olivemagazine
type: channel
link: https://www.olivemagazine.com
date: 2025-10-02T16:05:02.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Best restaurants in Perthshire
items: Best Scottish whisky distilleries to visit
items: 25 small towns across the UK that every foodie should visit
items: Best hotels in Scotland for a food lovers getaway
items: Best restaurants in Glasgow
items: Isle of Skye cuisine: 10 things we love
items: Best Scottish ski resorts
items: 11 Scottish staycations for foodies
items: Foodie road trip in The Outer Hebrides
items: Northern Scottish Highlands foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
items: Best restaurants in Dundee
items: Foodie road trip on the Isle of Mull
items: The Dunstane Houses, Edinburgh: hotel review
items: Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland: Hotel and Restaurant Review
items: Kinloch Lodge, Isle Of Skye, Scotland: Autumnal Cookery Break Review
items: The Ship Inn, Elie: Pub With Rooms Review

Best restaurants in Perthshire
type: item
date: 2025-10-02T16:01:27.000Z
creator: Julia Bryce
subject: Guides
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
description: Perthshire, the gateway to the Highlands, has a fast-growing food scene that has earned its reputation of being one of Scotland’s most up-and-coming food destinations
encoded: Looking for Perthshire restaurants? Check out our ideas for eating and drinking in the region, from Perth to Dunkeld and beyond… For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks and the UK's best artisan bakeries. Now discover the best restaurants in Nottingham, best restaurants in Newcastle, best restaurants in Belfast and best restaurants in Leeds. Best places to eat and drink in Perthshire Aran Bakery Drawing regular queues to its snug 200-year-old home, this bakery in Dunkeld by former Great British Bake Off semi-finalist Flora Shedden is a local phenomenon. Laminated layers of croissants shine, buttery sausage rolls (pork, apple and sage is a go-to) and focaccia sandwiches sell out at speed, and the brownies and sweet and savoury danishes can’t be missed. A roster of seasonal bakes keeps regulars guessing but Flora’s cardamom buns remain the favourite. Grab a windowsill perch and watch the world go by, or order a takeaway to enjoy by the river. aran-bakery.com Gleneagles This stately escape for food lovers has six distinct dining rooms across its grand estate. At The Strathearn’s Gatsby-inspired dining room the sharing beef wellington is the headline act on the set menu, followed by tableside theatre in the famous flambéed crêpes suzette. Take a night cap at art deco The American Bar but don’t go overboard as an indulgent morning awaits. Gleneagles’ extravagant breakfast room features pancake stations, juice and caprese salad bars, and Scottish staples including haggis and smoked salmon. gleneagles.com North Port In Perth’s cultural heart North Port champions Scottish produce with modern flair. Menus are short, seasonal and grounded in relationships with small growers, foragers and producers. Arbroath smokies pair neatly with Fife-grown beetroot, while Ayrshire potatoes arrive dressed in delicate herbs and a Black Isle rib-eye lands coated with chef-owner Andrew Moss’s mouth-watering house garlic butter. If it’s…

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Best Scottish whisky distilleries to visit
type: item
date: 2025-07-14T10:49:43.000Z
creator: Joel Harrison
subject: Drink
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Whisky
description: Scotland’s whisky scene is having a glow-up. From island distilleries to Michelin-starred food pairings and luxurious lodges, here’s where to sip (and stay) in style
encoded: Over the last two decades working as a whisky writer, I’ve witnessed a revolution across Scotland’s whisky makers. Where once Scotch whisky was the preserve of connoisseurs and collectors, today the distilleries have evolved into stylish retreats where the Scotch is only part of the story. Supported by incredible local hospitality, a new generation of distilleries with a fresh perspective has transformed the humble dram into something that’s now firmly in the lifestyle lane. Think boutique hotels with soft tweed and roll-top baths and tasting rooms that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end Copenhagen restaurant. Whether you’re partial to a smoky Islay or are just whisky-curious, these gorgeous getaways combine flavour, design and unforgettable scenery. For more Scottish travel inspiration, check out our picks of the best hotels in Scotland or our food guides to the best restaurants in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee. 10 best whisky distilleries to visit in Scotland The Isle of Islay Distillery: Port Ellen Islay is home to ten working whisky distilleries, with even more still in the building phase, making this island a playground for whisky-lovers. The most recently opened distillery, or rather reopened, is Port Ellen. A cult favourite among collectors, the distillery is back after nearly 40 years after its gates were shut. One of the rarest whiskies around, with bottles changing hands for the price of a small family car, the rebooted distillery is a coastal showpiece, where pared-back Scandi-style meets Islay’s rugged beauty. Expect sweeping sea views, architectural wow-factor, and an elevated tasting experience that’s all about storytelling and sensory discovery. Where to stay: Keep an eye open for the newly refurbished Ardbeg House which is set to open in September this year. It has been purchased by French luxury goods company LVMH. Already owners of the nearby Ardbeg distillery, they have overhauled the former Islay Hotel into what is sure to become the island’…

