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Traditional stone and thatch cottage on the waters edge with beautiful sea views

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February 2025

Photo gallery for Traditional stone and thatch cottage on the waters edge with beautiful sea views

Exterior
Exterior
Beach nearby
Interior
Property grounds

Reviews

9.6 out of 10

Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 2

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Outdoor space
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Berneray, SCT
  • Berneray Beach
    1 min walk
  • Traigh Baile
    3 min walk
  • Traigh Iar
    33 min drive
  • Benbecula (BEB)
    72 min drive

Room options

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Traditional stone and thatch cottage on the waters edge with beautiful sea views

'Cnoc an Dudain' (the hill of Dudain) is situated on the beautiful island of Berneray, 'the jewell in the crown' of the western isles. This stone and thatched cottage (or 'blackhouse' as they are known on the islands) was rescued as a ruin in 2008. We have carefully renovated, using traditional materials. The rooms have limewashed walls, exposed roof timbers and solid wood floors. There is an efficient multi-fuel stove in the living room, and with 1. 3m thick stone walls, this cottage is the cosiest place to be on a blustry Hebridian afternoon. The cottage lies 150 meters down it's own drive and has ample space for parking. The walled garden area leads down to a small beach, with the remains of an old harbour wall still visible at low tide. Those of you with a keen interest in history can discover the hand carved 'crusie stone' built into the garden wall. Berneray is rich in archaeological sites, with a stone circle, standing stone, Viking harbour and chairstone to name but a few. You will wake up to the sound of seabirds, especially Oyster catcher, Curlew and Turnstones. Seals are very common and in summer will swim close to the cottage after dusk. Otters can also be seen fishing in the lochan at the back of the cottage (during the renovation we had regular visits from an otter one winter and he left his footprints in the wet concrete floor). With such a lot to see and do on and around Berneray, we have made a concious decision not to provide a television. Please come to enjoy the views, watch the wildlife and tune in to the cycle of the tides.
During your stay at this cottage, you're just a quick walk from Berneray Beach. A kitchen and a TV are available in the cottage.
  • The cottage offers a kitchen, a washing machine, and a living room
  • Steps from Berneray Beach and 3 minutes by foot from Traigh Baile
This cottage offers its guests a garden. The front desk is open around the clock.

This Isle of North Uist cottage is smoke free.

Property manager

Mark Snellgrove

Languages

English

Property amenities

Beach

  • Near the beach

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Oven

Bedrooms

  • 1 bedroom

Bathrooms

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shower

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • TV

Outdoor areas

  • Garden

Laundry

  • Washing machine

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Cobblestone flooring in public areas
  • Hardwood flooring in public areas
  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • In a rural location

Things to do

  • Swimming nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Property does not allow children

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • Pets are welcome
  • Restrictions apply
  • For more information, you can reach out to the property at the number on the booking confirmation
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

Children and extra beds

  • This property does not allow children.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking.

We should mention

  • To make arrangements for your pet, contact the property directly using the information on your booking confirmation.

Property is also known as

Traditional Stone Thatch Cottage Waters Edge Beautiful sea Views
Traditional Stone Thatch Waters Edge Beautiful sea Views
Traditional Stone Thatch Cottage Waters Edge Beautiful sea Views
Traditional Stone Thatch Cottage Waters Edge Beautiful sea Views

Traditional stone and thatch cottage on the waters edge with beautiful sea views Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 39 out of 46 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 46 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 46 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 46 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 46 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Fiona T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing!
This is an amazing place to stay. Loved everything about the house. It has a really good fire and the thick walls certainly help to keep the heat in. We stayed here for 3 weeks and the only problem I have is that it wasn’t for longer. Will definitely be back.
Stayed 21 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

David T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Tranquility
This is a fairly basic property, but has all the essentials. Ideally located within yards of the sea loch with an abundance of wild life.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Clive N.

Cold
We did not have high expectations of the property, we were aware of the construction and it's downsides. We booked the property for it's location which did not disappoint. The problem with the the house was that the heating was set to come on only occasionally and when it did it was set at 14 degrees C. The bathroom and hall did not have any heating at all. The weather was cold, windy and occasionally wet. The house was therefore very cold and damp. There was no wood kindling and very little coal. Of course Bernaray shop is not open on a Sunday so we couldn't get any supplies. In future, the heating should be set at at least 18 degrees and for longer, there should be plenty of solid fuel, plus there should be a heater if the bathroom. There should at least be two water bottles and two rugs for the settee.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Antony J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stunning property, position, view
Glorious
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Denise C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very traditional cottage in an excellent location.
The cottage is very basic but has everything you need for a comfortable stay and it is on the waterfront so we could kayak fro the front door.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Adrian W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing location in traditional Hebridean black house
Located in a fantastic location, the property affords amazing views, with wildlife, especially sea birds all around. Very quiet surroundings. The property is adequately equipped and has a wood burner in the lounge, which was a lovely feature. Berneray is a great location with easy access to North Uist across the causeway or over to Harris on the ferry.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

6/10 Okay

Jane M.

