Altskeith

Altskeith
Altskeith Country House on Loch Ard
Altskeith  Altskeith shown within the Stirling council area
OS grid reference	NN4602
Council area	Stirling
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	STIRLING
Postcode district	FK8
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
List of places UK Scotland

Coordinates: 56°11′14″N 4°28′07″W / 56.187209°N 4.468559°W / 56.187209; -4.468559

Altskeith Country House, is a traditional Scottish country house built in 1898. There is a burn running beside the house which gives Altskeith its name, which in Gaelic means "burn in spate". The property enjoys a magnificent position on the edge of Loch Ard with spectacular views South over the loch and West to Ben Lomond. Altskeith Country House^[1] lies in the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The area where Altskeith Country House is located has excellent leisure facilities including a sailing club and the MacDonald Forest Hills Hotel and Spa. There is also the village of Aberfoyle at only 4 miles, it provides a full range of facilities.

Writers, poets and artist have all been fascinated by the incomparable atmosphere of this loch and its area, the tales of Robert Roy MacGregor and the mystery of the Children of the Mist and the clans who lived amidst these wild hills. Nearby Loch Katrine was the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's poem The Lady of the Lake and Altskeith itself, featured as Glenkirk House in the 1959 adaptation, The 39 Steps.^[2]

History

Altskeith was a hotel for many years, having its own pub bar and organising beer festival during the summer. The house suffered many changes to be run as hotel during all those years, it has 10 bedrooms and 9 en suites, large kitchen with a separate washing area and a big storage room for bar stools, tables, drinks and kegs.

After many years run as hotel with constantly changes in favour of a hotel package, the last owners (from around 1990 until 2012) stopped the hotel business and changed its use for a self-catering experience. The house then part house/parts still like a hotel was sold on September 2012. The vision of the current owners (from September 2012) was to bring back the traditional Scottish country house Altskeith was always. Changes has been happening since until March 2014, when Altskeith finally feels like a welcoming home, the result is a very interesting mixture of an old Scottish country house with selected antique furnitures, renovated high standard bathrooms, a gorgeous living room and an absolutely amazing new burn/waterfall.

The house is still used as a self-catering accommodation with 10 bedrooms but the addition of a new function room (before used to be the games room along with the storage of the pub accessories) it makes Altskeith the perfect wedding venue overlooking Loch Ard. Altskeith Country House functions as a large self-catering holiday home, wedding venue and corporate retreats.^[3]

References