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25 small towns across the UK that every foodie should visit
type: item
date: 2025-07-07T15:35:21.000Z
subject: East
subject: North West travel
subject: South East travel
subject: South West travel
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Wales travel
subject: Yorkshire & Humber travel
subject: Great Getaways
description: From Welsh market towns with creative culinary gatherings to Yorkshire boroughs that are home to artisan roasters and gin distilleries, these are 10 of the best foodie towns across the UK for a staycation
encoded: Looking for UK staycations? Want to know the best towns for foodies? Check out our guide for the must-visit UK towns that every foodie should visit. Filled with must-try restaurants, bakeries and bars, there is something for everyone in 0ur gourmet picks – from an island getaway in Jersey to picturesque Bruton in Somerset's green rolling hills. For more travel inspiration, find out the best unique UK holiday cottages for foodies and check out our best gastropubs with rooms. Feeling active? See our picks of 10 unique walking holidays for foodies. If you're planning a summer holiday, check out our UK summer travel ideas. Totnes, Devon The market town of Totnes in Devon has some of the most progressive organic restaurants in the country. The Bull Inn is driving the charge with its ecological and social impact pledges, including commitments to “field grown, not flown”, mindful meat, seasonality and supplier-led organic food. Its inventive menu includes such dishes as roasted courgettes, whipped tahini, preserved lemon, pumpkin seed picada and basque cheesecake with plums. Eversfield organic farm shop & café has a menu of all-day brunch classics such as toasted banana bread with seasonal compote and Turkish eggs with warm chilli butter. The Totnes Sunday food market is the biggest in Devon offering up fine produce from local producers. For a taste of fine-dining, head to Gather which showcases locally sourced and wild foraged ingredients from Devon’s fields, shoreline, rivers and hedgerows. Where to stay: not just a restaurant, you can also stay at The Bull Inn. There are nine chic, minimally-designed rooms to choose from plus a four-bed self catering apartment (with it's own private terrace) that is ideal for larger groups. Doubles from £165, check availability at booking.com Alnwick, Northumberland The market town of Alnwick, famous for its historic castle, is quietly becoming something of a culinary hotspot. New fine-dining restaurant Sonnet serves up a tasting menu i…

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Best hotels in Scotland for a food lovers getaway
type: item
date: 2025-07-03T09:45:41.000Z
creator: Lucy Roxburgh
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Hotel guides
description: From grand highland estates to a city break bolthole in Edinburgh, these are our picks of the best Scottish hotels
encoded: Planning a Scottish getaway? We've visited some of the best Scottish hotels for a memorable foodie stay. Read on for our picks of the best hotels in Scotland. From slick city boltholes in Edinburgh to rural historic estates and hotels nestled in the Highlands with views of mountains and lochs, there is a hotel for everyone. Plus, if self-catering is your bag, we've tried-and-tested some extra special self-catering cottages, cabins, glampsites and even treehouses. For more travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best country house hotels in the UK, the best romantic hotels in the UK and the best UK spa hotels for food lovers. Or why not relax with our picks of the best hotel baths worth travelling for in the UK? Also see our Scottish food guides for the best restaurants in Edinburgh, best restaurants in Glasgow, best restaurants in Perthshire and best restaurants in Dundee. Best hotels in Scotland Edinbane Lodge, Isle of Skye Since taking over a derelict hunting lodge in 2017, chef Calum Montgomery has transformed Edinbane Lodge into one of the most talked about dining spots in the Highlands. His Taste of Skye menu has provenance at its heart (there aren’t many chefs who can claim the scallops served were in the water an hour or two prior) while innovation and technical excellence underscore its execution. The lodge’s six rooms are spacious and luxurious, tastefully decorated with a subtle Highland theme. Calum’s breakfast menu – laden with local produce and served on gorgeous crockery from the pottery next door – should be enough to rouse you from your deeply comfortable bed. Doubles from £399 per night, check availability at Edinbane Lodge Market Street Hotel, Edinburgh Edinburgh's first member of the Design Hotels group is a slick and slender 98-room pad in the city centre that’s topped with a panoramic champagne lounge and terrace. Top and tail your weekend here, with breakfast from the gourmet pantry or the chef’s counter, then return for a glass of fizz …

