Review: Ferry Point House, Argyll and Bute, Scotland with Classic Cottages
If you like a room with a view, you’ll never want to leave Ferry Point House. This gorgeous contemporary home bookable via Classic Cottages sits right on the water’s edge at Rhu Point, looking out across the blue waters of Loch Gare in Argyll and Bute towards wooded hills beyond. My friend Ben and I holed up here for a crisp, cold autumn weekend of big walks, wild swims and a little bit of luxury.
There’s history to this little spit of land. The Dukes of Argyll and Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, were once the owners of Rhu Lodge, which stood in the gardens where today you’ll find Ferry Point House. When we arrived in November, the trees surrounding the house were turning golden and the views were every bit as arresting as we’d hoped.
Ferry Point House itself is a real showstopper, too. Designed to make the most of its spectacular waterside setting, this luxurious house has a huge glass frontage that lets the outside in, with views that seem to change by the minute as clouds drift across the hills and boats pass on the loch.
Walk in, passing a pretty Japanese garden complete with pond, and you’re in the main living space, where a well-equipped kitchen leads into a huge sitting room complete with an L-shaped sofa perfectly positioned for a cuppa with a view. Next door is another enormous living space and a second kitchen, making the house a brilliant option for two families or a group of friends holidaying together. Each sitting room has its own terrace with a barbeque – ideal for a glass of wine while watching the sun go down.
We spent a lot of time gazing out of those enormous windows, keeping an eye on the comings and goings on the water. Ferry Point House even provides binoculars and birdwatching guides, so you can become a proper armchair wildlife expert. Look out for oystercatchers, shags and eider ducks – you might even glimpse the periscope of a submarine heading out from nearby Faslane naval base.
And so to bed – there’s also a double bedroom on this floor, with views over the pretty Japanese garden and its own dressing area and ensuite shower room. Upstairs are two more enormous bedrooms, connected by a rather dramatic glass walkway overlooking the living space below. Both have king-size beds dressed in crisp linens, ensuite bathrooms and those same wonderful views – throw open the windows and you can lie in bed gazing out at the water.
On your doorstep is the village of Rhu, with The Brae Shop (they do cracking breakfast rolls) and The Rhu Inn for a proper pub lunch – they do a fine line in fresh seafood. You can also wander along the shore toward the Rhu Spit lighthouse.
There’s another rather lovely bonus to staying here: guests have access to the swish spa facilities at nearby Cameron House Resort. After a day of exploring, we headed over for a dose of serious relaxation. There’s an indoor pool, sauna, steam room and hammam to hop between and you can also book treatments, but my favourite spot was the spectacular rooftop infinity pool, where you can soak while looking out towards Ben Lomond.
EXPLORING ARGYLL AND BUTE FROM FERRY POINT HOUSE
You could easily spend a whole weekend doing very little at Ferry Point House, soaking up the views and making the most of the spa. But with the mountains, lochs and coastline of Argyll and Bute on the doorstep, we were itching to pull on our walking boots.
We headed to Ben A’an, often nicknamed Scotland’s ‘mountain in miniature’. At 454m, it’s a relatively modest summit, but the views are anything but small. The drive through the Trossachs was one of the most beautiful I’ve taken in Britain, winding through forests of golden autumn trees. The walk itself is short and not technical but steep in places, opening out onto rocky slopes and rewarding with a spectacular summit panorama. From the top, you’ll find a bird’s-eye view across Loch Katrine and the surrounding Trossachs hills. It’s a brilliant little hill for big views, and afterwards, you could take a steamer across Loch Katrine or head to nearby Loch Ard for a wild swim.
The next day we headed north along the western shore of Loch Lomond to seek out Rob Roy’s Bathtub, a dramatic plunge pool beneath the Falls of Falloch. The waterfall tumbles into a deep, dark pool surrounded by woodland that Scottish outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor is said to have used as a hiding place. The water was insanely cold but exhilarating – and our very quick dip was a good excuse to go hunting for a pub to warm up in.
A short drive from the falls is The Drovers Inn, a wonderfully atmospheric pub dating back to 1705. The Inn is attraction in its own right, its interior groaning with stuffed animals, old curiosities – and, apparently, a clutch of ghosts. We warmed up with coffee by a roaring wood stove before pootling down the shores of Loch Lomond to the pretty village of Luss. With its little stone cottages, flower-filled gardens and views across the water towards Ben Lomond, this is a lovely place for a wander. And if, like me, you think a Scottish adventure is always improved by a sauna, you can end the day with a steam at Hot Tottie. This wood-fired sauna is perched on the loch’s shores for easy dipping – and they’ve just launched a floating sauna this winter. I’ll definitely be back for more adventures.
Seven nights at Ferry Point House cost from £2,342, with short breaks also available. The house sleeps six.
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