About Scotland

Self-catering holiday cottage rental accommodation
in the wilds of the Scottish Border Country
- a remote retreat. Sleeps 6-7

The Roughley seen behind the bank of the loch
The Roughley

The Roughley Cottage
Near Newcastleton
Roxburghshire,
Southern Scotland

A traditional Victorian shepherd's cottage available as a self catering holiday cottage rental, high up and facing south with an open outlook over deserted hills and valleys.

Six miles from the village. Utter privacy and seclusion... No electricity and no telephone, it has gas lights and central heating run from a boiler behind a fireplace. There are three farm gates on the mile of rough but accessible track and each gate seems to shut a little bit more of the 21st century behind you.

The Roughley has a wild beauty in Winter, when migrating wildfowl settle on the loch and woodcock shelter in the woods. Until recently it was not available to rent in winter, but now with central heating it is, and would make a unique and challenging retreat for the hardy and adventurous.

In Summer it is idyllic; long summer evenings, skylarks, boating on the loch, tiny wildflowers, big skies and endless space. You could almost be in another time.

Ursa Major, The Big Dipper

Liddesdale is part of the 11 percent left in the UK where there is no light pollution in the night sky - so bring your telescope - and watch the stars - though beware of long light summer evenings and clouds!

Accommodation:

The cottage itself has been sensitively restored. The old kitchen with its original Victorian cast iron range and bread oven has been preserved and is now the sitting room. Don't expect everything to be new. The kitchen is basic but functional, some of the carpets are a bit worn, but quite acceptable.

There's plenty of local history and poetry to read by the fire in the evening under the warm glow of the wall-mounted gaslights. One visitor, a writer, found the sense of peace so profound and the atmosphere so elevating that he completed a book while staying here.

interior of the cottage
  • Sitting room/dining room with open range fire.
  • Kitchen, Larder
  • Bathroom and w.c.
  • Three double bedrooms, one with a double bed, the other two with twin beds, and an extra bed in a traditional shepherd's box-bed space half way up the stairs.
  • A cot (crib) is available on request.
  • The downstairs bedroom has a multi-fuel boiler in the fireplace which heats the radiators in the other bedrooms.
  • Pillows and duvets (one per bed) are provided. Please bring your own sheets, pillowcases and towels if you can, otherwise they are available to rent.
  • Adjacent weatherproof barn ideal for games on a wet day.
  • Gas heating
  • Hot water
  • Gas lighting
  • The cooker and small fridge are calor gas as well.
 Double bed room
Twin bed room
Twin bed room
View from the window

View of the Loch from upstairs

Please note:
  • Coal, and calor gas is available at cost price.
  • There is no electricity, telephone or television.
  • 75 yards behind the house is a ravine which could be a hazard for small children.
  • There is a small enclosed garden in front of the house.
  • This is a working farm and visitors, children especially, have always been welcome to take an interest in what's going on.
  • Very well-behaved dogs are welcome.

Walking: The Roughley Cottage, is on a large hill farm and the owners, Toby and Emma Tennant, are only too happy (provided of course that you respect the interests of the farm) that you roam over its ancient drove-roads in order to get to such places as Nine Stane Rig, where there's a Celtic stone circle, or Bloody Bush, the remote and forgotten boundary toll, or across the valley to Hazelyside Rig, Black Bogs or Crossbow Hill. Hermitage Castle lies in the valley below.

Wildlife and Fishing on the Roughley Loch:

Fishing is available on the loch by arrangement. A few yards from the house (right) is a well-stocked (brown trout) private loch, and a boat house with a rowing boat. Trout up to 3 lbs are often caught on a fly.

Wildlife abounds in this unspoilt landscape; a visitor's note in the cottage log-book records 81 species of birds seen in one week in June.

Boathouse and Loch

Rustic Kitchen, home-produced food

Joyce Forster who lives on the farm, has won many awards at local shows for her Rustic Kitchen baking and preserves. If you would like to try some of her prize-winning cakes, biscuits, jams or jellies, they can be ordered before you arrive for your holiday. Meat and game is also available from the farm in season. A detailed list will be sent with your booking form.

Read the Visitors' Comments from The Roughley Cottage Guest Book here...

 Guest's comments

Tariff:

Prices range between £290 (in the low season) and £495, per week for the cottage sleeping up to 7.

Gas and coal is payable at cost on departure
Fishing is £40 per rod per week.
Linen available to hire.

To enquire or to book:

Please contact:
Emma and Toby Tennants' agents at:

Telephone - (+44) (0)1665 830783 or 830902, Fax - 830071

Right;
The Roughley, the loch and the hills of Liddesdale.

The Roughley from the loch
Cleuchhead

Owners Toby and Emma Tennant, have two other cottages in this area (map below).
See Cleuchhead (left) and Swanshiel (right).

Swanshiel

The Scottish Borders

The Roughley is an ideal base from which to explore the magnificent country and many historic towns and buildings of the Borders:
Hermitage Castle (visible from The Roughley)
see Hermitage Castle page
Newcastleton, 6 miles with shops, tennis courts, pubs and two restaurants.
Hawick, 15miles. Centre of the knitwear industry. Museums and many mill shops.
Langholm, 15 miles. Many tweed mills and shops.
Jedburgh, 20 miles. Queen Mary's House, Abbey, and interesting shops.
Carlisle, 30 miles. Excellent shopping centre. Railway station; Inter-city trains 4 hours from London.
Edinburgh, 70 miles via A7 or A68.
London, 350 miles, 6 hours drive via M6 to Carlisle.
Houses open to the public within driving distance include: Cragside and Wallington in Northumberland, and Bowhill and Floors Castle in Roxburghshire.

ragrug

Emma Tennant makes traditional rag rugs. This one is in a bedroom upstairs.

Map of the Scottish Borders