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Best restaurants in Glasgow
type: item
date: 2025-04-15T12:40:57.000Z
creator: Sarah Kingsbury
subject: Scotland
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Local city guides
description: Whether you want a quick lunch, afternoon treat or blow-out meal, Glasgow's food scene has loads of top restaurants to choose from. Here is our pick of the best places to eat and drink in this vibrant Scottish city
encoded: Looking for restaurants in Glasgow? Want to know the best places to eat in Glasgow? We have found the top local neighbourhood restaurants, cafés and bars in the city for a foodie weekend in the Scottish city... Discover more Scotland food guides with our best restaurants in Perthshire, best restaurants in Edinburgh, best restaurants in Dundee and best restaurants in Belfast. Best places to eat and drink in Glasgow Cail Bruich – for Michelin-starred dining Michelin-starred Cail Bruich, led by executive chef and Great British Menu judge, Lorna McNee, serves tasting menu dishes both dazzlingly beautiful and bounteous in flavour. For example, brown crab, Granny Smith apple and Thai green curry or Scrabster turbot sauced with a version of cullen skink. Cail Bruich is part of restaurant group Cultar, which also runs acclaimed restaurant Brett (must-try: mushroom XO linguini), and pub-restaurant The Clarence. cailbruich.co.uk Gamba – for stylish seafood Head to chef Derek Marshall’s stylish restaurant (est. 1998), for well-executed classics such as its fish soup with prawn dumplings, lemon sole meunière with baby crayfish and capers or Scottish lobster thermidor and chips. Gamba is still evolving, too. Newer stand-out dishes include its king scallops and monkfish, steamed with spring onion, ginger, fish sauce, lemon and tamari. gamba.co.uk Sugo Pasta – for handmade pasta An attractive space within the famous Lighthouse building (one of legendary Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s creations), big, buzzy Sugo creates regionally specific dishes using its own handmade, fresh pastas. Think: Ligurian-style tagliolini, pesto, green beans and potato or pappardelle with a Tuscan-inspired beef ragu. Sister brand, Paesano, serves terrific wood-fired pizzas. sugopasta.co.uk Margo – for modern sharing plates In Ox and Finch and South East Asian-inspired, Ka Pao, Scoop restaurants has created several game-changing Glasgow venues. Margo is its latest hit. Rigorous kitchen s…

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Isle of Skye cuisine: 10 things we love
type: item
date: 2024-10-15T09:01:29.000Z
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: 10 things
description: Chef Calum Montgomery, born and raised in Skye, shares what makes this Scottish isle so special. Plus, discover where to eat and stay
encoded: Learn all about what makes the cuisine of the Isle of Skye so special from Skye-local Calum Montgomery, chef-patron of Edinbane Lodge. From renowned seafood and local whisky, to craft beer and foraged sea herbs, there is plenty for foodies to enjoy. Plus, we share some of the top places to eat on the island and our picks of the best places to stay. Want to learn more about regional cuisine? Check out our guides to the cuisines of Trentino in Italy, the Algarve in Portugal, Cork in Ireland or Istria in Croatia. Isle of Skye cuisine: 10 things we love Scotland in miniature From forested uplands and sheltered sea lochs to the rugged Black Cuillin mountains, Skye is both geographically and ecologically diverse, which means its produce is too. It also ensures that restaurants can offer menus that are low on food miles, with local provenance as a cornerstone. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2024/10/GettyImages-1218375340-04f826a.jpg" width="788" height="443" alt="Scenic view of Quiraing mountains in Isle of Skye, Scottish highlands, United Kingdom. Sunrise time with colourful an rayini clouds in background" title="Scenic view of Quiraing mountains in Isle of Skye, Scottish highlands, United Kingdom. Sunrise time with colourful an rayini clouds in background" /> Hand-dived scallops Plump and sweet, Skye scallops yield plenty of meat for the size of their shells. Local divers, like James Cameron of Skye Scallop Divers, circumnavigate the island, stopping off at one site before moving on to the next and not returning until the local stocks have been given the chance to replenish themselves. The benefits of hand-diving scallops instead of dredging are many: there's no by-catch, and only mature, well-sized scallops are harvested, which preserves the native ecosystem. For really fresh scallops, try scallop ceviche with a touch of sea salt and lemon – but, frying them in a hot pan with foaming butter and a dash of lemon is also delicious. Or,…

