Canowindra, Portree, Isle of Skye: B&B review

There’s a lovely coincidence to welcome us to Canowindra when we arrive late one sunny September afternoon, after a day’s swimming in Skye’s Fairy Pools. It’s the first birthday of Olivia, baby daughter of the B&B’s owners, Georgie and Rick. Snap, ours is one today too. A personal connection is established, which is nice when you’re staying in someone’s home.

Theirs is a large purpose-built new house masquerading as a country cottage decades old, with tall trees surrounding it, a slate roof, two cosy lounges and just four guestrooms.

Georgie’s parents run their own B&B, Peinmore House, right next door. They were so often turning people away (Skye is one of Scotland’s busier corners) they realised the overspill warranted a second business. Up stepped Georgie, opening a more contemporary alternative last year with her Australian husband, who was previously lounge manager at the island’s famous Three Chimneys restaurant.

“Mine’s more modern, less chintzy than mum’s” says Georgie. Greys, pinks and greens set a backdrop for shabby chic and modern pine furniture, lilac armchairs, floral cushions, little windowsill-filling pieces of local pottery, the odd industrial looking light. Vases of roses and sweet peas are dotted around. A little bookshelf on the landing has local guides and blockbuster DVDs, and there are piles of leaflets on an old trunk. It’s homely, tasteful not trendy, nice – with a John Lewis catalogue vibe. Indeed Georgie says most of the furnishings come from there, and from Feather and Black, Laura Ashley and nearby independent shops.

It’s already late and we’ve failed to make dinner reservations, but Georgie recommends we hotfoot it to the Granary in quaint Portree, two miles away. Sadly, it’s a letdown (salty slabs of meat in the roast dinner, too-cheap chips with no offer of ketchup), though my West Coast mussels in cider and cream (with a glass of pitch dark Skye ale included) aren’t bad, and the keen raspberry-blowing waiter does a good impression of a professional children’s entertainer so one of our party is enraptured. And though we’re a little peeved we’d been following our hosts’ tip, we’re eager to hurry back to the comforts of Canowindra.

There, our slate-tiled bathroom with big deep bath and rainshower is gorgeous, and I like the White Company bedding, kilner jars of homemade gingery biscuits and fresh coffee in our room (though there’s barely enough for one small cafetiere). But “urgh” to the old-fashioned bulky glass and metal TV stand and the framed print depicting Primrose Hill in London – why not a scene of beautiful Skye? Apparently, Georgie’s parents used to have an art gallery and the hit-and-miss pictures are leftover stock. A lovely iron bed in one of the other rooms comes from their old pub.

My overall impression is that this B&B is a perfectly lovely place to stay, in a very handy location in the middle of Skye, right on the edge of its main town, and pretty much faultless. And yet it doesn’t quite go the extra mile, and there are a few sloppy details. The guest info folders, website and even the name signs on the bedroom doors, are awash with spelling and grammatical errors (sorry! It’s a bugbear). What modern B&Bs need to stand out is personality, and this place is a little too by-the-book.

Breakfast though is unarguably a knock-out. Bowls and baskets of homemade granola, dark berry compote, pastries, fresh berries and melon, thick yoghurt, dried fruits and breads cover a long table. The cooked dishes, using small local suppliers of sausages, eggs, smoked haddock and salmon, are done to perfection – food is clearly Georgie and Rick’s strong point, and I’d like to return in winter, when they offer simple suppers of casseroles and soups. There’s even an Iggle Piggle highchair for our kid. If only they hadn’t chosen to play Dido on the stereo …

• Accommodation was provided by Canowindra (01478 613 640, canowindraskye.co.uk); doubles from £145 per night B&B

Ask a local:
Mike Lates, climbing guide on Skye

• Glen Brittle beach on the west coast, about three miles beyond the hugely popular Fairy Pools, is a fantastic beach, very serene, with white sand and rocky alcoves. It’s popular with locals, many of whom go kitesurfing and kayaking there, but it’s never too busy. There’s a campsite selling ice creams and with showers you can use.

• The peak with the best viewpoint on Skye is Sgurr na Stri (the Peak of Strife). The best way to reach it is to take the boat from Elgol to Loch Coruisk, then it’s 90 minutes to the top, for views of the Old Man of Storr, the Cuillins and to the Outer Hebrides. It’s an athletic walk and one for a good clear day.

• There’s a new pizzeria, Cafe Sia, in Broadford which does a great “six fromage” pizza, with Scottish and Italian cheeses, cooked in a wood-fired oven. It also has a coffee roastery doing great coffee. When it first opened, I saw them putting up decking and awnings outside the cafe and I thought “uh oh, that’s the kiss of death!” but for some reason, even though they don’t have any midge machines, they don’t seem to get any midges there!

Book a guided hike or rock climb with Mike at skyeguides.co.uk

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