Eagle Brae – The Best Self-Catering Log Cabins In Scotland

Eagle Brae is a collection of ten luxurious, self-catering log cabins in Scotland, tucked into a secluded valley west of Loch Ness. The Canadian red cedar logs, free-roaming deer and other wildlife, attention to detail, and proximity in the Highlands make the cabins perfect for a short or long stay holiday. Of all the places I’ve stayed in Scotland, Eagle Brae is easily the best.

The Story of Eagle Brae

Eagle Brae is the creation of Mike Spencer-Nairn and his Indian wife, Pawana (pronounced Pubna). For nearly a century, Mike’s family has had an 8,000-acre estate around Struy, about half an hour southwest of Inverness. In 2005, Mike and Pawana built their first cabin on a hillside overlooking the valley of their estate. Over the past two decades, they constructed nine more cabins and have perhaps three more planned in the coming years.

Each cabin is constructed with massive Canadian red cedar logs. The company they hire spends months building the cabin in Canada to ensure everything fits perfectly. The wood is then shipped over to Scotland, where it’s reconstructed in just a couple of days. An excellent coffee table book in each cabin details the entire process.

Mike and Pawana have successfully combined the essence of Scotland and the Himalayas into the cabins for a truly rustic, wilderness feel. The grounds also include a beautiful pond, an outdoor dining terrace, and the reception house and shop where Mike and Pawana sell homemade sausages, meat pies, curries, and more.

They have no plans to expand beyond a dozen or perhaps thirteen cabins, as they don’t want the property to feel crowded. As it is, due to the rolling hills, you often only see three or four cabins at a time as you wander around. Several cabins have unique features that set them apart, including one with a private pond.

Luxury Self-Catering Log Cabins in Scotland

Vanesa, my mom, and I spent two nights in Buteo, the northernmost cabin with a view of Strathglass, the river meandering through the center of the valley. While none of us has a handicap, Buteo is the most accessible cabin for children and the elderly. It’s not one of the cabins that has a sauna inside, but we hardly needed that with everything else to do.

I loved the layout of the cabin. Most of the space is taken up by a large, two-story room that combines a living room, dining room, and kitchen. Above is a small loft with two single beds and a cozy office space. At the bottom of the stairs is one bedroom and a wetroom (a bathroom with a large walk-in shower). At the top of the stairs is the master ensuite bedroom.

Just about every amenity is available. The kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, cooking supplies, basic ingredients, a large fridge for longer stays, and more. Guests have access to plenty of firewood for the iron fireplace in the corner. The rooms are equipped with plenty of warm blankets, pillows, towels, and more. The cabins even have a full washer and dryer, the latter of which is rarely found in Scotland.

The decorations are particularly nice, giving a rustic, mountain cabin feel…as they should. Many of the colors and patterns are influenced by the Himalayan region of India, from which Pawana originates. A few signs make the cabin even more homey. And to top it off, the roof is covered in vegetation, integrating it seamlessly into the landscape.

Wildlife at Eagle Brae

You can imagine our delight when we arrived at Eagle Brae, but were unable to get up the driveway for the deer standing in the middle of the road. As it happens, the property sits between the grazing zones of two free-ranging deer herds. Throughout our stay, one of the herds wandered around our cabin and cooled down in the local pond.

Sometimes, badgers from the bottom of the valley wander up to the property, particularly at night when they forage for food. If you leave some fruit and nuts on the large deck of the cabin, you’re likely to see one after dark. However, catching a photo of one is rather difficult.

The property has a few other rare animals, including the super-friendly Bernese Mountain Dog, pedigree Berkshire pigs, and even 4-horn Hebridean sheep. Apparently, an otter has even come up to the property from the nearby river, but sadly it made off with some other animals around the cabins. I didn’t realize that otters were so carnivorous.

What to do Near Eagle Brae

Aside from your blissful stay in the Scottish log cabins, plenty of other activities are available. Most of the excursions are directly managed by Eagle Brae. The following are listed on their website:

• Canoeing
• Dog sledding
• Black grouse safaris
• Camera stalking
• Pony trekking
• Fishing
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Mountain biking
• Target shooting
• Walking

Eagle Brae is only about half an hour west of Drumnadrochit, a village on the banks of Loch Ness. That’s where you can visit Urquhart Castle, one of the most famous castles in Scotland. You can also hike along the Great Glen Way, take a cruise on Loch Ness, or visit the Culloden Battlefield on the other side of Inverness.

Staying at Eagle Brae

Eagle Brae is self-catering, but also nearly fully self-sufficient. They provide essentials like eggs and snacks when you check in, at least enough to last for a couple days, and you can purchase delicious, fresh meals from Mike and Pawana in the on-site shop. If you need more supplies, there are a couple local markets, or you can drive to Inverness within about 40 minutes.

Eagle Brae is not quite at full capacity throughout the year. Of course, the high season between May and September is harder to find availability. However, I think winter is a better time to visit, when you have fewer daylight hours and you can really enjoy your time in the cabin at night with the fireplace. I certainly want to go back someday when the hills are covered in snow!

These luxury log cabins are not affiliated with any luxury hotel chain that accepts loyalty points, nor will you find them on sites like Booking.com and Agoda. Simply check availability and book directly with the property. If you’re traveling last minute, you can sometimes find some good deals on their Facebook page.

Further Reading

For more information about Edinburgh and Scotland, make sure to check out the rest of my Scotland articles.