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Best Scottish ski resorts
type: item
date: 2020-12-08T12:12:25.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: You don't have to leave the UK for a skiing holiday – head to Scotland instead and tuck into venison stew, hot chocolate and steaming bowls of cullen skink after a day on the mountain slopes, then curl up in a cosy chalet, gastro pub or family-friendly cottage
encoded: Looking for the best Scotland ski resorts? The Scottish mountains are beckoning. For more ski inspiration, check out our picks of the best ski destinations in Europe. True, the snow in Scotland hasn't always been as reliable as the Alps, but Scotland's ski resorts have been ploughing money into state-of-the-art snow-making technology in recent years. There are five main Scottish ski areas to choose from, two in the west (Glencoe and the Nevis Range) and three in the east in the Cairngorms National Park (Cairngorm Mountain, Glenshee and The Lecht). There are a few advantages to strapping on your skis in Scotland. Flexibility is one. If weather reports forecast a big dump of snow, you can hop on the sleeper and arrive at the slopes the next morning or pile into the car with your gear and drive north. Another is the range of outdoor activities on offer from winter (wonderland) walking to ice-climbing and sledging. And in terms of après-ski, fondue and tartiflette might not be on the menu but there are plenty of foodie highlights around: from cosy cafés dishing up bowls of steaming cullen skink to gastropubs serving hearty venison stews in front of an open fire and holiday cottages offering hampers stocked with local smoked salmon, homemade oatcakes and shortbread. This year might well be the time to swap the glühwein for a warming dram… The Scottish ski season, snow conditions allowing, stretches from December through to Easter (some ski areas open officially 19 December). Best of Scotland's ski resorts Glenshee Ski Centre – Scotland's largest ski resort Glenshee is the largest ski area in Scotland with 40km of pisted runs (a good mix of green, blue, red and black) spread over 2,000 acres, the most comprehensive network of lifts in the country (22 including three chairlifts), a ski and board school, and three cafés. The season kicks off on 19 December – guaranteed thanks to Snow Factory snowmaking machines. You can even stay in a chocolate box chalet nearby. Glenbeag C…

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11 Scottish staycations for foodies
type: item
date: 2020-09-01T07:42:58.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: From a whisky bar with rooms on the banks of the River Spey to beachfront barbecues at an Elie inn and ethically culled wild venison at a Highlands wilderness reserve, we’ve found the best foodie sleepovers in Scotland
encoded: Looking for Scottish holidays? Want to find foodie holiday cottages in Scotland? How about hotels in Scotland for food-lovers? Read about our staycation ideas below. Now discover the best restaurants with rooms in the UK and the best honeymoons for foodies. Scottish holidays for foodies Isle of Skye Skye, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides, boasts a rich natural larder of ingredients and historic traditions of preservation using local techniques. Chef Calum Montgomery champions these at Edinbane Lodge, a converted 16th-century hunting lodge whose restaurant is dedicated to the island’s crofts, seas and artisan producers. It serves up dishes including Carbost-landed monkfish with Edinbane wild garlic and scallop roe, seaweed and chanterelle crackers. Broadford’s Deli Gasta transforms the island’s ingredients into gourmet sandwiches like The Monarch: Great Glen venison salami, plum and apple chutney, and Scottish cheddar. And the menu at the secluded Stein Inn focusses on sustainable seafood from the Lochbay shores, with a choice of more than 130 different Scottish whiskies. Glamping and gin, Cairngorms Inshriach is a 200-acre mini Highland estate in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. It’s home to a rustic gin distillery where owner Walter Micklethwait concocts small-batch Speyside gins in an award-winning shed (Channel 4's Shed of the Year, 2015). The estate's elegant country house is perfect for a large family gathering (sleeping up to 18, with or without a chef), but for a back-to-nature experience there's a cluster of quirky glamping options peppered throughout the tangled woodland. The four off-grid beds for two include a yurt hunkered into the hillside with views over the River Spey to the mountains beyond. The bonkers Beer Moth is a converted 1950s fire truck, now kitted out with a Victorian double bed and wood burner. The quaint shepherd's hut is old-school romantic and cradled by juniper bushes (the key ingredient in gin – most of the botanicals…

