Luxury Self-catering, holiday cottages, vacation rentals, Perthshire, Scotland

TripAdvisor TripWow slideshow of luxury cottage Lochearnhead

2012-01-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

Look at this new slide show for our luxury self catering cottage Briar Steading on TripAdvisor courtesy of Holiday Lettings Amazing what can be done.

Welcome to the Briar Cottages by Kim Proven in Lochearnhead, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Brought to you by TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals, powered by TripWow!™

Wee Santa poses in the calm before the Storm

2012-01-04T02:33:00.000-08:00

santa in the west loch garden, Loch Earn

Happy New Year. Please look at these pictures of wee santa at Briar Cottages, Lochearnhead.

Wee santa at the picnic table Briar Cottages

He is an antique little guy that belonged to Frasers Aunt. A possible contender for BBC Antiques Roadshow if it were not for the fact that his red hat was actually a 1980's red sock! Sshh! Dont tell him.

He is lovingly brought out every year with a big smile on his face. Fraser's children and grandchildren get a little spooked by his appearance however he is a fun little man once you get to know him. All he asks for is a little respect.

Briar Cottages summer house Big and Wee santa catch up

He looks magnificent against the back drop of snow around our holiday cottage grounds. Look at him sitting with big Santa Claus who is stuffed and propped up at Briar Cottages every year. This year Big Santa was at home in the summer house. No wonder. What a view he gets of Loch Earn, Edinample Castle and Glen Ample.

Wee santa sits on the swing in the garden, Loch Earn

Swing in front of xmas tree

Wee santa on one of the loch garden lights

Wee santa near the stair to the jetty, Loch Earn

In front of Briar Cottage and Little Briar

Venus protects wee santa near the slipway, Briar Cottage garden

Wee santa in front of Briar Steading

These photographs were taken around Christmas 2011 when the snow fell. Look how calm and pretty the loch was then compared to the video below taken in yesterdays storm on 3rd January 2012. Or was it a hurricane? It blew out in about 3 hours then the sun came out. Hard to believe when you see the loch. Click on the arrow and take a look.

Thank you to everyone who stayed at Briar Cottages Lochearnhead in 2011. Wishing you a magnificent, happy and healthy 2012 with long sunny days in spring, summer and autumn. Okay... maybe a bit of rain to keep Scotland looking green and luscious with quality crops.

Snowfall at sunset, Briar Cottages, Loch Earn

2011-12-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

Sunset 5/12/11 garden on Loch Earn

Winter pictures at sunset from Briar Cottages, Lochearnhead. The snow came down and we had a glorious, scenic sunny day tody, 5th December. Our guests have not taken up the offer to sledge yet. Who will be the first down the hill?

Jetty is under water

Oh Deer! Fraser is doing sculptures!

Taken near the stream in the garden

Sledge marks from Briar Steading

Goddess shivering at the sllipway

Powerful Stream in the garden

The summer house is also open in winter

Briar Birthday, Summer House, Sloe Gin and Scotland Hour news from Lochearnhead

2011-11-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

Set for Dinner in Briar Steading

Christmas Tree, Briar Cottages loch garden

Happy Birthday: Briar Steading is already one as we approach the Christmas Holidays. The luxury cottage's first guests have re booked to celebrate New Year. Both cottages are booked for Hogmanay. Just as well I got everyone tickets for the Lochearnhead village party in the hall as they sold out in 4 hours. There is an excellent prize raffle with gifts donated by local businesses like St Fillans Golf Club, The Lochearnhead Hotel, Lix Toll petrol Station, Glenample Estates Venison and more. I should know as I am the volunteer fund raiser for the event.

Pet Friendly Christmas: We still have pet friendly cottage availability for Christmas week if anyone wants a festive break in Little Briar. Cosy up in our cottage for 2-4. We put a tree and lights into the cottage with some festive wine and smackery.

Summer House in Winter:The garden on the banks of Loch Earn gives a lot of pleasure. We improved the summer house this year with a dining table and chairs new games and pictures on the wall. Guests love the area to; watch wildlife and Loch Earn, listen to iPods using the docking station, read and generally relax.

Fishing Loch Earn by Paul Patchett

One fishing guest sticks his rod into a pole on the jetty then reads his paper in the summer house. Not everyone's idea of fishing but it suits him. He dozes off and occasionally stirs to share lunch with the friendly mallards (and their ducklings in spring).

Ducklings eat oats at Briar Cottages

Some of you have met neighbouring villagers in our summer house. When Fraser puts the cocktail flag up it means "visitors welcome" for a glass or two or three or more!

Sloe Gin: Anyone staying here is welcome to pick our berries in different seasons. There are 3 blackcurrant bushes behind Little Briar, a cherry tree, gooseberry bush, brambles lining the boundary fences and sloe berry trees in the rear paddock. Aside from fruit crumbles I have laid down fruit gin, vodka and Bacardi. All you do is add one third spirit, one third sugar and one third berries (prick or squeeze the berries first) in a bottle. Shake the bottle once a day for about a week until the sugar dissolves then let the alcohol turn into berry coloured nectar before your eyes. They make delicious liqueurs if left 3-6 months or more. A great Christmas present idea too. We already tried the blackcurrant gin made early August. Decant the alcohol first and then use any edible berries like blackcurrants to accompany a pudding.

Social Media Have you seen my facebook business page? I also have a presence on Twitter @Briar Cottages if you want to follow what’s on around Briar Cottages and Lochearnhead. If you like our website www.stayatbriar.co.uk please click the +1 button on our homepage as every vote helps us to be found amidst a sea of a million other self catering holiday cottage accommodation sites in the world. Thank you for all the delightful feedback and photos on TripAdvisor which is really useful for us and helpful for new guests. It is never too late to provide feedback. If you use a mobile phone to search for accommodation, our website is adapted for mobile use with an app from lovetoescape and we can easily be found on Google Maps under Holiday Cottages Scotland.

Loch Earn by Briar Cottages guests Alex and Brenda Geddes

#Scotlandhour: If you want to follow Scottish tourism in general, get on to Twitter during #Scotlandhour between 9-10pm on the last Wednesday of every month. How appropriate that it lands on St Andrews Day, 30th November this month. Join Scotland’s travel writers, accommodation providers, outdoor sports businesses, photographers, social media gurus, tourism associations, tour operators, food and drink specialists, Visit Scotland and more. Whether you live and work in Scotland, enjoy travelling, are planning to visit in the near future or just have a burning question relating to Scotland you can ask questions live on Twitter or follow the tweets and images about all things Scottish. I will be on line to promote Lochearnhead and its neighbouring villages around Loch Earn.

It has been raining more than a bit of late, making this the perfect time to come and see The Falls of Dochart, Edinample Falls and the incredible burn (stream) that Fraser has landscaped which runs the length of our garden.

Look out for late availability offers if you want to experience Briar Cottages for a short break in December www.stayatbriar.co.uk and please note that we are offering £50 vouchers for petrol to spend in our local garage Lix Toll when you book a week in Briar Steading for 2012 before the end of 2011 (Does not apply to existing bookings and can not be taken in conjunction with other offers).

Holiday cottage Scotland- Last chance to fish on Loch Earn!

2011-09-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

Guest Stefanie fishing on Loch Earn

Alert! The end of the fishing season is looming on Loch Earn. You can still book the last week 1-8th October or book a 3-4 night short fishing break in Lochearnhead.

Trout fishing is not permitted after October 6th. I suppose fish need a break too and they can get on with the business of creating more fish. Could they possibly sense the end of the fishing season? Every year we witness trout flipping into the air making water rings on the 6th October. Is it coincidence? I imagine that they are celebration flips as they shout "yipeeee we made it". Is it only young agile fish that do these gymnastic turns? I wonder what kind of tsunami ring would be created if Loch Earns record breaking catch of a 26lb 10oz trout could flip. That would be one for YouTube.

It has been a great year for our guest fishing folk. Nobody beat last years family record of over 50 trout caught in a week, however, there were some good quality brownies and rainbows landed. We have had seasoned professionals here with impressive technical gear and three novices (including children) managed to catch a fish on their first go with a simple rod and a few maggots, - much to their and our delight.

Guest Steffanie from Frankfurt in Germany sent us the above photo of her fishing on Loch Earn . She may not have caught many but its surely the quality of the catch that counts. Hugh and Anette from Edinburgh(pictured below) launched their fishing boat from our slipway. You do not need to buy a permit to fish anywhere along our 250ft garden or from the jetty. If you go by boat then it is £25 for a weeks permit or £9 per person per day. You can bring your own gear or hire tackle from the Lochearnhead Post Office. You can buy maggots and floats there and in the local store too.

