Osdale Cottages

Self Catering accommodation on the Isle of Skye

News

Osdale Observations – Five Great Things You’ll Want to Know

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As the days grow shorter and another season at Osdale winds down, Lucy and I find ourselves reflecting on another great year. Can you believe 2024 will be our fifth year? Here are five things we’ve discovered along the way: 

Trust

Most importantly, we recognise the trust you place in us when choosing Osdale and will never take that for granted. Booking direct gives us the opportunity to communicate with you easily, help plan the holiday you want and offer you the best prices without any commission charges.  You can find out more about us here.

Location Location Location

Heading up the track and catching that first glimpse of the cottages against the backdrop of Macleod’s Tables coupled with the views, silence, and peacefulness that surround you on arrival makes for a captivating place. It’s these things that makes Osdale such a special place. The quality of the cottages is just the icing on the cake. 

The Perfect Retreat

Skye’s weather can be wild, there’s no denying it, so on those wet and windy days a warm and comfortable retreat becomes the heart of your holiday. Hence why we provide you with a home from home, both at the Farmhouse and Byre, where you can embrace the rainy days. 

Exceptional Guests

Osdale attracts the best guests and as a result, we feel incredibly fortunate to host you and your dogs. Hikers, nature lovers and foodies all find this an exceptional place to be. There’s plenty for you to do on Skye. A good introduction to Skye activities can be found here, great walks here and we give all our guests the full lowdown on places to eat from takeaways to award-winning restaurants.

A Place for All Seasons

While summer takes centre stage, the appeal of an Autumn or Winter break at Osdale is growing. The golden hues of Autumn are breath-taking, and with most establishments open, it’s an ideal time for a getaway. Osdale in January or February is the perfect retreat, promising slow mornings, invigorating walks and crackling fires. Autumn and Winter are both excellent for star-gazing and spotting the Aurora Borealis.

Thinking of Joining Us?

Then check out our availability on our booking page here.

What have we been up to?

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Well, it’s been a while since we posted an update so here’s a brief overview of what we have been up to recently.

  • The biggest news (and expense!) has been the new Osdale track that was completed in February 2023. New gullies for rainwater have been created, the track smoothed and a new top surface laid. Now you’ll have time to admire the views and wildlife rather than dodging potholes and stones.
  • We have finally ditched the satellite wi-fi and switched to 4G wi-fi instead. This not only means you get to enjoy much better speeds, but the ugly satellite dishes have gone too.
  • We have done a lot of work tidying up the cottages – well to be correct David, a neighbour, has. He has been a great help this winter and his improvements have given Osdale a real lift. At the Farmhouse we now have a beautifully painted lean-to and a dishwasher.
  • Our private water supply has been upgraded and switched to a pressurised system to reduce water wastage.
  • Behind the scenes we have been preparing and submitting our application for a licence to operate, which all Scottish holiday accommodation will require in the future. 

None of these things are glamourous but they are part of the backbone of Osdale and will help you have a comfortable, carefree time when you stay with us. 

It’s been quite a rollercoaster of a ride since we took ownership of the cottages in 2019. Every year has been different, and each has had its own challenges, but it’s worth it. It’s always a pleasure to be here, whether sat looking at the view having a cup of tea or trailing through bog to check the water tanks in the rain. I’m not sure there is a better place to be!

Anne

April 2023

How Osdale deals with cancellations due to government COVID restrictions

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If your booking is cancelled because:

  1. Osdale Cottages are required to close due to government restrictions and the restriction coincides with all or part of your stay; or
  2. Your home address is placed into local government restrictions that prevent you from travelling and the restriction coincides with all or part of your stay; or
  3. government restrictions limit travel across borders that prevent you from reaching Osdale and coincides with all or part of your stay;

we will refund in full all payments made, or refund on a pro rata basis where the stay has to be terminated early, or the arrival date is postponed to a later date within the period of your stay.

Our normal cancellation terms will apply should you, or a member of your group, fall ill with COVID, are required to quarantine or self-isolate. If you require additional cancellation protection for these circumstances it must be covered by your own travel insurance.


We recommend that you take out your own travel insurance for UK holidays to cover late booking cancellation. This will provide you with peace of mind that you will receive your money back if you need to cancel your booking within two weeks of your stay. 
  