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Foodie road trip in The Outer Hebrides
type: item
date: 2020-07-23T08:10:20.000Z
creator: Rhiannon Batten
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: We meet a Swedish ex-pat baking cinnamon rolls to order, a hotelier who hand-dives for scallops and a chocolatier making ganaches with local gin on a road trip through this Atlantic island chain
encoded: Looking for restaurants in the Outer Hebrides? Want to know about foodie producers on these northern Scottish islands? Read about our foodie road trip, then check out where to eat in the Northern Scottish Highlands. It’s not unknown for locals to re-purpose microwaves as letter boxes on North Uist, Kate MacDonald tells me. Midway up the Outer Hebrides – the 130-mile chain of islands off the north-west coast of Scotland that are strung together by single-track road and ferry – the low-lying Atlantic outcrop is hit as harshly by wind and rain as its neighbouring isles. If the microwaves offer letters secure shelter then the heather that thrives here offers similar protection for the island’s wildlife. At least, that has traditionally been one of its purposes. Now, the purple-flowered shrub serves another function. Kate and her partner, Jonny Ingledew, recently set up the North Uist Distillery. When they were researching botanicals for their first release, Downpour gin, the couple worked with a forager to create a botanical library specific to the island. Having spent months playing with finds such as pineapple weed, the couple plumped for sustainability: no rare plants would be destroyed in the gin’s making, instead they would focus on foraged heather, which is both abundant and adds a honeyed note to the gin. Named after its strength of flavour rather than the local climate, Downpour gets its gutsy taste from a high ratio of botanicals (lemon, grapefruit, clove, cardamom and coriander among them); dispersing oils from these are what give the gin its distinctive clouding when tonic is added, a reflection of the shadows that skitter across the wide local skies. The gin is a success but it’s also a side hustle, the consequence of a long wait while the distillery’s first whisky matures. “The island, with its watery lochs, peatlands and barley-growing crofts, provides the ideal ingredients for whisky,” explains Jonny when I meet the couple at Hamersay House, in Lochmaddy,…

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Northern Scottish Highlands foodie guide: where locals eat and drink
type: item
date: 2019-08-08T13:39:13.000Z
creator: Clare Hargreaves
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: Sutherland might be one of the wildest and most remote corners of the British Isles, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find exciting, unexpected places to eat and drink there
encoded: Looking for restaurants in the Scottish Highlands? Want to know where to eat in Sutherland? Food and travel writer Clare Hargreaves shares here insider tips for the best restaurants, along with where to find bowls of mussels, mugs of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate and jars of rhubarb jam. Want to enjoy a taste of Scottish botanicals at home? Try one of our favourite Scottish gins here... olive’s must-visits for foodies in Sutherland West Coast Deli, Ullapool – best deli Cradled by mountains, and on the shore of Loch Broom, Ullapool is the northwest coast’s main hub. So before heading to remote Sutherland, our advice is to do a big shop at this well-stocked deli/café. Its impressive range of Scottish cheese includes Errington’s Lanark Blue, made from unpasteurised milk from the farm’s own Lacaune ewes, and both the heather honey and Arran wholegrain mustard dressing come from Saladworx in Dornoch, on Sutherland’s east coast. If the weather is fine, enjoy a cup of Matthew Algie coffee on the terrace outside. westcoastdeli.co.uk Elphin – best weekly market Blink and you could miss this cluster of houses on the scenic route between Ullapool and Lochinver. On Wednesdays, however, Elphin’s village hall buzzes with a food and crafts market. The cured meats on the Highland Charcuterie stall are all sourced from local estates or farms, and many of them are rare-breed – don’t miss the wild highland venison salami, flavoured with local blackcurrants and bog myrtle, and the bite-sized “walking sticks” (a great hiking snack), made from free-range Elphin-reared pork and pepper dulse seaweed. On the same stall you’ll also find local chanterelles, bog myrtle, seaweed and wild garlic, all of which are foraged from the surrounding mountains, woods and shores. Climb the track opposite to Elphin’s tea rooms, for homemade cake (try a slice of lime polenta) and views of the mighty Suilven mountain. facebook.com/Elphin-Market Summer Isles Hotel, Achiltibuie – best for views Choose betwe…