Hugh and Anette bring their fishing boat to launch at Briar Cottages

Briar Cottages in Scotland are available in all seasons. Once the fishing stops the pheasants appear, the hills and bracken turn to rust and Briar Steadings wood burning stove and Little Briar's outdoor chiminee become poplar for Autumn and Winter short breaks. As for the deer...they have already started to come into the garden for grass in the rear garden slope. They will come closer and closer to the cottages in search of plant food to keep them going in colder weather. A remarkable sight if you are lucky enough to spot them. Some people consider them a pest, however they are just doing a bit of pruning. They left one leaf on our Laurel bush last year and it came back in full glory in the spring. Telephone now to book up the last of the fishing dates for 2011. Kim and Fraser: 00 44 (0)1567 830 443 or mobile 07876 122 505. http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/

Lochearnhead Photographer's Virtual Cottage Images To Represent Scotland

2011-07-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Looking to luxury cottage Briar Steading via the garden on Loch Earn

Photographer Alistair Barclay of Alba Virtual Tours in Lochearnhead has been selected to represent virtual tour images of self catering holiday accommodation in Scotland by The Virtual Cottage Company on its new website. Alistair has chosen his 360 degree virtual tour of luxury Briar Steading cottage overlooking Loch Earn to showcase his work. Promoting a directory of self catering properties in the UK that uses 360 degree virtual tour technology; The Virtual Cottage Company's new website aims to help holiday makers match properties with their wish list.  Richard and Julie Scutt who are behind the innovative website believe that virtual tours offer everyone an opportunuity to view a property as if they were present. Guests no longer have to be surprised by the layout and setting of their holiday accommodation on arrival.

Briar Steading owner Kim Proven says "I have taken many photographs of the holiday cottages and the grounds around Loch Earn They are available to view on various websites including Flickr, Picasa, Google Maps and Facebook. Guests are very complimentary about my amateur snaps however I would love to stitch them all together to show the bigger picture.  Alba Virtual Tours 360 degree images are the answer for me. A virtual tour may not allow you to smell the fresh air and hear the birds or the sea plane landing in front of the garden but it does concentrate your mind on the important detail in your list of essential and desirable features and benefits when booking self catering accommodation. It's a great idea to search a directory of virtual tour accommodation in one spot. I am delighted with Alistair Barclays work and I also wish The Virtual Cottage Company all the best with its new website."

Alistair Barclay of Alba Virtual Tours offers a range of standard and specialist photography services within the tourism industry. Services include virtual tours, panoramic and ariel photography and floor plans for  hotels, self catering holiday cottages, bed and breakfasts and other accommodation businesses in Scotland.

Golf crazy or Crazy Golf? There is something for everyone around Loch Earn

2011-06-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Do you play golf on holiday or are you a fun putter? Self catering at Briar Cottages may be just the ticket. There is something for everyone here whether you are in training for the Ryder Cup 2014 or looking for ways to entertain family and friends on holiday. If you are easily pleased then putting on our loch side lawn might satisfy your needs. We put 4 flags into the grass and supply putters and balls. You will see them on our new 360 degree virtual tour of Briar Steading our luxury Perthshire cottage. Hit the ball nearest to the flag. What could be easier. Of course the lie of the land depends on the angle that Fraser has cut and rolled the grass. A lot depends on visiting ducks too as they tend to nod off on the green once fed. I make it sound more like an obstacle course or worse an assault course..."look out daffy!" Oh and watch out for that other course hazard...its called Loch Earn.

There is a set of boule and toy croquet in the summer house if you fancy a change. If you are rained off, shelter in the summer house and have a game of Jenga or extra large connect 4. If that is not mad enough for you then try the crazy golf course at Achingarrich wildlife park near Comrie, 14 miles East on the A85. Not only an innovative park full of interesting animals and birds but a childrens playground and picnic spot too with a restaurant on site. Neighbouring village Killin has a fun putting green near the bowling green in the main park in the centre. For the discerning golfer, Killin Golf club is a beautiful 9 hole golf course at the other end of the village. The clubhouse is run by a charming couple that will pander to your every needs with a smile. St Fillans golf club is at the east end of Loch Earn. A very pretty course and said to be local Masters champion Sandy Lyle's favourite inland course...according to a quote that he gave to Golf World magazine recently. According to the St Fillans GC website it is also said to be popular with Sir Ian Botham. Like Killin, St Fillans is a very welcoming course thanks to those that run it and the regulars who welcome visitors and holiday makers with open arms. The clubhouse food is excellent value too. If you are keen to play a few courses in this area look up the Perthshire Green Card offering discounts for 5 rounds and 3 rounds at selected 18 hole courses in the area. The Perthshire Highland Ticket is great value too and can be used at 12 of the 9 hole courses in the area, including St Fillans, Comrie, Crieff, Killin and Kenmore. Play 5 days of golf at £65 or 3 days at £40! Check individual club terms as some may not agree to the ticket being used at weekends. Well if thats not enough then Gleneagles is only 29 miles away, Loch Lomond 45 minutes and only 60 miles to the Old Course at St Andrews or courses in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Merely a day trip away in any direction. Loch Earn is so central that it makes an excellent base for touring places and attractions in Scotland in an easy day trip. If you are on holiday with a golfer but its not your thing you might consider water sports, quad biking, zorbing, horse riding, forest walks, cycling or Munro climbing. You night prefer to hire a Ferarri or Aston Martin locally or a jeep safari in the hidden glen at Balquhidder. It is also perfectly okay just to relax and read or take in the stunning views around our 3 acre grounds. Ask for a shot of our hot tub if you want the ultimate in relaxation...zzzzzzzzzzzz!

Virtual Tour of Briar Steading Luxury Self Catering Scotland

2011-05-22T02:23:00.000-07:00

Loch Earn, Lochearnhead, Scotland from luxury cottage Briar Steading's open plan lounge

We have added a 360 degree virtual tour of our luxury holiday cottage Briar Steading (http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/). Have a peak inside. "Walk" around and get a feel for the cottage and grounds. Start in the garden on Loch Earn. Look through the open plan living area, both bedrooms and en-suites, then end up looking down from the top of the garden behind the cottage. The 8 panoramic photographs were taken by Lochearnhead photographer Alistair Barclay from Alba Virtual Tours using a special 360 degree camera. Let me know what you think! Please contact Kim or Fraser with any queries or to book a luxury break in Lochearnhead. Tel: 01567 830443 or 07876 122505.

Click here to see the tour http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/vtour.htm

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Luxury Self Catering Experience - 3 nights at Briar Steading for just £25 per head!

2011-05-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

Stunning views south over Loch Earn from Briar Steading open lounge

Late availability. Briar Steading is available this Saturday 21st May for 3 nights only. This is the perfect opportunity to try the new build luxury cottage for just £300 instead of the list price of £560. That's only £25 per person per night if 2 couples or a family of 4 share. Both bedrooms offer en suite bathrooms separated by a 26ft open living area. Check in 4pm on the 21st May and check out 11am on the 24th. Sorry no pets. Only 60 miles from Edinburgh and Glasgow. 30 miles on M9 to Junction 10 and then the A84 All the way to Lochearnhead.

Integrated kitchen and dining area

Wall for sitting aound the fire pit looking to patio furniture

Self catering cottage guests can fish from the garden, launch a small boat and pick up a mooring. There are 2 hotels and 2 water sports centres within 200m. See Briar Cottages on Trip Advisor for latest reveiws. Phone Kim: 01567 830 443 now to book or with any other queries.

Royal Wedding Breakfast for Earl and Countess of Strathearn, hosted in Lochearnhead

2011-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Playing proud parents of the Earl and Countess of Strathearn

Did you hear about the Royal Wedding Breakfast at Briar Cottages Self Catering in Lochearnhead?

Well it seemed only fitting to celebrate the wedding on the banks of Loch Earn given that William and Kate are the Earl of Strathearn and the Countess of Strathearn. Guests mingled in the garden on Loch Earn and everyone stood to attention when The Queen and Prince arrived. No...not the real ones it was local handy man Andy dressed in Balmoral hunting fishing shooting gear as "Her Madge" and my other half Fraser as Prince Fillup Your Champagne Glass. Have a look at the video by clicking here.

http://youtu.be/JBgkKT8lPDM

Baby mallards feed at http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/

Springwatch has been more like summer watch here with the highest temperatures on record for April. The ospreys are fishing daily; the daffodils are almost gone except for the double headed ones that look like roses. A pair of swallows is flying in and out of our garage to feed young ones and one of the regular mallards has had ducklings. The ducks often bring their babies to us to feed and they grab at any little insects in the grass.

Self catering Scotland - Free fishing season begins in Lochearnhead March 15th, Briar Cottages

2011-02-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

Fishing is inclusive when you book a holiday cottage at Briar Cottages in Lochearnhead. You don't need a permit to fish from our loch garden when you stay here. The season for trout fishing in Scotland starts again on March 15th 2011. The loch will come alive with people, vehicles, wild life, birds and sea planes. First the keen fishing folk will wild camp or stay in a caravan on the south side or book up cottages, lodges and B&B's on the North side. Some will bring their own gear and others will hire tackle from the Lochearnhead Post Office, the Store in St Fillans or from Drummond Estates boat hire and fishery a couple of miles along the road. You can hire gear and a fishing boat there.

Guests can fish from our jetty, slipway and along the 250ft length of our loch garden without a permit. The local shops keep maggots and floats. If you want to fish out on the loch in a boat you will need to buy a permit from the village shop or post office. Guests can bring their own small boat, launch it and use the moorings whether staying in Little Briar Cottage or our new luxury cottage Briar Steading. There is plenty of room here for a small boat trailer and a couple of cars to be parked. Gradually the loch will have a variety of would-be fish catchers including men, women and children as well as otters, herons and returning pairs of Osprey.

