Anchor Cottage
Sandside Harbour, Reay, Caithness
Nestled on the Sandside Harbour in Caithness, Anchor Cottage has been expertly converted from a bothy to a charming coastal cottage, benefiting from the sublime beauty of the north coast of mainland Scotland.
Quick Info
| Sleeps: 4/8 | Bedrooms: 4 |
| Changeover Day: Sat | Pets Allowed: Yes (2) |
| No smoking | Bathrooms: 3 |
Located on a harbour with a fascinating history, Anchor Cottage features three log burners, four bedrooms, an exciting games room and awe-inspiring coastal views.
On entrance, Anchor Cottage has a handy family bathroom at its centre, equipped with a walk-in shower. The dining and kitchen area is well equipped, highlighting a cosy wood burner, LavAzza Coffee Machine, Rangemaster cooker and a round dining table for 8 guests. There are delightful harbour views from both the kitchen and further through the cottage in the lounge.
The lounge is the perfect space to cosy up on the comfy sofas and armchairs while staying warm by the log burner. Decorating Anchor Cottage are impressive paintings and photographs of the harbour.
Branching off the long hallway between the kitchen and lounge, lie two bedrooms entitled Razorbill and Guillemot. The first has twin beds for two guests, while the latter has built-in full size bunk beds. All four bedrooms at Anchor Cottage have comfortable Hypnos beds, hanging space and/ or wardrobes for guests.
The opposite end of Anchor Cottage holds two double bedrooms. The first, Kittiwake, offers a double bed and an ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower. Adjacent, Puffin, the master bedroom, offers a zip and link super king size bed and another ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The outside porch area takes you to the garden equipped with a BBQ, teak outdoor seating and a games room. Converted from a garage, the games room is furnished with a pool table, darts board, large flat screen TV, log burner, ample comfortable seating, a selection of board games and a fridge for refreshments. A well-equipped laundry room is adjacent to the lounge but only accessed via an external door.
Parking can be found in front of Anchor Cottage, and an EV charging point is also available for guest use.
Located on the harbour, there are many opportunities for coastal adventures during your stay at Anchor Cottage. The harbour itself was constructed under the direction of the famous Scottish engineer James Bremner, a contemporary of Thomas Telford. As such, there is plenty of exciting history to discover during your stay in Anchor Cottage.
If you’re lucky, the uninterrupted skies at Anchor Cottage offer sights of the Aurora Borealis. The sandy coast at Sandside Bay Beach offers many exciting activities, such as Surf lessons and 1-1 coaching, which can be arranged. The most northernly 18-hole links course designed by James Braid, Reay Links Golf Course, is just a few hundred yards from Anchor Cottage and keenly welcomes visitors.
Holborn Head and Scrabster Harbour is a beautiful coastal walk along Thurso or travel west and stroll along the invigorating coast at Strathy Bay. Join in on the North Coast 500, passing by the cottage.
Scale nearby Beinn Ratha and find (as it is referred to by locals) the ‘Rock of Destiny’. Commonly spotted wildlife off the coast of Sandside Harbour and further east to the Pentland Firth ranges from seals, dolphins, porpoises, orcas, basking sharks, red deer, barn owls and a variety of seabirds.
For nature and wildlife lovers, Duncansby Head is known for its large seabird colonies and birdwatching opportunities. Dunnet Head, the most northernly point of the UK mainland, is a seabird sanctuary great for spotting puffins, razorbills, guillemots and more, depending on each season. Walk the 12-acre nature trail at Geise Farm (under 12 miles).
Learn the intriguing history of Thurso in the museum at the North Coast Visitor Centre and stop in at the café for a coffee and a cake. Visit the Mey Castle and Gardens, famously once home to the Queen Mother, open seasonally. Farm Buggy Tours are available just 7 miles from the cottage, drive around the farm in your buggy and get up close and personal with many friendly cows and sheep.
Capilla Tapas and The Galley, both in Scrabster, offer delicious food and are just 12 miles from Anchor Cottage. For finer dining experiences, the Forss Hotel Restaurant.
The town centre of Thurso (12 miles) offers shopping, cosy cafés, restaurants and spots to watch the sea life from, including Thurso Beach, where surfing is a popular pastime.
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
Single Storey
Sitting room with wood-burning stove and Smart TV
Kitchen/dining area with wood-burning stove, Rangemaster oven, ceramic hob, dishwasher, LavAzza coffee machine, fridge/freezer and microwave
Laundry room with washing machine and tumble dryer (accessed via an external door)
Games room with wood-burning stove, 7ft pool table, darts board, drinks fridge and Smart TV
Double bedroom (super king-size, can convert to twin beds) with en suite shower room with WC and wash basin
Double bedroom with en suite shower room with WC and wash basin
Twin bedroom (can be converted to super king-size bed)
Bunk room (full size bunk beds)
Shower room with WC and wash basin
What's included
- Linen (Double Bed)
- Free
- Highchair
- Free
- Linen (Single Bed)
- Free
- Sets of towels (per person)
- Free
- Travel Cot (excluding linen)
- Free
- WiFi
- Free
Available Extras
- Pet
- £20.00
Services
Bed linen and towels are INCLUDED. Electricity is INCLUDED (EV charging charge separately). Heating is by oil central heating and wood-burning stove (starter pack of logs INCLUDED). WiFi is INCLUDED. A maximum of 2 dogs are welcome at an addition cost ( 1 large, 2 medium or 2 small). No smoking.
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).
Changeover Day: Sat
| Rental - Date Range | Sleeps 4 | Sleeps 8 |
| 31 Jan 2026 - 03 Apr 2026 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 04 Apr 2026 - 24 Apr 2026 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 25 Apr 2026 - 01 May 2026 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 02 May 2026 - 22 May 2026 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 23 May 2026 - 29 May 2026 | £1,595.00 | £1,595.00 |
| 30 May 2026 - 26 Jun 2026 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 27 Jun 2026 - 17 Jul 2026 | £1,595.00 | £1,595.00 |
| 18 Jul 2026 - 28 Aug 2026 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 29 Aug 2026 - 11 Sep 2026 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 12 Sep 2026 - 02 Oct 2026 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 03 Oct 2026 - 23 Oct 2026 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 24 Oct 2026 - 19 Dec 2026 | £895.00 | £995.00 |
| 20 Dec 2026 - 27 Dec 2026 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 28 Dec 2026 - 05 Jan 2027 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 06 Jan 2027 - 29 Jan 2027 | £895.00 | £995.00 |
| 30 Jan 2027 - 26 Mar 2027 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 27 Mar 2027 - 16 Apr 2027 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 17 Apr 2027 - 30 Apr 2027 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 01 May 2027 - 21 May 2027 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 22 May 2027 - 28 May 2027 | £1,595.00 | £1,595.00 |
| 29 May 2027 - 25 Jun 2027 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 26 Jun 2027 - 16 Jul 2027 | £1,595.00 | £1,595.00 |
| 17 Jul 2027 - 27 Aug 2027 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 28 Aug 2027 - 10 Sep 2027 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 11 Sep 2027 - 01 Oct 2027 | £995.00 | £1,095.00 |
| 02 Oct 2027 - 22 Oct 2027 | £1,295.00 | £1,295.00 |
| 23 Oct 2027 - 19 Dec 2027 | £895.00 | £995.00 |
| 20 Dec 2027 - 27 Dec 2027 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 28 Dec 2027 - 05 Jan 2028 | £1,695.00 | £1,695.00 |
| 06 Jan 2028 - 05 Jan 2029 | POA | POA |
| 06 Jan 2029 - 05 Jan 2030 | POA | 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.
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