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Best restaurants in Dundee
type: item
date: 2018-09-14T09:51:24.000Z
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: Food writer Sophie Pither shares her insider tips for where to eat and drink in the Scottish city while visiting the V&A design museum, from brunch to fish and chips and craft beer
encoded: Looking for Dundee restaurants? Here are the best places to eat in Dundee. The opening of the £80-million, ship-like V&A Dundee design museum has drawn worldwide attention to Scotland's fourth largest city. Architect Kengo Kuma’s jaggedly slanting structure, inspired by Scottish cliffs, has brought an excitement and confidence to the city; its serene oak-lined interior offers glimpses of the glinting Tay river through glass slats. The V&A Dundee and the waterfront development around it are set to entice a new city-break crowd and restaurateurs are already feeling the thrill, with new places opening and old ones gearing up. Here are some of the best of them... For more city food recommendations, check out the best restaurants in Glasgow, best restaurants in Edinburgh, best restaurants in York and best restaurants in Perthshire Best places to eat and drink in Dundee Pacamara This dedicated breakfast and brunch spot (open 9am-5pm) is an easy-going kind of place with wooden tables and large shop-front windows to watch the world pass by. The breakfast menu is a winner for those of us who are always disappointed to arrive somewhere for lunch to find they’ve stopped serving eggs benedict at 11.30. Big plates arrive packed with Full Scottish Breakfast classics alongside tasty sourdough toast, fresh juice and rich smooth coffees, for which you can choose your blend. Alternatively, go sweet with waffles or pancakes, or choose a big fat savoury hash-brown stack, with poached egg, spinach and mushrooms. @pacamaradundee The Parlour This relaxed neighbourhood café serves hearty modern food for breakfast and lunch and does the occasional pop-up evening, too. A tasty-looking Libyan food event was on offer when we visited. Breakfast specials could be shakshuka baked Turkish eggs, and lunch might be a hard choice between an Arbroath smokie and spring greens frittata, an excellent panzanella or a bowlful of deli salads. There are also interesting homemade sandwiches and soups, and cak…

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Foodie road trip on the Isle of Mull
type: item
date: 2017-09-14T14:39:38.000Z
creator: Clare Hargreaves
subject: Travel
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
description: This rugged island off the west coast of Scotland is well known for its wildlife and mountain scenery. But its produce is just as spectacular – from langoustines and squat lobsters, to succulent Highland beef and homemade whisky marmalade ice cream
encoded: Looking for foodie producers on the Isle of Mull? Travel writer Clare Hargreaves takes us on a foodie road trip through Mull, stopping off for fresh local produce, from lobsters to langoustines and cheddar-style cheese. There can’t be many restaurants in Britain where you have to hail a ferry to get there by flashing a red card from the opposite shore. But The Boathouse on Ulva, just off Scotland’s Isle of Mull, is just such a place. I duly wave the card and, soon, I’m being whisked across a steely sea in a tiny launch to the black basalt rocks on which the restaurant’s whitewashed croft perches. As we land, the whiskered head of an otter pops above the water, checking out the new arrivals. Donald, our Captain Birdseye lookalike ferryman, is the father of Emma, who runs The Boathouse along with her sister-in-law Rebecca. The shellfish that the restaurant is famed for is creel-caught off Ulva by Emma’s two brothers who, like her, were raised on the island (current population: six). Want to enjoy a taste of Scottish botanicals at home? Try one of our favourite Scottish gins here... I navigate the Fisherman’s Catch, one of the classiest shellfish platters I’ve eaten, with its salty oysters, fresh langoustines and squat lobsters (they look like fat, curly, peeled prawns). The supporting acts, from home-baked bread and oatcakes to hand-wrapped butters, are terrific, too. Having tried in vain on other Scottish islands to nab local shellfish before the Spanish do, I’m impressed by how The Boathouse and numerous other places on Mull are harnessing their fantastic produce, from shellfish to meat and milk. I also notice that virtually all the businesses are run by women. “Women here have the choice of low-paid, dead-end jobs or setting up their own business, so many decide to go for it,” says Rebecca. Back on Mull’s west coast, I meet other equally enterprising female foodies. There’s Brighton-raised Jeanette Cutlack, who makes her own haggis, which she serves with home-cooke…