According to Drummond Estates you don't need fancy flies to catch trout around here.

Maggots and a float with a rod positioned around the edge of the loch seems to work well. Fishermen are often accused of exaggerating but it is well documented that 5-20lb trout have been caught in Loch Earn and I have seen brown and rainbow trout, salmon, arctic char and an eel being hooked and landed in my garden.

If you are keen on fishing get booked up now and look out for accommodation with fishing facilities. If you have never tried fishing and would like to have a go just ask to borrow Fraser's rod and try it. The season ends October 6th 2011 so there is plenty of time to book up. Happy fishing.

Last minute luxury self catering

2011-02-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

Late Availability offer in Briar Steading, Lochearnhead for a 7 night or short break holiday. Exceptional space in the open plan lounge. Book this luxury 2 bedroom cottage with 2 ensuite bathrooms a woodbunring stove and views to die for. Available this weekend. Ideal for a family of 4 or 2 couples sharing. Relax, read, watch Sky Tv, play board games, go for a walk, use the hot tub in the gardens, sit in the summer house in the loch garden and read a book or the newspapers. Sound like your idea of a getaway break? Available this weekend from Friday 4th February. Book 7 nights at £400 Friday to Friday or Saturday to Saturday, or pick any consecutive 3-4 nights at £280 or 2 nights at £180. This special last minute offer is for dates between 4th February and 12th February 2011.

Use the fully fitted kitchen to dine at your leisure or visit the hotels and restaurants in the area. The Clachan Cottage Hotel is 150m from the garden gates.

Tel: 01567 830 443 OR mob 07876 122 505 and speak to Kim or Fraser, http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/

Self catering Scotland: Introductory £100 off a week in a new build luxury holiday cottage

2011-01-27T02:43:00.000-08:00

Looking out to Loch Earn from the lounge

£100 off our stunning new build luxury cottage overlooking Loch Earn when you book holiday week 29th-5th January 2011 or 5th-12th February 2011. See our cottage prices 2011. Briar Steading is in the village of Lochearnhead in central Scotland where Perthshire and Stirlingshire meet at the foot of the Highlands. This late availability offer can not be taken in conjunction with any other offers advertised on the website.

Briar Steading is very spacious with 110sq.m of floor space and an open plan lounge measuring 26ft from the patio windows to the kitchen. The cottage offers 2 bedrooms both with en suite bathrooms/showers, a wood burning stove, Ipod docking station, Sky TV in the lounge and TV's in both bedrooms. The bedrooms are separated by the lounge for evening privacy which is ideal for a family of 4 or for 2 couples sharing. Each bedroom has a door on to the patio facing south over Loch Earn. The fully fitted kitchen includes a dishwasher, washer dryer and 70/30 fridge freezer. The cottage is in three acre private grounds including a garden on Loch Earn with a jetty, slipway, summerhouse and picnic tables. Guests may request to use the indoor hot tub on the grounds. We ( Kim and Fraser Proven) live in a b listed thatched cottage in the gardens and will be here to welcome you in person and show you around. Call us now to book 01567 830 443 or 07876 122 505 or email briarinfo@btinternet.com with any other queries. Briar Steading is a pet free cottage however our website also leads to pet friendly cottage Little Briar.

NB: See our Valentines Day special offer on the website.

Sledge run and deer hooves in the snow from the rear garden

My Funny Valentine Days

2011-01-25T14:34:00.000-08:00

Crazy path to the jetty in the loch garden

Patio doors in lounge and both bedrooms

With Valentines Day looming I got to thinking about one of my favourite songs. My Funny Valentine has been performed by many a star; Frank Sinatra, Elvis Costello, Judy Garland, Miles Davis and Chet Baker spring to mind. I have performed it myself on many an occasion in my song performing days with easy listening band Diminished Fifth. Valentines Day is the nations official celebration of romance however I have to share that my funny valentine husband Fraser is romantic most of the year. Its the way he makes me laugh and those little things when you least expect it that do it for me. For example, any time that we are away from each other overnight I find lovely wee messages in my suitcase if I am away and under my pillow if he is away. I am not giving away all of our secrets but it is fair to say that we are romantic 364 days of the year. Yes, we have a day off on Valentines Day. Both cottages in Perthshire are available for anyone who wants to treat a loved one around February 14th. Cuddle up in front of the woodburning stove in our luxury new build cottage Briar Steading, with a bottle of Champagne and chocolates that we will provide for your arrival. There is an Ipod docking station so you can bring your own idea of mood music with you. Or choose Little Briar cottage and accept a complimentary bottle of Prosecco. Both cottages face south over Loch Earn and there is nothing like the view on a moonlit or starry night. Remember we will be on our romantic day off so my funny valentine and yours truly will be more than happy to prepare the hot tub for your romantic break. 01567 830 443 to book or enquire.

Happy New Year from Briar Cottages Scotland - for stargazers, wildlife watchers, romantics and those who like a wee dram at Hogmanay followed by a BBQ on the 1st January!

2011-01-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New year from Kim and Fraser in bonnie Lochearnhead, Scotland. A big thank you to everyone who stayed in Little Briar cottage in 2010 and to our first guests in our luxury holiday cottage, Briar Steading over the festive period. The Hogmanay village party was a sell out. A good laugh and a few wee drams were had by all. We are delighted that our guests have secured a booking for this years event. Both couples can testify that we really do have a barbecue on 1st January outside in the loch garden. We had fireworks this year too. Anyone who enjoyed BBC Two Stargazing live will appreciate the location we are in. There are no street lights polluting the natural light in our section of the road. It means that you see everything on a clear night and can enjoy the moon rising and setting. You need the cottage torch on dark nights as it is pitch black without the moon, though temporary search lights do come on around the cottages. Fireworks are a spectacular contrast to the night skies over Loch Earn. A friend bought multiple fireworks from Lidl this year. You only light them once and they pop off about 30 fireworks. I have to say that they were first class, excellent value and we would use them again. For those of you who are aware that we have a 17th century thatched cottage on the grounds; I promise we were careful! Briar Steading is booked however Little Briar cottage is there for the booking if you like a weeks holiday for 2-4 with a party atmosphere around New Year. Any dogs would have to stay indoors for the fireworks bit of course.

Winter has been glorious here. Lochearnhead is stunning when the snow falls. Fraser and I could not resist trying out the sledge from the top of the garden. I would encourage any age group to have a go. We have had regular visits from a herd of deer and a stag this winter. They come down in search of food and water when it gets colder. I am a great fan of BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch however they sometimes go off on a mission hoping for a glimpse of something. Our first guests sat looking out of the full length windows of Briar Steading and the deer came down most nights almost performing in front of them. I wish I had a better camera, photogaphy skills and a webcam here. Summer watch and winter watch are just as entertaining at Briar Cottages. We can get close to the malard ducklings in spring. They literally eat out of your hand as does the robin in winter. The robin gets very close to Fraser, usually because he is digging up insects and worms as he weeds. It did fly into our bedroom in the spring which is maybe a bit too familiar. A brave attempt but it failed to mark its territoy in our boudoir as we politely showed it the door... or was it the window. An otter has been digging a shelter under our jetty stairs and ospreys catch fish in front of us on the loch all summer. Eagles, owls, red kites, cranes, red squirrels and other creatures can be spotted all year round. This is a great venue for wildlife and bird watching throughout the picturesque seasons. Now that Briar Steading is up and running we can concentrate on landscaping around it. We have plans to put in some trees shrubs and flowers however we better double check that they are not in a deers top 10 favourite things to eat or it will be an annual event.

If you are interested in booking either or both cottages please check our website and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions briarinfo@btinternet.com, Tel Kim or Fraser: 44 (0)1567 830 443, Mob: 07876 122 505, http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/

Luxury cottage launched in time for Christmas and New Year in Scotland

2010-11-25T02:57:00.000-08:00

Luxury Briar Steading reflecting Loch Earn

At last we can announce Briar Steading our luxury holiday cottage with the best views south over Loch Earn in the village of Lochearnhead. You have to experience it to believe it. The interior furnishings are based around mixed shades of blonde to dark wood with soft furnishings in a range of cream, taupe, tan, brown and black. These complement the warm tan hues of the seam of rock that we uncovered behind the house. They also work well with the local stone that has been used in the hearth around the wood burning stove. The same stone was used for the garden walls and front of the house as it was to renovate Briar and Little Briar Cottages within the three acre gardens. The rock face behind the house is made more impressive by water cascading down it from the hills. In fact a geologist will probably be able to read time lines into the layers of slate and stone with intermittent calcite and quartz. A visiting Cree Indian once told us that volcanic rock and quartz is usually in evidence around gold. We know that gold has been found around this region for centuries but alas not in our garden so far!