Flexible Cancellation Terms

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EDITED JANUARY 2021

From August 2020 we were able to offer flexible cancellation that was protected by Master Cancel. Master Cancel sadly pulled out of the UK market in early January 2021 so we have now introduced Osdale Flexible Cancellation. This means from January 2021 guests can cancel up to two weeks before a stay and receive a full refund. Unfortunately we can’t match the flexibility that Master Cancel offered but we think it is still provides our guests with peace of mind when booking. See our new terms and conditions for details here.

13 January 2021

JUNE 2020

When we had to cancel stays at Osdale because of the Coronavirus pandemic we immediately offered guests a full refund, a transfer of dates or a voucher to be used against a future stay. We thought it was important to be as flexible as possible and didn’t want our guests worrying about losing money on a holiday when life was turning upside down with the lockdown. Guests appreciated this and it got us thinking about how we deal with cancellations at Osdale. This is why we have now introduced flexible cancellation with Master Cancel.

So now, if you book a stay with us that begins after 1st August, you can cancel for any reason between 60 and 2 days of your arrival day and receive a full refund. You can book with confidence, knowing that your money will be returned should you have to cancel. There’s no additional cost either – it’s included in the rental fee.

The unforeseen circumstances that result in a cancellation are often stressful and difficult but at least you won’t need to worry about losing your deposit or balance payments booking with us. Osdale is a place to relax, sit back and unwind, so if we can spread a little of that from the day you book that has to be a good thing.

25th June 2020

Anne

Short Stays at Osdale

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Currently we offer short stays at Osdale Cottages of three nights or more but have decided to increase the minimum number of nights to seven for future bookings. This allows us to more easily meet COVID-19 cleaning requirements and help promote more sustainable tourism on Skye.

We may be able to offer occasional short stays, so please email me at info@osdalecottages.com to see if it is possible, but our general policy will now be weekly bookings.

24th June 2020

Anne

Missing Osdale

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In mid-March 2019 my sister, Lucy, and I were handed the keys to the Osdale Cottages. With much enthusiasm and many ideas we set about preparing Osdale Farmhouse for our first guests on 23 March. Little did we know that exactly one year later the country would enter lockdown and the cottages would be closed – what a terrible end to our first year but we are determined to bounce back and, once restrictions are lifted, open our doors to all who would like to stay. 

During lockdown I have remained in Oxfordshire and look forward to returning to Skye as soon as I am allowed. It will be lovely to see my sisters, Lucy and Jane, and my parents. I was last on Skye in January and my extended time away has made me think about some of the things I love about Osdale.

From Dunvegan to Osdale

The Osdale location. There are some beautiful, awe-inspiring sights on Skye but to find a place that is part of one of Skye’s great landscapes is very special indeed. Our two cottages sit beneath the magnificent Macleod’s Tables – two flat-topped mountains that dominate the landscape in North West Skye. Our cottages look tiny by comparison, tucked away from the rest of the world.

The views. When I am on Skye I am always drawn to sit at a window and look at the views and watch the wildlife and weather. Osdale is perfect for this – comfortable chairs by the windows and a view for miles. You can see from the Cuillin in the South East around to Loch Dunvegan towards the North from Osdale.

The stillness. Life is busy and Osdale offers a little escapism. To sit outside and just watch and listen is a wonderful experience.

The cows. The cows on the land surrounding Osdale can often be seen on the track to the cottages. They are a friendly bunch sometimes trotting behind the car as you travel up the track. Apparently, they are very fond of Lucy’s new puppy, Ned (who I still have not met yet).  

Osdale’s Cows

We are hoping to open in mid-July, subject to the government regulations being lifted and are busy making preparations. The Byre was upgraded at the end of 2019 and we are now completing some improvements at the Farmhouse. The outside space is being tamed a little and professional photographs were taken of the Byre last week so we will update the website shortly. In addition to this we are keeping abreast of government guidelines regarding cleaning protocols post-COVID19 to ensure all guests are kept safe once they return. 

So I think there’s lots to look forward to at Osdale. If you would like to join us and experience Osdale for yourself please get in touch. Come and take in the views, walk up a mountain, watch seals in the loch, spend time with friends and family and fall asleep happy.

Osdale to Macleod’s Table South

15th June 2020

Anne