Grand and beachy, The House of the Northern Gate is no ordinary family holiday home in Scotland as Sam Bradley, family and many friends discovered, much to their delight.
The House of the Northern Gate ©Cristie Bradley
The water is shockingly cold, the kind that induces brain freeze and numb toes. I fleetingly wonder whether jumping into the ocean was a good idea, but it’s too late for regrets. And it really was too tempting to resist: we’re in the far north of Scotland on a beautiful, secluded beach, and an inquisitive seal is splashing through the waves, clearly hoping someone will join for a swim.
It’s all about location for this holiday home in Scotland
We’re staying at the family-owned House of the Northern Gate, and the entire family agrees the location is nothing short of idyllic. The 1,800-acre estate encompasses its own sandy beach, numerous lochs, and endless heather moorland for beautiful walks and hikes. Views stretch out over ocean in one direction, and back over farmland and the village of Dunnet in the other.
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The ideal holiday home in Scotland for big families ©Cristie Bradley
The House of the Northern Gate
The manor itself is equally impressive. In summer the outside barbeque areas boast stunning views out over the bay; the best way to make the most of the gorgeously long evenings. Inside, the design of the manor is perfect for social gatherings, with large living and dining rooms and a movie room for cosy winter nights. A classic staircase leads to the upper floor, where nine lavishly furnished and gloriously comfortable bedrooms await. The majority are ensuite and come with all the indulgent extras, such as luxury toiletries and crisp, soft linens.
Our children loved the picturesque turret room complete with a vintage telescope for spotting passing ships, as well as the table-tennis room. They ignored the gym, but were excited to learn that plans are underway for a spa and jacuzzi. The manor is let on a self-service basis and comes with a well-equipped kitchen for whipping up meals, or the property can organise a local chef to take care of the catering.
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The House of the Northern Gate holiday home in Scotland ©Cristie Bradley
Royalty and rock legends have graced this historic manor
The property has an interesting history dating all the way back to the late 1800s. Queen Elizabeth stayed in the manor in the 1950s, and King Charles visited in 2021 to officially open the property and plant a tree in the garden. The manor has also inspired creativity: Led Zeppelin once explored the idea of buying the house as a recording studio, and more recently it has served as a movie set, with the film Row shot onsite in 2024.
Becoming an extraordinary family holiday home in Scotland
The House of the Northern Gate was bought in 2018 by the Dunnett family, whose ancestors had left the area some 200 years previously. Since then, it has been painstakingly restored and refurbished to its former glory. Its eco credentials are impressive: not only does it provide employment to many locals in a remote part of Scotland; the estate also manages a large area of land with public access. Most of the power for the house is sourced through solar panels, and the heat is drawn from a ground source heat pump system.
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Spectacular sunsets round our holiday home in Scotland ©Cristie Bradley
Settling into The House of the Northern Gate rhythm
Days here pass gently, with the manor providing the perfect backdrop for rest and reconnection. We enjoy long, meandering walks across the moorland, while afternoons drift by sunbathing and playing on the secluded sandy beach. Inside, there are endless quiet corners to curl up with a good book, and an evening barbecue this far north is the ultimate in slow dining: sunsets in May can linger well past 10pm
Duncansby Stacks ©Cristie Bradley
Don’t miss the drama of the nearby Duncansby Stacks
While it would be easy to spend the entire holiday on the property, there are too many beautiful sights begging to be explored. Dunnet Head is a short drive away and well-worth a visit. As the most northerly point of mainland Britain, it offers old historical radar sites, a well-known lighthouse and dramatic views out over the cliffs towards Orkney.
John O’ Groats and its iconic signpost is a 10-mile drive away, also serving as the ferry point and gateway to the Orkney Islands. The nearby Duncansby Stacks make for a beautiful walk; there’s an optional steep descent down to the shoreline which older children will relish (helped by a reassuring rope for the climb back up).
When in Scotland, do as Scotland does
No trip to Scotland feels complete without sampling its national spirit, and there are five distilleries in the Caithness area, with another (Stannergill Whisky) about to open in a beautiful converted stone mill near the estate. 8 Doors Distillery at John O’ Groats is the most northerly whisky distillery on the UK mainland, while the nearby Dunnet Bay Distillery produces award-winning gin. Golf is another classically Scottish pastime, and the beautiful links courses of Caithness deliver a wild and windswept challenge to golfers of all levels.
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Sunny skies in Northern Scotland ©Cristie Bradley
Take a trip down memory lane
The area also has a well-preserved history and the nearby Castle of Mey (former home of the Queen Mother) and Mary Ann’s Cottage (an authentic snapshot of life in the 19th century rural Scottish Highlands) are both open to visitors. Unfortunately, this time we didn’t manage to walk the Dunnet Forest Circular Trail, but it’s always good to have a reason to return.
All the vibes, Dunnet Bay, Scotland ©Cristie Bradley
It might be a holiday home in Scotland, but surf’s still up
Clearly a slow learner, it’s not long until I’m in the water again. This time it’s with a thick 5mm wetsuit, joined by all three of my children, and under the watchful eye of our amazing surf instructor Jake from North Coast Watersports. We’re on the main beach of Dunnet Bay (which we have pretty much all to ourselves, despite it being the May half-term holidays) looking out over gently breaking waves, with lots of beginner-friendly whitewash.
After a quick tutorial on the sand, we’re in the water. There are wipeouts aplenty, with Jake always nearby to get us back on our boards and onto the next wave. The kids’ massive smiles and whoops of joy when they get a successful ride are unforgettable, and we have to drag them out of the water when their cheeks start to turn blue. While warming up on the beach afterwards with a hot chocolate, all the questions are about when we can do it again.
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Make It Happen
How to get there
Caledonian Sleeper Train, London Euston to Inverness from 11 hours, 30 minutes
Inverness to Thurso by train from 3 hours, 45 minutes
Thurso to The House of the Northern Gate from 20 minutes by taxi
Direct flights London to Inverness from 1 hour, 40 minutes
Inverness to The House of the Northern Gate from 2 hours, 30 minutes by road
The House of the Northern Gate
Nine bedrooms, sleeps up to 18 guests from £1,600 per night
The house can also be booked for weddings and special events. Managers, Jake and AJ stay near the property, handle all bookings personally and welcome guests on arrival.