Stunning views of Loch Earn from the lounge

We have organised the last of the stone walls in the garden to be finished within 2 weeks. This means that we can take bookings for Christmas and New Year. I would not mind staying over the festive period myself come to think. The views are second to none thanks to the full glass patio doors in the lounge and the bedrooms and Loch Earn is just 70 metres away. Guests will be able to wake up to an ever changing picture looking out to the loch from the bedrooms. Both bedrooms have their own en-suite facilities so couples, friends and families will be able to have their own space. The King bedroom is at the East gable and the twin room at the West with the open living space separating them. The master room has an ensuite with a Mira shower over the steel bath and the twin room has a large walk in wet room area both with gloss marble effect wall and floor tiles.

Fully Fitted Linear Cream Kitchen

The kitchen is fully fitted with a 70/30 fridge freezer, a washer dryer and a dishwasher. The open plan living area is spacious and warm as it faces south and is well insulated. The wood burning stove is a bonus feature for winter. The living area measures 26ft from the patio doors to the kitchen at the back. In fact the whole cottage is c110sq.m. Prices will range from £500 in the low season to £950 for a week in the high season. Briar Steading is available for 4 people during Christmas ( you could be the first to book!) with a Christmas tree and a food hamper at £800 for 7 nights and around New Year including free tickets to the village Hogmanay party with a live band also at £800 for 7 nights. Please call Kim or Fraser Tel 01567 830 443 OR 07876 122 505 and see more information and photos on our website http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/ .

Wood-burning Stove in Briar Steading Holiday Lounge

The Briar Witch Project, Lochearnhead at Halloween

2010-11-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Cross eyed pumpkin trying to be taken seriously

Shy Pumpkin Girl

Perhaps Halloween at Briar Cottages self catering in Lochearnhead, Scotland should have been eerie and creepy. After all, the setting is perfect. There are no street lights and it is very dark at night unless the moon is out. There are real bats in the area. The stags rutting over the last few weeks in Achraw Hill behind the cottages sounded a bit like ghosts and goblins in a haunted mountain.

Pumpkin loving the sunlight instead of moonlight

More Tommy Cooper than Frankensteins monster

Fraser was put in charge of the Briar Witch project. All he had to do was set up some frightening masks and evil pumpkin heads. Somehow he managed to make them all look very cute or comical, a bit like Casper the friendly ghost. I love the cross eyed pumpkin. We lit a few fireworks on the night of the 30th October 2010. This also happened to be Fraser's birthday. They were set up on the slipway in our garden on Loch Earn.

New luxury Briar Steading, Autumn

We viewed them from the patio of our luxury new build cottage Briar Steading, in front of the full length patio doors and windows. The views from there are exceptional. The fireworks were a great success against the black loch and sky. The only things that were glowing were the pumpkin heads placed on top of the 2ft high garden lights. They looked as though they were floating in mid air over Loch Earn. What fun. Another memorable weekend at Briar Cottages in Scotland. Pumpkins are effective and easy to carve but for me, you can't beat the childhood smell of a Halloween carved turnip, neep or tumshie with a burning candle inside.

Squashy pumpkin more frightened than frightening

Garden gnome plays Briar witch

Luxury Self Catering cottage Scotland built in 40 days

2010-10-08T03:52:00.000-07:00

Our new build luxury holiday cottage in Lochearnhead (Briar Steading) has taken 40 days to build and furnish from the time that the timber kit arrived until now. Fraser and I are delighted with the quality and it has been a pleasure to watch the joiners, plumbers, electricians, diggers, brick layers, stone mason, tilers, painters, roofers, stove installers, finishers et al perform their individual crafts. Of course anyone who has met my husband Fraser will not be surprised to hear that he put in a full shift alongside them all whether making decisions, helping to clear up or cutting the grass round about...and he built a fence between the new cottage and our neighbours ground which the neighbour and I are more than impressed with. He enjoyed the team work and the banter and I think that they were impressed at his energy and stamina. All in all it has been a delightful experience and a lot of fun. The holiday cottage is furnished with some finishing touches still to do (putting up blinds and connecting the TV's to a satellite dish). The ground has been levelled and prepared. We just need to add a path to the door and steps from the full length patio lounge and bedroom doors and we will be ready to submit for building control approval. We have been advised to let the main patio area settle before adding the paving stones so that could be a job for Spring.

The back of the cottage is set into the hill with a wall of natural rock. There is a little water fall from one area which we have kept as a feature. Fraser says that he is going to start a Lochearnhead Spring water business from it and I say that I am going into competition with Lourdes, with instant healing for those that touch it.

One of our guests in Little Briar cottage, a builder, was most impressed with the quality of the new build and the incredible vantage point from the lounge looking through full length windows and doors over Loch Earn. In fact we are very grateful to Little Briar guests who have put up with diggers and trucks on the grounds and for everyone’s vote of confidence and well wishes for the new building.

We have already given first refusal to existing customers who have requested some of the summer weeks next year however I hope to advertise the full details very soon and am working on a test website now.

Thank you to everyone who has shown an interest.

Luxury Self catering holiday cottage on Loch Earn Scotland

2010-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

I promised to show photos of our new luxury holiday cottage in progress. Here is a taste of things to come. We are 32 days into building thanks to a superb team of builders. The stone work is already complete along the front.

The open plan lounge, dining and kitchen is spacious at about 27ft long with four 4 full length patio doors and windows facing south over Loch Earn. The views are stunning. The stone mason created our feature fireplace in the lounge where we will place a Morso wood burning stove.

The kitchen is linear cream by Magnet with soft closing cupboard doors and it will be finished tomorrow. There is a dishwasher, washer/dryer and 70/30 fridge freezer. We are putting a King Size bed in the master bedroom with no footboard, not just to satisfy tall people but you would not want to block the view from the full length patio door. Both bedrooms have ensuites that are in the process of being tiled. The carpets are due in a couple of weeks. All going well we should have it ready for winter breaks. Fingers crossed that building control and the National Park authorities agree! Thank you to Little Briar cottage customers for your continued interest and well wishes.

One of the views from the patio

Lochearnhead holiday experience -fishing, wildlife, sheep shearing, highland games, geneology, water sports and baking!

2010-08-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

Rare photo of Fraser and a trout.

Never a dull moment at Briar Cottages in Lochearnhead. Danny, a guest fishing off our jetty, was delighted when he turned around to witness another guest with a fish in his mouth waddling up the stairs to our loch garden. No not a nutter.. it was an otter!

July saw the annual sheep shearing contest and highland games in the Lochearnhead games field. Local and international shearers perform on stage picking up points for accuracy and efficiency against a ticking clock with a panel of global judges watching their every move.

We had great fun at the Highland Games witnessing open sports and invitation heavyweight events, highland dancers, a pipe band, novelty stalls and listening to the hugely talented folk band Pure Malt in the beer tent. We were lucky to have a McLaren staying in the cottage. Turned out his ancestors were linked to the inhabitants of Briar Cottages from around the 1790's. McLarens take note...your clan will welcome you with open arms to their hospitality tent at the games, ask you to join in the clan march and invite your assistance in the clan tug of war. The chief rallies his clan with bagpipes the next day (Sunday) at the top of Creag an Tuirc' or (Rock of the Boar) in Balquhidder. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to the summit. The McGregor clan also march and have a hospitality tent. McGregor’s were the first to hold title to Briar Cottages (known then as Easter Achraw) before it was forfeited to the titled Breadalbane Campbells after the Jacobite rebellion.

The scouts have been out in full force entering the highland games events and adding colour to Loch Earn with their sailing and kayaking adventures. The scouts have a base in the old Lochearnhead railway station.

Our visiting baby mallards are no longer fluffy ducklings. 6 of them still come to feed on wild bird seed with their mum in our loch garden, however, they are more like teenagers now with their wings not quite fully formed.

This weekend, 14th August, brings Wake Scot to Lochearnhead where willing wake boarders of all ages and abilities will enter the competition based in front of the Clachan Cottage Hotel. On the 28th August the Annual BLS Horticultural show comes to Lochearnhead village. The local talent from three neighbouring villages will be out in full force showing off their gladioli, rhubarb, wholemeal loaves, scones, jam tarts, handicrafts, photos, paintings and more. There are 88 different categories to enter. The event takes place from 2-4pm with prizes awarded around 3.30pm. No shame if you only come to look and have a cup of tea (as I will be doing). After all its only £1 entry including the tea! I did grow my own potatoes and herbs at Briar Cottages this year but I would say that the results are more luck than talent. Anyone staying at Little Briar cottage can pick the blackcurrents, gooseberry's and cherries that grow behind it. They just seem to appear so I can't take any credit for them either.

Our recent visitors have been out every day on the loch with water-skis, their motor boat, ringo, banana and more. Launching and mooring a small boat is all inclusive here. If you fancy a go but don’t have the equipment or experience you can go 150 metres along the road and speak to the professionals at Active Scotland. There is a second water sports facility 700 meters away beside the Lochearnhead cafe where they make yummy home made pizzas to order.

I will show you pictures of the building of our new luxury holiday cottage in my next blog. It is well under way. In fact the stone cladding is scheduled for this Friday....

