Cala is an exceptional home that sits on a hill, nestled in nature, with dramatic views of Loch Nedd and the magnificent Quinag mountain. Its design was inspired by a desire to create a structure to blend in with the untamed, rugged landscape of Assynt yet provide a warm and comfortable haven sheltered from the sometimes extreme weather conditions of the region.
The simple yet striking charred larch exterior is mirrored in the simple clean lines and functionality of the interior space. The open plan living area and master bedroom enjoy breathtaking views. Large windows and skylights allow the sun to saturate the house with light and warmth. There is a wood burner as well as infrared central heating. The kitchen is equipped with top of the range appliances. An outside deck provides a space for al fresco breakfasts when the weather permits.
The material used to make this modular house is called CLT. It is a form of compressed timber and is highly insulating. The house was designed by Mary Arnold-Forster and was featured in the More 4 TV series, Impossible Builds. In 2021, Cala was shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects’ House of the Year, and featured in Channel 4’s Grand Designs series about the competition.
Due to various factors relating to safety at this property, children under ten years of age are not allowed. At the time of booking please insert the ages of your children in the comments box on the booking form.
Facilities
Included in the rent
Other Facilities
Guests with Children
Due to various factors relating to safety at this property, children under ten years of age are not allowed. At the time of booking please insert the ages of your children in the comments box on the booking form.
Blinds and Curtains
Please note we do not have curtains or blinds in any of the rooms as we feel they would impede the fabulous views we have onto the loch or rock faces. We provide eye masks for sleeping. Our setting is private and the only onlookers into bed and bathrooms are visiting sheep.
WiFi Connection
Due to the rural location of the property, there is no broadband cable connection. WiFi is provided via a portable data simcard. This makes the WiFi suitable mainly for email and internet browsing. It is possible to stream music and video at normal speeds but reception is sometimes intermittent or may be unavailable for a day or so depending on weather conditions.
Good Housekeeping Deposit
A Good Housekeeping Deposit of £250.00 is required at the property.
Best Features
STL -550860983 EPC RATING: PENDING
A wonderful house in a sublime setting. My daughter and I are coming to the end of our week stay here. The house itself is a fabulously designed home tailored to the surrounding geography and, of course the elements. Warm and cosy, peaceful and aesthetically ultra appealing to our tastes. A complete treat to stay here and a huge thank you to the owners for enabling us to do so. We enjoyed huge days out hill walking and being able to return to a peaceful extremely relaxing home (with fantastic bathrooms) has been wonderfully relaxing for us both. Thank you, Jess and Gary
Our second visit to this excellent architectural home in a stunning location. Absolutely perfect for totally getting away from a busy World, enabling us to slow down and relax. Taking a trip to Sandwood Bay really added to the sense of remoteness and it was a real shame we ended up leaving a day early, but that was due to Storm Babet. I suspect we will return again!
Beautiful cottage in a beautiful area. V clean. V well equipped. It's an absolutely stunning place.
Amazing place, amazing location, fantastic holiday in a beautiful part of the world
This is a wonderful place, a beautifully conceived and executed house design in a stupendous setting. The house is extremely well appointed and I could have spent all week looking at the view from the living room or the outside deck. Two days of snowfall meant that I was slightly restricted in how much of the surrounding area that I could explore but what I did see only whetted my appetite to return to take in more of the hills, lochs, beaches of near white sand and azure seas. The unexpected bonus was learning that Assynt is "a Mecca for geologists" initiating a new found interest in geology.
What a stylish and cosy base to explore the wild beauty of Assynt. Watching the ever-changing weather from the amazing picture window is addictive and the rest of the property is equally well designed to provide a perfectly relaxing holiday.
I really enjoyed my stay at Cala. The house is amazing, almost perfect. It is well-equipped and there are instructions available for all equipment. The views over Loch Nedd and Quinag are ever-changing and provide a fabulous panorama. The sheep around (and under!) the house are entertaining, if sometimes able to generate curious noises. There's plenty of wildlife to be seen from the house - binoculars are a must to take advantage of the seals, birds, deer (including swimming deer on Loch Nedd) and otters. I understand the idea behind no blinds but I would prefer a blind in the bedroom - it's not inconceivable that somebody might wander to the front of the house. The broadband was very unstable when I was there - at times so wobbly that it wasn't possible to do a basic search to book a boat trip.
A really fabulous property - comfortable, stylish, well appointed and warm - with fantastic views, it was a joy to wake up each morning and see the changing moods of Quinag! A lovely place in a really special part of the world.
I cannot say enough good things about our stay at Cala. Walking into the home for the first time took my breath away. The pictures are great and all, but I was actually shocked when I saw it in real life. I actually got misty when we had to leave. We are so thankful to Heather and Phil for letting us stay, and also to Brian and team at Wilderness Cottages. We are so looking forward to our next trip in November and are grateful to have worked with such great folks! Thanks again!
An astonishingly beautiful setting, the panoramic view of Loch Nedd from Cala is magnificent. The area is ideal for those interested in walking in unspoiled landscapes to enjoy the scenery, its wildlife or the geology of one of the most captivating areas of Scotland. Well appointed and warmly welcoming Cala is in a quiet, sparsely populated area and, out of season, road traffic is refreshingly rare. The ideal place to stay to appreciate peaceful grandeur of the Highlands.
Amazing architecture, extraordinary location, highest recommendation.
A perfect retreat from a busy life. Cala is a very individual property in a beautiful spot with stunning views of the Scottish Highlands and sits just above Loch Nedd. We found the space so relaxing with plenty of space, large windows and a well equipped kitchen. The well stocked local store at Drumbeg not only offered food and drink for our weeks stay but were welcoming and offered us local knowledge which complemented the information at the house. We enjoyed mountain and coastal walks, a host of wildlife and cosy afternoons at home.
We had the most wonderful time at Cala. Getting there already is an experience of its own, on the winding narrow road from Kylesku. The location and view are simply amazing, you can look out of the window the whole day and just watch the changing scenery. The interior is tastefully put together with all you need. Cooking is a pleasure, the bed really comfortable, bathrooms are equipped with showers to spend a day under.... I wouldn't recommend it for 4 people though, as there is little space to store clothing etc. Being only 2 we used the second bedroom for this. We fell in love with the Assynt and definitely want to come again!