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The Dunstane Houses, Edinburgh: hotel review
type: item
date: 2017-08-30T11:45:22.000Z
creator: Lucy Gillmore
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: We review the Dunstane Houses, a newly refurbished hotel set between two grand old buildings in Edinburgh where you can sink into sleek copper bathtubs, feast on haggis bonbons with whisky mustard mayo and sip a gin, rhubarb and pepper tonic
encoded: Looking for hotels in Edinburgh? Check out our expert review of Edinburgh hotel, The Dunstane Houses. The Dunstane houses is one of Edinburgh's best boutique hotels. Expect vintage pieces with contemporary design, bags of personality and, signature gin cocktails. Orkney-born Shirley and Derek Mowat left the northerly archipelago for London in 1988 but screeched to a halt in the Scottish capital, opening their first guesthouse in Edinburgh’s Trinity neighbourhood. Now their latest venture has just opened in the same city, The Dunstane Houses. Set back off a busy road on the way into – or out of – Edinburgh, Dunstane Houses is a two-for-the-price-of-one boutique hotel made up of Dunstane House, a rambling Victorian mansion designed by architect William Playfair in 1852, and its equally stately sister property, Hampton House, across the road. Both are just a ten-minute stroll from the city's West End. Re-launched this summer, the million pound refurbishment was orchestrated by London-based interior designer Hannah Lohan whose portfolio includes Foxhill Manor and The Fish in the Cotswolds and La Escondida, Terry Venables' boutique hotel in Spain. Lohan mixes vintage pieces with contemporary design and, for Dunstane House, she has seamlessly woven in the Mowats' Orkney heritage, peppering rooms with traditional tweeds and historic black and white photographs of island life (elsewhere, the hotel's Edinburgh and Orkney-themed art collection has been curated by local artist Nicky Brooks, from the Red Door Gallery in the city’s Old Town). The overall impression is the antithesis of an anonymous boutique hotel. Dunstane House has bags of personality and personal touches. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, returning guests are greeted like old friends. It feels like the perfect hybrid: a cosy family-run guesthouse and a sumptuous small hotel. The food at Dunstane Houses With no traditional hotel restaurant the dining options are relaxed. An all-day dining menu (well, 12-9…

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Glenapp Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland: Hotel and Restaurant Review
type: item
date: 2016-12-12T15:53:26.000Z
creator: Charlotte Morgan
subject: Scotland
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: Restaurants
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: Luxurious rooms, secret spiral staircases, pretty plates of food, panoramic views of Ailsa Craig and stupendous gardens – read our review of Glenapp Castle here
encoded: As well as ivy-clad turrets and excellent food, there’s one thing Glenapp Castle has plenty of: fresh air. It sits in 36 acres of grounds, all detailed for guests in a beautifully illustrated map. We spent hours watching birds in the Victorian walled garden, admiring views of volcanic island Ailsa Craig, sniffing the candy floss scent of Katsura trees – and chasing the path of a gurgling stream through a wooded glen, rich with deer and the tallest fir trees in Britain. One of the most romantic spots is by the azalea pond, which reflects the castle’s sandstone battlements in its waters. For lunch, let the team pack you a bespoke picnic (we chose homemade sandwiches and a flask of hot tea) and enjoy it on a bench right next to the pond – if you ask nicely, they might even whisk you down there in a golf buggy. Staff here are friendly and helpful, to the point where they organised a blazing evening bonfire during our wintery stay, laying out marshmallows and hot chocolate for any hotel guest that wanted to join the party. As such, Glenapp Castle felt like home to us. Despite the grand exterior (it was originally built in 1870 as an imposing family residence for James Hunter, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire), there’s no intimidating reception hall – just a welcoming parlour, with neat piles of wellington boots for guests to borrow, panelled wash rooms, chesterfield sofas and a vintage telephone to use if you need assistance. Up a carpeted staircase and to the left is the drawing room, with stone fireplace and ceiling-high windows that frame a spectacular view of Ailsa Craig (you’ll find granite curling stones from that island propping doors open around the castle). Guest rooms, especially the master suites, are spectacular. Chandeliers, four-poster beds, huge windows framed by thick drapes, a fireplace surrounded by armchairs and a sofa and, in one case, a curved corner door that leads to a private spiral staircase... follow it down to reach a wooden hatch that opens …