BYOB Boating Holidays, Loch Earn, Lochearnhead, Scotland

2010-06-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

BYOB seems obvious on a self catering cottage holiday in Scotland. At Little Briar cottage on Loch Earn it also means "Bring Your Own Boat"! Recent guests arrived with an impressive inflatable kayak in a bag including a battery charged outboard motor. Even the dog was a well trained sailor sporting its life jacket with pride. Previous guests have brought motorboats and fishing boats on trailers which have been launched from our slipway into Loch Earn and there are a few more booked in for the summer. The advantage of 3 acre ornamental grounds is that there is always plenty of room for parking cars and boat trailers. There are 3 mooring buoys at the front of the 250ft loch garden for those who want to launch and leave the boat for a week and a lockable alarmed garage for those with precious portable products. There is a code of conduct on Loch Earn which is common sense stuff like respecting other loch front properties, having your boat insured to be on the loch, taking your litter home and so on. Loch Earn attracts fishing boats, sailing boats and regatta's, canoe's, kayaks, motor boats and the odd Jet Ski at weekends. The hydrofoil air chairs are impressive to watch too. The person who gets my top vote though is a man who brings a wakeboard with an outboard motor attached. It reminds me of the "Back to the Future" hover board if you have seen the film. The Active Scotland water sports and activities centre is only 150 metres from our gates, within the Clachan Cottage Hotel building - for those who prefer to do waterskiing and wakeboarding with professionals. Drummond Fishing Boat Hire is 2 miles along Loch Earn towards St Fillans where you can hire a fishing boat with an outboard along with fishing equipment, permits and bait. There are additional moorings at the Lochearnhead Cafe for anyone who is tempted to keep their boat here for the summer season. There is nothing quite like messing about on the water here whether fishing, skiing or exploring around the little islands (Crannogs), the north side of the loch or the Eastern end 6.5 miles away at St Fillans. It is equally pleasurable to "splice the mainbrace" in Briar Cottages loch side garden while watching the boating activities along with sea plane take off and landings and of course the impressive pairs of Ospreys that dive for trout all summer long. NB: Week of 3rd July still available.

Phenomonal Loch Earn offers seiching tides, boat races and other unique events

2010-05-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Loch Earn has a seiching tide. Not a tide that moves with the sun and moon and it does not cause the loch to rise and fall either. The seiching phenomenon has something to do with the prevailing wind. Seiching happens in other lakes like Garda, Baikal, Eirie and has also been reported in Scotlands, Loch Treig. As a guest, you can fish for trout free from our loch garden at Briar Cottages in Perthshire. You may experience the seiching as your float moves subtly right and then left over a 16 hour period. The water often looks calm like the photo above taken last week at the end of April; especially early in the morning and later in the evening. At other times the pseudo waves can be quite choppy. The beauty of the location is that the loch state, colours, weather and seasons are ever changing and no two days seem alike. The setting sun had Glen Ample glowing behind Edinample Castle the other night yet there is still a bit of snow high on the hill tops. Before long, the glen and surrounding hills will start to turn green as the grassy hues become richer. Whatever the weather, the loch and its backdop make a unique and magical venue for scheduled events like the Great Loch Earn Boat race, The Loch Earn 6.5 mile and 1 mile open water swim competitions, the SAA water plane splash in and Wake Scot water ski and wakeboarding contests.

The Great Loch Earn boat race was held on Loch Earn on 25th April, organised by the Crieff round table. 13 boats with teams of 4 set out from the Lochearnhead Cafe, rowing six and a half miles to St Fillans in aid of charity. The loch was kind to them however the weather was misty and cool. Contestants gathered at the recently refurbished Achray House Hotel in St Fillans afterwords for some well earned sustenance and the prize giving ceremony. How wonderful it is to be able to view these unique loch events from our front garden.

Aeroplanes take off and land in Lochearnhead, Scotland, in spite of volcanic ash

2010-04-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

Are you aware of the landing strip in Lochearnhead? We were possibly the only village in the UK with air traffic on the 17th and 18th April 2010 when all other aircraft were grounded due to volcanic ash disruption. Air craft were flying in abundance here....albeit the pilots were grounded! I am referring to the magnificent Scottish Aeromodeller Association members who fly radio controlled water planes. SAA members usually descend on Lochearnhead twice a year equipped with caravans, family, deck chairs, tool kits and a fascinating array of model planes in all shapes, sizes, colours, ages and abilities. Onlookers were amazed at the skills involved. In turn the members made their pride and joy, twist and turn and land with effortless precision on the water. I met member Colin McLean who had organised the event. His magnificent flying machine is pictured above. He informed me that the group will make a return visit to Lochearnhead on October 9th and 10th, 2010. An event not to be missed. Our holiday cottage guests can either go to the Lochearnhead cafe to see them or watch from our loch garden.

Loch Earn is also the regular runway for Locheanhead's resident sea plane pilot Neil, who owns the Lochearnhead Cafe. Unfortunately, Neil does not offer leisure trips; he teaches qualified pilots to land on water. Little Briar Cottage guests love it when Neil's red plane is in the air, adding to the magic of the surroundings facing south from the deck, with Loch Earn, Glen Ample and Edinample castle as the backdrop .

Last Minute Holiday cottage on water sleeps up to 4

2010-04-07T02:28:00.000-07:00

Looking for a last minute cottage? Available from this Saturday 10-17th April for 3, 4 or 7 nights due to a swaped week. Check out Little Briar overlooking Loch Earn with stunning views, free fishing, a loch garden, slipway, jetty, moorings, 200 metres from 2 hotels and a watersports centre in the village of Lochearnhead. Central base for touring Scotland. The cottage is stone built, south facing, detached and on the 2 grounds of a 300 year old B listed thatched cottage. £450 for the week, 4 nights £315 or 3 nights £250. 1 pet welcome. (use of the owners hot tub on request). Call Fraser and Kim now 01567 830 443 or 07876 122 505. Check our website for holiday accommodation in Lochearnhead, http://www.stayatbriar.co.uk/ and Briar Cottages Trip Advisor reviews.

Weather or not to book holiday accommodation in Lochearnhead

2010-02-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who contacted us to enquire whether or not our holiday cottage in Scotland is knee deep in snow and out of electricity. Don't worry! This is Lochearnhead. The village seems to have its own wee magical micro climate and I am beginning to wonder if the fairy knoll in the Lochearnhead games field plays a part in our protection. We feel a little guilty that friends in Aberfeldy and Auchterarder have been reporting 2ft of snow or more. We had a light snow fall of an inch and a half making the village really pretty from Tuesday last week. There has not been a flicker of a difference to our electric supply. There really is something magical about the weather when you are staying in Lochearnhead. Maybe it is the towering hills back and front that shelter us. Maybe it's our south facing position at Briar Cottage and our holiday cottage Little Briar. I am in no doubt that a big factor is the A84 and A85 road gritting team. They are so thorough and attentive that we have never even seen snow landing on the main roads all winter. Also, they are extremely courteous and pull in to let the traffic past at every opportunity. So, we have been enjoying the picturesque scenery of snow (and deer) covered Glen Ample opposite; yet we have been traveling on the roads to neighbouring towns and villages without inconvenience. Our guests prior to last week took a picture of Fraser on his tractor in the paddock. Last weeks guests went walking in the snow and today the garden lawn on Loch Earn is green again with the daffodil stems well on their way. By all means spare a thought for those who have been out of electricity, deep in snow or sleeping in their cars but please don't feel sorry for us here in Lochearnhead. Oh.....and please don't tell anyone about our smart and efficient road gritters in case someone poaches them!

PS: Easter week 10th-17th April is currently available (Little Briar self catering cottage Perthshire sleeps up to 4 in 1 double and 1 twin bedroom@ £500 -Call me (Kim) or Fraser 01567 830 443 to enquire or book )

Barbecue and sun loungers at Briar Cottages on 1st January in Lochearnhead

2010-01-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Who says that sun loungers, garden umbrellas and barbecues should be reserved for summer in the UK or winter in Australia? We put ours to constant good use as per the above picture taken on January 1st 2010 in our garden on Loch Earn in Lochearnhead.

We had a very merry Hogmanay at Briar Cottages. Guests who book Little Briar holiday cottage are given complimentary tickets to the village dance and are invited for drinks in the house before hand. 17 of us including friends and neighbours walked to the hall to be entertained by The Session. The talented trio played music from every decade as well as Scottish tunes and a bit of bluegrass/country. We danced non stop to the bells. Tables were decorated with party poppers and Christmas decorations and the village hall committee worked hard to ensure that everyone had a great time. Everyone was made to feel welcome and New Year kisses were exchanged around the room from young to old and local to visitor. The band played until 1am and the bar continued until 2am. The party in our neighbouring hotel "The Clachan Cottage Hotel" was still in full swing when we left the hall - timetabled to finish at 4am. The moon was full and bright against the snow making the short stroll back home magical.

On the 1st of January we lit a fire in the BBQ chiminee by the loch and roasted chestnuts. The hot gluewein went down well with the last of the Christmas cake. We played boule in the snow and had an entertaining game of charades by the summer house. Our godess statue that marks the stairway to our jetty was transformed into an old goblin courtesy of our artistic guests and a bearded mask. At 5pm it was time to get the steak pie in the oven and settle down in front of the fire.

