day: Sat | Pets Allowed: Yes (2) |
No smoking | Bathrooms: 3 |
This fantastic house is named after the drivers and conductors or ‘clippies’ that worked on the buses and used to sleep upstairs. It has been beautifully converted and extended to create a spacious, contemporary holiday home with lovely restored antiques dotted around to hark back to its traditional roots.
The extension houses the open-plan living area which is a delightful, light-filled space with distinct areas for cooking, eating and relaxing and sliding glass doors leading outside. Comfy seating is laid out in front of the huge, wall-mounted TV and the wood-burning stove is double-sided so it can be appreciated equally well from the Chesterfield sofas and the large dinner table. The chic kitchen is very well-equipped with useful added features such as a coffee machine, a boiling water tap and a waste disposal unit.
There are two attractive en suite double bedroom suites (one downstairs and one upstairs) that each have super king-size beds, dressing rooms and TVs for watching a film from the comfort of bed. The upstairs suite, where the ‘clippies’ would have laid their weary heads, has a window seat overlooking the courtyard and a stylish en suite bathroom with both a shower and the luxury of an elegant, free-standing bath tub to soak in.
Outside, once the electric gate is shut the courtyard is completely enclosed and private with parking space for up to two cars. There is a choice of places to dine with a breakfasting area on the granite patio and a superb covered dining area that can be made good use of whatever the weather.
Please note: The lodge does not accept guests under the age of 25.
As the lodge is so centrally located everything is in easy walking distance, with a shop and a pub only a couple of minutes’ away and a choice of good restaurants (and an excellent chippy) to dine out at.
Ballater is in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park so it is surrounded by walking and hill climbing country all around. Those searching for the perfect photo opportunity will be rewarded by captivating views on the walk up Craigendarroch with cheeky red squirrels to keep an eye out for along the way.
The River Dee that flows by the village is best known for its salmon fishing that can be arranged with a local ghillie to point out all of the best spots. Kayaking is available on the river and there is bike hire and a scenic 18 hole golf course to try within the village.
Balmoral Castle (7.5 miles), the Queen’s Scottish summer holiday residence, is open to the public to tour around with picturesque walks within the grounds. There are several stone cairns on the estate, the most impressive of which is the large pyramid standing in memory of Prince Albert - a rather unexpected sight in the middle of a Scottish forest! A great way of exploring further in comfort is on a Land Rover Safari that offers the chance to spot some of the amazing resident wildlife.
Braemar (16 miles) is very pretty with some lovely shops to pick up traditional souvenirs and gifts in. Ballater and Braemar both have their own Highland Games, with the Braemar Gathering usually being attended by The Queen and other members of the royal family.
Local Events and Attractions
Please note: while we make every effort to be as accurate as possible, the actual position of the cottage indicated on the map above and the proximity of the amenities in the Local Info section cannot be guaranteed to be precise and should be used as a guide only.
Accommodation
Downstairs
Open plan living area with wood-burning stove, TV, electric range oven, induction hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, coffee machine, microwave etc.
Utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer etc
Double bedroom (super-king) with TV, dressing room and en suite shower room with WC and double wash basin
WC with wash basin.
Upstairs
Double bedroom (super-king) with TV, dressing room and en suite bathroom with bath and separate shower, WC and double wash basin.
What's included
- Linen (Double Bed)
- Free
- Sets of towels
- Free
- WiFi
- Free
Available Extras
- Pet
- £20.00
Services
Bed linen and towels INCLUDED. Electricity is INCLUDED. Heating is by electric central heating (INCLUDED) and wood-burning stove (logs INCLUDED). WiFi is INCLUDED. A maximum of 2 dogs are welcome (1 large, 2 medium or 2 small). If you wish to bring any other pets please contact us and we will see what we can do. No smoking. No guests under the age of 25.
Weekly Prices
The weekly guide prices for this property are shown below. Use the availability & book sidebar on the right to select your holiday or calculate short break rates (where available).
From 11/10/2024 to 14/10/2024
From 18/10/2024 to 21/10/2024
From 19/04/2024 to 22/04/2024
From 12/04/2024 to 15/04/2024
From 05/04/2024 to 08/04/2024
From 01/12/2023 to 04/12/2023
From 05/01/2024 to 08/01/2024
From 15/12/2023 to 18/12/2023
From 12/01/2024 to 15/01/2024
From 05/01/2024 to 08/01/2024
From 29/03/2024 to 01/04/2024
From 29/03/2024 to 02/04/2024
From 19/04/2024 to 22/04/2024
From 08/12/2023 to 11/12/2023
From 04/10/2024 to 07/10/2024
From 25/10/2024 to 28/10/2024
From 18/10/2024 to 21/10/2024
From 11/10/2024 to 14/10/2024
From 20/12/2023 to 23/12/2023
From 27/12/2023 to 30/12/2023
Changeover Day: Sat
Rental - Date Range | Sleeps 4 |
28 Oct 2023 - 17 Dec 2023 | £850.00 |
18 Dec 2023 - 27 Dec 2023 | £2,000.00 |
28 Dec 2023 - 05 Jan 2024 | £2,000.00 |
06 Jan 2024 - 02 Feb 2024 | £975.00 |
03 Feb 2024 - 29 Mar 2024 | £1,145.00 |
30 Mar 2024 - 19 Apr 2024 | £1,595.00 |
20 Apr 2024 - 03 May 2024 | £1,145.00 |
04 May 2024 - 24 May 2024 | £1,595.00 |
25 May 2024 - 31 May 2024 | £1,995.00 |
01 Jun 2024 - 21 Jun 2024 | £1,595.00 |
22 Jun 2024 - 19 Jul 2024 | £1,995.00 |
20 Jul 2024 - 23 Aug 2024 | £2,295.00 |
24 Aug 2024 - 13 Sep 2024 | £1,595.00 |
14 Sep 2024 - 04 Oct 2024 | £1,145.00 |
05 Oct 2024 - 25 Oct 2024 | £1,595.00 |
26 Oct 2024 - 19 Dec 2024 | £975.00 |
20 Dec 2024 - 27 Dec 2024 | £2,295.00 |
28 Dec 2024 - 05 Jan 2025 | £2,295.00 |
06 Jan 2025 - 05 Jan 2026 | POA |
06 Jan 2026 - 05 Jan 2027 | POA |
06 Jan 2027 - 05 Jan 2028 | POA |
Please note: Prices are calculated based on your party size at the time of booking. If your party size changes for any reason after booking, please let us know so we can ensure the accommodation provided meets your exact requirements.
Reviews
(Supplied Independently through Feefo)


Wonderful time had by all of us.
Our response:
Thank you for taking the time to review. The owner was so pleased to hear that you had a wonderful time and looks forwar...
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A wonderful property, even better than it looked on the website. Fiona the owner was there to meet us on arrival and giv...
Our response:
Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. The owner was very pleased to hear how much you appreciated Clippie Lodge...
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Clippie Lodge is such a gem, we are so lucky to have found it. Fiona, the owner, has carefully curated every part of the...
Our response:
Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. Your kind words are very much appreciated and the owner looks forward to ...
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Loved the cottage, great location, excellent service and facilities. Home away from home.
Our response:
Thank you so much for such a lovely review. It was a pleasure to have you stay at Clippie Lodge.

What a beautiful lodge; immaculate, luxurious and everything you needed for a perfect holiday.
Wonderfully friendly...