Gate Lodge - Threave Estate
ID: S282714
- Bedrooms 3
- ・ Sleeps 5
- ・ Pets 2
Guests say
Gate Lodge at Threave Estate offers a cosy, well-furnished retreat with a mix of modern and period features. Nestled in a tranquil setting, it provides a warm, spacious environment with beautiful surrounding gardens and wildlife. The property is well-equipped for self-catering, though some minor maintenance issues are noted. Guests have enjoyed the local walks, the estate's amenities, and the proximity to Castle Douglas.
Reviews indicate a satisfactory level of cleanliness with some room for improvement. Guests have reported cobwebs and dust in places, and some kitchen items not being perfectly clean. However, the majority found the property to be clean upon arrival.
The location is highly praised for its beauty, tranquillity, and proximity to local attractions. The estate offers lovely walks, wildlife sightings, and is conveniently close to the town of Castle Douglas.
Most guests found the property comfortable, with cosy furnishings and warm interiors. Some guests mentioned the beds being a bit short or hard, but overall the comfort level is regarded as high.
Facilities are generally well-received, with a well-stocked kitchen and comfortable living areas. However, there are comments about missing items like a dishwasher and DVD player, and some maintenance issues like problematic taps and heating adjustments.
While guests have mentioned welcome touches like a tray with tea and biscuits, there is insufficient information to fully assess the level of thoughtfulness across all reviews. Therefore, a score cannot be provided, and guests should note that such amenities are not guaranteed.
About this property
A 19th-century sandstone lodge, guarding the entrance of the National Trust for Scotland’s Threave Estate, Gate Lodge offers a traditional holiday home for a group of five seeking a scenic base in Scotland. Boasting views onto the garden that blooms with daffodils in the spring, it makes a spectacular choice for an idyllic escape. Once home to the housekeeper of the Gordon family, the cottage now provides a superb space to enjoy a piece of baronial splendour. Enter the property on the ground floor and discover the beautiful social spaces, made up of a sitting room with a wood burner, encompassed by traditional furnishings where you can relax; a kitchen hosting a good range of appliances and utensils; and a formal dining room where you can enjoy quality time together over a homemade meal. Also, on the ground floor rests a bathroom and a shower room, giving you a choice of either a bath or shower to begin the day, as well as the master double bedroom. Take the winding staircase to the first floor to find the final two bedrooms, a twin and a single, wonderfully suited to a variety of group needs, with each bedroom offering a unique, traditional interior. Soak up your surroundings in the mornings in your own private garden, observing the red squirrels and nuthatches that regularly visit, before exploring the wider grounds of the Threave Estate. The properties sit in an extremely desirable position, amidst natural beauty and wonderful wildlife, with an osprey platform and a bat reserve too, they offer a truly unique experience at any time of the year. As well as the beautiful Victorian era gardens, you can find a visitor centre, café, shop, and a nature reserve all within walking distance of your front door, so you'll never have to venture far to find excitement. The centre of the local town of Castle Douglas rests slightly further afield; known as the 'Food Town', it's sure to offer something for all your cuisine needs, with a wide variety of food shops, pubs, and restaurants to choose from, plus a selection of shops to while away the hours in. Loch Ken is worth a visit for keen birdwatchers, home to the official Red Kite trail, as well as being within easy reach of the Galloway Activity Centre for even more adventure! Venture towards the beautiful Galloway Hills, or enjoy a day in the riverside town of Kirkcudbright, known locally as the artists’ town, and discover the Stewartry Museum, a picturesque marina and the impressive National Trust for Scotland owned Broughton House & Garden, once the Edwardian home and studio of Scottish artist E A Hornel, you can expect to find a plethora of beautiful paintings accompanied by an equally impressive garden boasting a beautiful blend of Eastern and Western horticulture. Further afield is the village of Ecclefechan, Thomas Carlyle’s birthplace, where you can visit the home of this prolific writer and social commentator, constructed by Carlyle’s father and uncle, definitely well-worth a visit. A truly special holiday home, choose Gate Lodge for your escape to Scotland.
Castle Douglas is a pretty country town in southwest Scotland, in the region of Dumfries and Galloway. Boasting a range of wonderful amenities and attractions, it makes a fantastic holiday base for the keen foodie with the town being known as the 'Food Town' for its wide range of independent food shops, pubs and restaurants, as well as there being a scatter of shops to explore too. Explore the beautiful Solway Coast for a truly scenic experience, or venture out to the Galloway Forest Park for a range of outdoor adventures.
Accommodation
Three bedrooms: 1 x ground floor double, first floor 1 x twin, 1 x single.
Ground floor bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC.
Ground floor shower room with shower, basin and WC.
Kitchen.
Dining room.
Sitting room with wood burner.
Oil fired central heating.
Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer washing machine, TV, radio, and WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
Cot and highchair available.
Ample off road parking.
Private rear lawn and gravelled area with furniture (not enclosed).
Two well behaved dogs welcome.
Sorry, no smoking.
Shop 1.6 miles, pub 1.5 miles.
Holiday guests have access to the estate grounds outside of the regular opening hours.
Cot bedding is not provided.
Should you wish to use the wood burner please note that wood is not supplied.
Restricted headroom entering the shower room and at the top of the staircase, please mind your head.
Narrow, winding staircase, please take care.
The opening times, visitor facilities and entry prices of all National Trust for Scotland properties and attractions can be viewed on their website here
Nearby points of interest
- Galloway Activity Centre
Reviews (45)
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Geoffrey James
A beautiful location with the gardens and nature reserve on your doorstep (literally). Cottage was immaculate, comfortable and cosy, and really well equipped. Perfect for a relaxing break.
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Deborah
High quality kitchen provision (Denby crockery and pans) and a welcome tray. Comfortable beds with high quality bedding. Walks from the cottage (gardens, grounds, Threave castle/osprey circular and Castle Douglas circular via loch etc) where there are some lovely restaurants eg Carlos, Olive Retreat and good shopping (bakeries, grocers, butchers etc). We stayed here pre-pandemic and loved it then since when itâs been refurbished to a high standard and we love it even more and look forward to coming back. The location is brilliant for visiting Dumfries and Galloway in all directions.
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Jean
But the cottage hadnât been cleaned when we arrived at 5pm, I complained to NTS and two people arrived within half an hour and did an excellent job of cleaning and changing bed linen etc, they were very apologetic. There were a lot of wasps under the roof tiles of the cottage, we had on average 10 to 20 inside the cottage, mainly in the kitchen and bathroom, every day. I reported this and was told that NTS were aware of the problem and were trying to get them stopped. They were not in any bedrooms. I would stay there again when the wasp problem is fixed.