Sledging at Little Briar Holiday Cottage in Perthshire

2009-12-30T05:45:00.001-08:00

Our guests have been sledging! Little Briar's Christmas week guests welcomed the snow around the cottage. The family made good use of our circular sledge which usually lies in the hut. This week our New Year couple invited friends to join them and they used the sledge like a snow board, standing all the way. Very impressive! Fraser could not resist having a go too and spun around a little out of control but landed safely. Our neighbours son is a keen and talented snowboarder so we have invited him along to show us a trick or two with a real board.

The above 2 photos are by kind permission of guest Ruth Langdon.

I have not spotted any snow people on the grounds yet. I might have to build one or two myself before everything melts, though the cold spell is promising to keep the landscape looking white and gorgeous for a bit longer and into 2010. I am not sure if the local stags enjoy this weather but they do look magnificent with snow in the background. The roads up here have been terrific. Our gritters appear to be on the road at the slightest rumour of snow or ice. So we have been enjoying the snow in our gardens but have not been hindered on the roads travelling in and out of the surrounding villages and towns.

We are now looking forward to the New Year bash in the Lochearnhead village hall. New Year guests who are currently in our Perthshire cottage are given complimentary tickets to the village dance. We invite them to join us for an end of year drink in our lounge before we walk along together to the hall. We have just re-instated a real fire in our lounge which gives additional character to the 300 year old ex byre with its stone walls, thatched roof and cruck timber ceiling. We will be dancing in the village hall to the sounds of The Session. The three piece band were excellent last year starting with songs from the 1950's and working their way through the decades to the bells. Lochearnhead villagers do make visitors and guests feel very welcome.

A big thank you to everyone who visited Little Briar Cottage during 2009. I know that we will be seeing a few of you again in 2010 and we also look forward to meeting and greeting new visitors.

Choose a Holiday Cottage in Scotland in "The Loch District"

2009-10-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

The Lake district is a magical spot but you have to stay in a holiday cottage in Scotland to experience the wonders of the "Loch District". There are over 31000 lochs and lochans (small inland loch) in Scotland. Yes really! You can ask Lochearnhead's resident sea plane pilot who has landed on many of them. There is only one freshwater Lake in Scotland. The Lake of Menteith. Many lochs boast individual records like Loch Ness (most volume) and Loch Awe (longest). As far as I know Loch Ness is the deepest if you record average depth but Loch Morar is said to be deeper (310 metres) at its deepest point. Its a good one for "Who wants to be a millionaire" .

Our south facing holiday cottage, Little Briar, boasts the most stunning views over Loch Earn. The loch garden is 250ft long and one of the best vantage points in the village to observe water skiiers, ospreys, fishermen, otters, ducks, swans, the sea plane and other interesting "creatures". Guests can fish for trout in season -March 15th to October 6th. Loch Earn is 6.5 miles long with 2 visible remnants of Crannogs (ancient Pictish dwellings). Loch Lubnaig is just down the road about 4 miles and Loch Voil, Loch Venacher, Loch Katrine, Loch Tay and others are within easy reach. Guests who enjoy space and the outdoors tell me that they can often enjoy mountains and Munro's all to themselves in this region where Perthshire and the Highlands meet in central Scotland. They are spoilt for choice too. Our own self catering cottage in Scotland sits across from Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin, with the Braes of Balquhidder, Ben Ledi and Ben Lawers nearby.

You have to be ready with your camera at all times to capture the mist banks, sunrise, sunset, full moon, rainbows and the everchanging colours and textures of the forest, mountains, sky and wildlife surrounding Loch Earn. I am delighted to show a real photographers work at last. Thomas caught all of the images shown on this blog early one morning and has kindly allowed me to show them off. He was on his way north heading for Skye when we met him. If you wish to see more of his photographs en route including other shots of Lochearnhead visit http://indafoto.hu/utasguszti/collections. Thanks Thomas. You are welcome to visit and take photos here any time.

Video around Little Briar, a self catering holiday cottage with a view in Lochearnhead, Scotland

2009-10-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

Previous guests of Little Briar Cottage in Scotland will appreciate that a video may not represent the true smells, sounds and sights that you experience when you arrive for your first self catering holiday here. We are delighted that many of you keep coming back to Loch Earn and the surrounding scenery in Lochearnhead and Perthshire, which rarely looks the same two days in a row. Whether it is the various hues of the seasons or the texture and wind direction of the water, snow, sunlight or mist; each day holds its own surprises. The photo above was taken from the Loch garden on October 16th when the water was calm and the sky was textured.

October has been gloriously sunny with temperatures reaching 18 degrees though it was frosty this morning. We woke up to the sun shining down on mist that was rising mysteriously from the Loch and a pair of swans swimming near our jetty. The trees are changing every day showing off their red, russet and gold leaves amongst the evergreens. Even visiting Canadians were impressed with the beauty of Perthshires Autumn trees.

I have taken a video on my faithful Kodak Easyshare from the holiday cottage terrace to give you a glimpse of the magnificence of the setting but you have to come and breath the air, hear the birds and feel your blood pressure drop to really appreciate what the surroundings have to offer.

Click on the image below.

Photography heaven holidays thanks to digital cameras, photo editors and the magic of Loch Earn

2009-09-23T02:03:00.000-07:00

Interested in photography? Then you might enjoy a self catering week or short break in Little Briar holiday cottage on the banks of Loch Earn. I have an artistic eye but am no Ansell Adams. Every 10th photo is a winner around here though (unless friends and colleagues are humouring me.) Probably more to do with the magic and surroundings of Loch Earn, my Kodak digital camera and Photoshop than any gift. I have uploaded a few images to Picasa, Blogger.com, Trip advisor and Flickr some used for Google Earth, Google Maps and Maplandia.com so that I can share my pictures with the world.

We have had one or two guests painting the landscape in water colour but I would love to see what a real photographer could do around here. (No offence to previous camera wielding guests). This week we caught a photographer from Edinburgh with his tripod and a grown up camera poised on our jetty at 7am. He was compelled to click at the sunrise approaching from the St Fillans end of Loch Earn. We understood. If he had stopped to ask our permission he would have missed the shot. You have to be ready around here. Only last week I captured a black mink. It popped its head up from the rocks on our garden shore line. I also caught a pheasant feeding on grubs on the sloping lawn between Briar and Little Briar cottage.

In addition to the ever changing moods and colours of Loch Earn, Edinample Castle and Glen Ample there are opportunities to capture osprey, otters, red squirrels, Canadian geese, swans, mallards (close up if you have food) as well as Neil’s red sea plane taking off and landing, water-skiers, wake boarders jumping, fisherman, yachts, canoes, swimmers, rainbows, paragliders, RAF aircraft, butterflies, bees and the deer that come into our paddock in the winter. So if you are a professional photographer there is plenty of material to capture all year round. If you are clueless about photography like me but like having a go, you might actually surprise yourself with the subjects that nature provides around here.

New York Marathon Competitor versus Wedding Day Planner

2009-09-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Running the New York marathon is surely similar to organising a Scottish wedding on the grounds of your property. There is the all year preparation, tremendous reward on the day and you are thoroughly exhausted with aching feet when it’s all over. That’s how Fraser and I felt after his daughters wedding on the grounds of our old thatched cottage in Lochearnhead on August 15. It was a magnificent set up with a marquee on the 250 foot garden on Loch Earn. Angela commandeered our holiday cottage, Little Briar, and was able to admire the stunning views from her vantage point and keep an eye on us all flapping about getting things ready. The cottage turned out to be a perfect honeymoon suite for Angela and her husband Steven too.

Their wedding cake was built on site by MHOR bread from Callander who sent a couple to place the sugar roses on by hand and to make the leaves. It was not only a stunning work of art, it tasted magnificent too with carrot cake on the bottom then chocolate, then lemon, then a plain sponge with sugar thistles and roses on top.

Town and Country Catering provided the food impressing guests with canapés, a first class meal and a buffet in the evening. How they did it from a catering marquee I will never know. We had Jim Brown a local piper as well as a young string quartet during the day. The wedding band "Obsession" arrived from Edinburgh and had everyone dancing on their feet, including a few neighbours in Lochearnhead who confessed later that they were dancing in their gardens until midnight! It was a truly magnificent day. We felt a little flat afterwards but not for long as we are already working on plans for a second self catering holiday cottage. Putting on a wedding is so far proving easier to organise!

Tune into BBC Radio Scotland - A House With A Past

2009-08-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote to BBC radio Scotland some time ago asking if they could help me to find more information on the history of our house, Briar Cottage, on the banks of Loch Earn in Lochearnhead. The producer of " A House with a Past" telephoned and asked if I would be happy to put my questions to their resident house detective to answer. Tune into the programme on Monday 10th August at 10.30 to find out what is said. We know that two centuries of McLarens lived in our thatched cottage and that the original owners were MacGregors using the pseudonym Murray. A MacGregor(nee Murray) baby was born here in 1727, registered at Balquhidder Parsh and the Duke of Breadalbane owned the land and property at one point. There are some missing pieces to tie up and the BBC's house detective might just be the man to point me in the right direction.

Eventful Villages around Loch Earn

2009-08-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

Daffy Ducks chicks never made it. Not one of them! We bought these metal chicks at the Scottish Game Fair in Scone and have popped them on top of the hot tub roof as a memorial.