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Kinloch Lodge, Isle Of Skye, Scotland: Autumnal Cookery Break Review
type: item
date: 2016-08-30T13:14:59.000Z
subject: Scotland
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Restaurants
subject: Travel
description: We head to the Isle of Skye in Scotland to join a new catch-and-cook break hosted by Marcello Tully at Kinloch Lodge
encoded: Midge repellent, waterproofs and Wellington boots: not items that usually make it into the suitcase when you're packing for a culinary workshop. However, at Kinloch Lodge on the mist-wreathed shore of the sea loch Loch na Dal, on the Isle of Skye, the new autumnal cookery breaks involve outdoor activities. You don’t have to sing for your supper but you can catch it – and cook it on the banks of a rushing river. Kinloch Lodge, the seat of the Macdonald clan and once an old hunting lodge, is now a luxury hotel as well as the home of the doyenne of Scottish cookery and author of countless cookbooks, Lady Claire Macdonald. These days Lady Claire takes more of a back seat, and Marcello Tully heads up the Michelin-starred kitchen. Salmon and trout fishing in Skye's lochs and rivers, meanwhile, is under the guidance of Mitch Partridge (skyeghillie.co.uk). Mitch takes guests to the River Snizort which flows into Loch Snizort about 45 minutes away, north of Portree, and the River Brittle where you can catch wild brown trout and sea trout near the loch shore against the backdrop of the majestic Cuillin mountains. I'm sticking closer to home, however, tramping with rod in hand down to the burbling burn that flows from behind the lodge into Loch na Dahl, a prime spot, Mitch tells me, for wild brown trout. I've only tried my hand at fly-fishing a couple of times but Mitch is patient as he teaches me how to cast the line and before long I've reeled in my first wriggling trout – to cook on a fire on the pebbly shore river-to-plate style. You can also take your catch back to the hotel kitchen for a filleting and cookery lesson from Marcello. As far as the hotel kitchen is concerned, however, I've bigger fish to fry. The bespoke seasonal cookery classes and 'catch and cook' options take place in a working Michelin-starred hotel kitchen. But you can also opt for a half-day stint helping to prepare a couple of courses to be dished up in the restaurant that day. The night before I'd sa…

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The Ship Inn, Elie: Pub With Rooms Review
type: item
date: 2016-03-23T12:27:20.000Z
subject: Travel Scotland
subject: UK
subject: Travel
description: Read our review of The Ship Inn in Elie. One of Scotland’s most famous pubs, right by the sea not far from Edinburgh and known for its fabulous seafood
encoded: Imagine Cornwall, only quieter. The Kingdom of Fife is a bucolic county, just over the Forth Bridge from Edinburgh. The fertile farmland here is neatly trimmed, the coast laced with long sweeps of sand and old stone villages tumbling towards the sea. Harbours jostle with jaunty fishing trawlers unloading their creels of langoustine and lobster and lanes are lined with fancy farm shops. There’s local surf 'n' turf and an Italian ice-cream culture to boot (check out Jannettas in St Andrews): in summer Fife feels like a giant picnic hamper. In the heart of it, on the beachfront in the village of Elie, is The Ship Inn. A local institution it’s recently been taken over by new owners, Graham and Rachel Bucknall (of the Bridge Inn, in Ratho), and they’ve revamped the old pub, opening a sprawling restaurant upstairs and six contemporary, seaside-chic bedrooms. In the pub itself, dogs lie in front of a roaring fire, seafaring photos pepper the walls and a beer garden just above the beach is perfect for a sundowner (try a local Eden Mill gin and tonic). This is old-fashioned, make-your-own-fun, bucket-and-spade territory. Go cockling on the shore, build sandcastles, tuck into a barbecue in the beer garden or take a walk along the Fife Coastal Path. Sleep The Ship’s six new bedrooms are done up in fresh, coastal style with a smattering of eclectic junk shop finds (old washstands, sea chests and shoe lasts). Bedside tables are made from stacks of old suitcases topped with glass. Walls are clad with aquamarine tongue and groove and the seaside vibe is accentuated by old wooden oars, rope ladders, glass buoys and framed photos of ancient seafarers. Contemporary comfort comes in the form of roll-top baths, monsoon showers, flat-screen TVs, espresso machines and free Wifi. Perched on the window seat in the 'Admiral' room on the top floor you can gaze down on dog-walkers weaving across the village’s broad, sandy beach through white-shuttered bay windows. Eat Famous for its fish and …

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