The Lochearnhead Highlands Games and WakeScot are over for another year however we still have the village Fete in Lochearnhead to look forward to on the 16th August and Festive Weekend in St Fillans at the other end of Loch Earn from the 14th. St Fillans hosts a real mix of family fun in their 3 day event with a mini highland games, a hog roast,cricket, ladies netball a jazz band and more. A great day for the kids before school term starts again. Throughout August and September there are various live music events in the area, with folk, jazz, rock bands and DJ's appearing in various venues. September sees the horticulture show in Strathyre village hall on the 5th, the Gents golf open in St Fillans and the The Loch Earn 6.5 mile open water swimming event on the glorious 12th, a jazz buffet at Tullybannocher Cafe on the 18th and the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Doors Open Day on the 19th and 20th. The National Park organises Doors Open Day to give everyone a peak at unusual or interesting buildings that are not usually open to the public. Guests at Little Briar Holiday Cottage get to see inside our house "Briar Cottage", however we will be opening the lounge to anyone who would like to see our cruck timber ceiling, i.e., 2 trees holding up the thatched roof in the old byre of our 17th century renovated longhouse where centuries of McLarens and McGregors have tread before us! Pop in.

Water Skiing and Wakeboarding on Loch Earn with plenty of ballast in the boat!

2009-07-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

We ventured out on to Loch Earn last week with neighbour Gordon and his son Stewart. They invited us for a spin in their boat while they demonstrated their watersport skills. Both men are confident enthusiasts and adore Loch Earn. Fraser and I assisted in our own way by being the extra ballast in the boat! Stewart went out first on the wakeboard, then on his knee board, while his dad showed us the art of water skiing. We were most impressed. I am hoping that Stewart will enter WakeScot, Scotlands premier wakeboarding event which is to take place in Lochearnhead at the Water Sports and Activities centre on the weekend of August 1st 2009. It is perhaps fitting that the event which is endorsed by governing bodies Waterski Scotland and British Water Ski, is being held locally given that Loch Earn was Scotlands very first commercial water skiing venue in the 1950's . It should be a great spectacle for visitors and fun for those participating. The centre offers a number of water sports activities as well as archery, mountain bike hire, quad biking and more. There is also a cafe offering breakfast, snacks, ice cream, meals, coffee, cake and drinks.

Briar Cottage enjoys new thatch thanks to Historic Scotland and Something Corny

2009-06-11T03:05:00.000-07:00

Briar Cottage in Lochearnhead has a new reed thatch on the east end over the cruck timber ceiling in the byre room(now our lounge). Just in time too as the draughts in the winter were so bad that I could just about blow dry my hair on the inside. Thank you to Historic Scotland for awarding our B listed cottage a grant and to master thatcher Peter Brugge and his team for doing an excellent job. Elaine Lindsay from Something Corny (http://www.somethingcorny.co.uk/) in Inverurie also came up trumps when we challenged her to create straw finials in the shape of ducks in honour of resident mallard Daffy and her ducklings. We decided to place them on the west gable rather than the new section, in order that they could greet Little Briar holiday cottage guests entering the grounds. Anyone who would like a peek at our 17th century cruck timber ceiling should look out for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Open Day on the 19th and 20th of September 2009.

Mallard chicks move to Loch Earn 2 days after hatching at Briar Cottage

2009-06-08T06:58:00.001-07:00

Daffy duck (part time guest at Briar Cottages) sneaked off with her 11 brown and yellow fluffy mallard chicks just two days after hatching. They must have climbed down the fountain where the nest was, across the A85 and into Loch Earn. Only 10 chicks returned to our garden on Loch Earn and we wondered whether crows, gulls, pike or eels might have taken one. After feeding daffy returned to the loch over large rocks and the chicks rolled in faithfully after her. Two fell between the rocks. We could hear them cry but not see them and Daffy became distressed as they called out to each other. I followed the sound, picked up some small rocks to unveil two little beaks trapped and huddled together. I picked one chick up and our fisherman guest Danny handled the other. We quickly and gently placed them back in the water in the direction of their mum. Off she went with her 10 babes. This morning she only brought six back and this time they came safely up the slip-way. Nature must provide 8-12 eggs to ensure that at least two or three survive. I wonder if she will manage to protect the six that are left. Thanks to every guest who has stayed in Little Briar cottage in Lochearnhead, Scotland and watched out for Daffy and her male suitors over the last year.

Wisteria Hysteria, Lochearnhead, Scotland

2009-06-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Holiday makers in Lochearnhead, Perthshire often ask us how we get our Wisteria to flower every year on the west gable of Briar Cottage. We would love to respond à la BBC Scotland's Beechgrove Garden presenters, quoting Latin names, advising on pruning techniques and extolling the virtues of PH balanced soil, however, the truth is that they just appear. My husband Fraser does "chop" the plant back and we do water it after hot sunny days however I think that we are simply lucky to have inherited a healthy plant that enjoys its location and position. Well, it does grow on a 300 year old thatched stone cottage with stunning views over Loch Earn and the surrounding hills and forests so why wouldn't it? Beats "Wisteria Lane" any day.

Springwatch: 11 eggs in a fountain by Daffy Duck

2009-05-25T09:33:00.001-07:00

My husband jumped out of his skin when something brown wriggled in the flower border around the fountain and fish pond in our garden. It turned out to be Daffy Duck. Our Daffy is a "wild" female mallard. A regular visitor to Briar and Little Briar cottage for years, she comes looking for any scraps of food - especially in mating season when she has a string of beau's following. Having not seen her for over a week we thought she must be nesting on the banks of Loch Earn. This happened last year after which she brought her two chicks to us every day for some food. We feel honoured that she has chosen our garden however she has popped 11 eggs this time! We are not sure how the chicks are going to get down from the fountain. They could always practise swimming in the fish pond but might need a helping hand to land comfortably on the ground. So thanks to all our holiday cottage guests that helped to feed her over the last month or so. I suppose it must be hard going eating for 11. Sending the photo's to BBC springwatch and I will try to capture the chicks when they hatch. Anyone know how long it will take?

Whats On Events in Lochearnhead, Perthshire, Scotland

2009-05-14T13:03:00.001-07:00

If you have never visited Lochearnhead in Perthshire, Scotland then you are missing out on some spectacular events in the area. We tell guests at Little Briar Holiday Cottage to check "what’s on" in the local villages. Whether you are self catering for a week, having a short break or just out for the day it is worth checking "The Villagers" newspaper and the on-line events calendar at www.robroycountry.com. There is something to suit everyone from The Loch Earn 6.5m and 1 mile Crannog Open water Swim, "Splash In" radio controlled water plane demonstrations over Loch Earn, disco's and live bands, painting, floral art and quilting exhibitions, an eclectic mix of music recitals, the Lochearnhead Fete, strawberry tea parties, Scotland’s premier wakeboarding contest, beer festivals, theatre performances, charity events, pool contests, food festivals, pub quizzes, hill races, horticulture shows, the Lochearnhead Highland Games, and the Lochearnhead Shears sheep shearing contest as well as Halloween, Christmas and Hogmanay Parties. In addition Lochearnhead and the surrounding villages of Balquhidder, Strathyre and St Fillans host classes in their community halls like; upholstery, ballroom dancing, oil painting, yoga, youth club, parent and toddler groups and keep fit. Visitors and holidaymakers are welcome to join in. So if you are visiting Little Briar Cottage at www.stayatbriar.co.uk or happen to be in the area around Lochearnhead check out www.robroycountry.com to plan in local events.

Little Briar Holiday Cottage view of Briar Cottage being re-thatched in Lochearnhead, Scotland

2009-04-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Little Briar Holiday cottage guests are delighted this week to have the best view of our 17th century cottage in Lochearnhead which is having part of its roof re-thatched over the original byre(now our lounge)that boasts a single cruck timber framed ceiling on the inside. Master Thatcher Peter Brugge and his team, Stan and Mr W, have done the stripping and are now rebuilding the new reed layer by layer. It really is a work of art. Little Briar holiday cottage is elevated behind our 17th century thatched cottage boasting the best views over Loch Earn to Edinample castle and Glen Ample, the best view of local pilot Neil taking off and landing his sea plane dodging the waterskiers at weekends and for the next 3 weeks a novelty extra while the master Thatcher's weave their magic. The original inhabitants of Briar Cottage were McGregors who lived under the pseudonym Murray because using the name McGregor was a capital offence at the time. We know from Parish records that they had a baby in 1727. Later it belonged to the Duke of Breadalbane(descended from Campbells)followed by two centuries of McLarens. Isobella McLaren changed the name to Briar Cottage around 1900 from its original name Easter Achraw. I am sure that these ancient families would be proud of the restoration work to improve the thatched roof and to know that the original rings that tied up their byre animals are still secure in the wall. Little Briar cottage guests will always be welcome to view the cruck ceiling room in Briar Cottage(see www.stayatbriar.co.uk). It is amazing to think that the cruck timbers were around when Rob Roy McGregor was in his prime.

April Boat race and "Splash In" on Loch Earn, Perthshire

2009-03-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Briar Cottage is having part of its roof re-thatched in April which will be a novelty for guests at Little Briar holiday cottage as well as the locals and visitors to the area. April guests will also be able to witness 2 spectacular events on Loch Earn in Lochearnhead. On the 18th and 19th of April the Scottish Aeromodellers Association are having a "Splash In". Members will be showing off their radio controlled aeroplane flying skills with float planes of all sizes being flown above Loch Earn. Visitors are welcome. Just turn up at the Lochearnhead watersports and activities centre. I wonder how many will "splash in" as per the event title! Then on the 26th April the Loch Earn Boat Race takes place. This also starts at the waterpsorts centre. The charity row is organised by the Crieff round table. Anyone can take part at £80 per boat(supplied by Drummond Boats) and funds are awarded to Round Table nominated charities. The event starts off at the Watersports and Activities centre in Lochearnhead and Ends 7 miles down Loch Earn at St Fillans where the Achray Hotel supplies stovies to the rowers. These are both magnificent days out with Food and Drink available in the Watersports centre Cafe, two nearby hotels and the local village grocer.

A Host of Spring Daffodils at Briar Cottages, Lochearnhead, Perthshire

2009-03-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Spring is here at last, dreary winter's past..." That old child hood song is going on in my head. Must be something to do with the daffodils in full bloom down the side of Briar Cottages slipway into Loch Earn. And there are more ready to burst out around Little Briar Holiday Cottage. The birds have started to sing in full voice and I don't know whats up with the mallards. They have changed from their usual feeding spot on the Loch Garden and now follow me around the two acre grounds. They have even been known to knock on the back door with their beaks. The clocks will change at the end of the month and then around the first of April we are having the "byre room" (now our lounge) re-thatched. That will be a spectacle for our April guests.

Scotlands descendants, come home to stunning panoramic views in Lochearnhead, Perthshire

2008-12-16T09:04:00.000-08:00

Come home to Little Briar cottage in response to the governments "HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009" initiative. This charming holiday cottage is elevated on the 2 acre grounds of Briar Cottage, a 17th century thatched cottage with stunning views on the banks of Loch Earn facing south towards Glen Ample and Edinample Castle(once a Campbell stronghold).

This is an exceptionally beautiful part of west Perthshire and the Trossachs in the heart of Scotland. Famous for family names and septs of MacGregor, Ferguson, Stewart, McLaren, Neish, Campbell, McNab and MacIntyre amongst others. These lands have centuries of stories and folklore to boast.

Briar Cottage was first owned by a MacGregor, followed by the Duke of Breadalbane (descended from Campbells) and latterly McLarens. Clan chiefs of local families e.g. the Stewarts of Ardvorlich and the McLarens of Balquhidder still reside locally. They make an annual appearance at the Lochearnhead Highland games where families still do battle - albeit a well fought but innocent tug-of-war.

Little Briar holiday cottage is so central, that you can easily reach any of the homecoming party's and major attractions. Briar cottage comes with riparian rights which means that guests can fish for rainbow and brown trout from the loch garden with its jetty, slipway and garden furniture. There are 2 hotels within a 200 metre stroll, a watersports centre and cafe at 500 metres and a local shop and post office less than 1 mile from the garden gates. The area is ideal for walking, cycling, golf, water sports, history, folklore, wildlife, birds, flora, fauna, forest trails and relaxation.

Today the grounds are proudly owned by Fraser and Kim(nee Donald) Proven who will welcome you, invite you for a drink in the cruck room, show you around the 250ft loch garden and introduce you to their hot tub which you can arrange to use.

See www.stayatbriar.co.uk for tariff and availability, www.tripadvisor.com for guest comments, www.homecomingscotland.com for information on home coming events, www.incallander.co.uk for more detailed information on local history and folklore and www.robroycountry.com for alternative accommodation in Balquhidder, Strathyre, St Fillans and Lochearnhead.

NB Little Briar has a 4 star classification with Scottish-Country Cottages.

Rowing to Briar Cottages, Loch Earn, Perthshire

2008-11-07T02:26:00.000-08:00

We wanted to test our new digital camera properly by taking photo's of Little Briar and Briar Cottages from Loch Earn. Our neighbour Richard to the rescue! He owns Scooby Watersports in Lochearnhead. Only 150 metres from our gates his shop is attached to the Clachan Hotel overlooking the loch. Very handy. He sells a wide range of wakeboards, ski's, wetsuits, drysuits, pontoon Boats, float Tubes and more. He also hires bikes out, which has been well appreciated by cycling enthusiasts holidaying in our cottage. Last week our guest family of 4 hired them to cycle along the path of the Old Callander to Oban railway line that was disbanded in 1965. It is part of national cycle route 7. They cycled Lochearnhead to Killin on their first visit in April and took on the more leisurely Lochearnhead to Balquhidder leg this time. Anyway, Richard let us test drive a rowing boat and we are pleased with our photos taken on a glorious November day in front of our 250ft loch garden and slipway. Cheers Richard!

Free Wakeboarding spectacle in Lochearnhead

2008-10-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

Lets hope its sunny for WakeScot 08 this weekend in Lochearnhead. Sunny days in Perthshire are glorious just now with falling leaves of red and gold and stags bellowing from the forests; a distinct sound that resonates around the hills surrounding Loch Earn. Little Briar cottage has had a busy year and is currently offering 3-4 night short break bookings for 4 people at £204.40 until 15th December (www.stayatbriar.co.uk). We will be telling this weekend’s guests about WakeScot 2008; a wakeboarding event run by Active Scotland, based at the Lochearnhead watersports centre. The weekend starts with a wakeboarding lesson at 10am on the 25th October. The U16's, rookies and open men and women’s competition is 2-4pm. Master Craft and Landrover will be showcasing some of their kit on Sunday 26th too and it’s all free to watch. No doubt Nicky and her crew at the Loch Side café within the centre will be even busier than usual. See www.activescotland.com for details.

Lochearnhead open water swim

2008-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the Loch Earn swim? We bumped into one of the participants yesterday who had travelled from Malta to take part. What a spectacle. A 6.5mile swim along the length of the loch from Lochearnhead village to St Fillans. It was a bit blowy on 13th September however each contestant had a boat re-hydrating and motivating them alongside. Our guests had an outstanding view from Little Briar Cottage. Today it was the 1 mile Crannog swim race. Contestants from junior to veteran start at the water sports activity centre in the village then swim out to the Crannog(now an island off the South side of the loch near Edinample Castle). They turn right to a yellow marker buoy then swim back to the start point. The water was flat calm with sunny spells and a high humidity. Perfect conditions. It was a good turn out with spectators cheering from the sides enjoying home baking,snacks and beverages at the water sports cafe. One of the spectators daughters had just arrived fresh from swimming to the west coast of Scotland from Carrick Fergus in Ireland arriving at Port Patrick 15 hours later! If you want to get into training for next years event in September then check out the website of "Ye Amphibious Ancients Bathing Association", who foster and support open water swimming and have done for 122 years. They keep a calendar for local open swim events including Loch Earn. The deadline for entry is about a month before the race so there is plenty of time to plan and prepare. See: www.yeaaba.btik.com. Little Briar cottage guests are welcome to spectate or train from our garden on the loch using the slipway and jetty. You are guaranteed outstanding views, see www.stayatbriar.co.uk.

Perthshire Tartan Sheep and Hairy Wildlife

2008-06-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

We tell our guests at Little Briar holiday cottage in Lochearnhead about the tartan sheep. No really! Auchingarrich wildlife centre is a few miles away just outside Comrie. The 100 acre parkland is home to an exciting range of animals and birds from the cute and cuddly to the big and hairy. Prairie dogs, highland cows, meerkat, coati mundi, wallaby, ostrich, black swan and ;ok there’s maybe some artistic licence and a "wooldresser" assisting with the sheep hues. A coffee shop overlooking the grounds serves snacks or you can bring your own goodies and use the picnic and barbecue facilities. There is plenty to keep the kids interested too with the hatchery and advertised feeding times. Some creatures are fenced off and others are running around your ankles. Great fun and a fabulous location with incredible views of the Strathern landscape. You can link to their website from ours www.stayatbriar.co.uk.

Water Horse Inhabits Loch Earn- Beware of Handsome Men

2008-06-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Path from summer house to jetty, Briar Cottages garden, Loch Earn

According to folklore and legend, a water horse or "Each Uisge" inhabits Loch Earn; the most central loch in Scotland. I am glad I found out. We invite Briar holiday cottages guests to picnic and fish from our 250ft garden on the north shore in Lochearnhead.

We regularly see ospreys, water skiers and the local sea plane taking off and landing but nothing supernatural to report so far. Anyway, eat your heart out Nessie. This Scottish water spirit, that was chased from Loch Tay by Fingal the Giant, is reported to be far more dangerous than a mere kelpie from Loch Ness. What should visitors look out for? Beware a fine horse, pony or handsome man.

Ride on a strange horses back at your peril. If Each Uisge sees or smells the loch with a mounted rider, its skin becomes adhesive, the riders hands will stick to its neck and they will be whisked off to the deepest part of the loch to be drowned. I don't want to put you off local handsome men that woo today’s maidens; just be aware of any bloke walking about with water weeds in his hair!