Fabulous location
Situation on the shore provided amazing views. Lots of wildlife and a dream for bird watching. We were privileged to witness an arial display from a short eared owl hunting at our doorstep.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alasdair P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful holiday
Clean and comfortable and fastastic location to get away from the rat race. No WiFi and limited mobile coverage - just relax and enjoy the island and its fantastic beaches. Masses of bird-life. Only one seal as they and the otters are away breeding just now. An electric fan heater would be a welcome addition as fuel is not easy to source for the multi-fuel fire.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dorothy W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing and rejuvenating
A wonderful stay. All perfect !
Stayed 7 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

frances g.

Liked: Cleanliness
Cnoc an dudain
Wonderful location and fabulous to stay in a black house. A really memorable week with beaches just out of this world.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Susan H.

Liked: Cleanliness
We Had a lovely time a very relaxing cottage . Away from any stimulus and back to the basics and so
A very relaxing cottage but comfortable So very rejuvenating and wonderful to be so close to nature
Stayed 7 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Briony M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent place to switch off
Well equipped cottage in beautiful setting. Ideal for getting away from it all. Very comfy bed. Excellent cooking facilities. Very dog friendly. And beautiful beaches for swimming within stumbling distance.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Malcolm H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing place.
Back again and still amazed at the beauty of the location of this beautiful "black house" full of history past. Great area to relax and watch the wildlife from birds to seal's. Beautiful beaches to walk along. Small local shop. If you enjoy the peace and quiet and don't mind the unpredictable weather this is ideal. Was nice meeting Mark and Audrey very friendly and helpful couple with lots of local history and input, they made us feel very welcome. Will return in a different season.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2022

8/10 Good

Christine B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Peace and quiet in winter
Traditional blockhouse simply restored in excellent location.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Debbie H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing
Beautiful cottage with stunning views and scenery. Peaceful and relaxing. On an amazing island with beautiful beaches and walks. Lots of wildlife. Dogs loved it.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Iain C.

Cozy cottage which let's your imagination go wild
Wonderful wee home. Well equipped kitchen. Fab fire (though Ash tray needs replaced as rotten right through). Comfy bed. A place where you reflect on generations before you, the people who lived in blackhouses. Smashing views. People mentioned cleanliness being issue, and we agree. Storage... my wife would have liked a bedside cabinet with drawers, as storage is minimal especially when you have a week of winter wooly jumpers. The other set of drawers whilst in keeping with the theme of house are not easy to open, had dead flies and left clothes smelling. Time to reflect on bedroom furniture we think.perhaps a wardrobe with storage.. The lock on front door is temperamental and has obviously been an issue before. This is a smashing holiday let which just needs a bit of tlc. We loved staying there. Being where it is situated and having a thatched roof we expect wee beasties eg spiders flies things like that, but we felt warm, safe and lucky to have experienced such a lovely and different kind of accommodation. Loved no TV and no WiFi...a real detox...though with the weather as bad as it was and ferry crossings being rescheduled etc we would have benefitted from wifi. If we had WiFi our northern lights app would have alerted us to activity which we Sadly missed. If you are lucky enough to stay here, go outside when it's pitch black and be amazed by the stars. Awesome. An amazing place to explore nature. Hope to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021

8/10 Good

andrew j.

Liked: Cleanliness
great experience in a black house
Great location, next to the beech and easy walking distance to east beach. Slightly difficult to find as house sign doesn't stand out against the weelie bin enclosure. Might be worth mentioning that the house sign is fixed on wheelie bin enclosure. House was clean and warm with electric fan radiators. seating comfortable and great views from window where you eat. Mark the owner was there and helpful with suggestions. could do with more detailed instructions on the use of the property, although it was easy to work out what needed to be done. Great bay to stay in so we saw seals from the property and porpoises and otter in the bay. Well worth staying here.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alison P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place to escape and unwind
Lovely cottage. Simple but all you need for a relaxing break.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Sian H.

Liked: Cleanliness
What a magical place!
Lovely to stay in a renovated black house, in a stunning spot. It was cosy and had all you needed. The island and its beaches and wildlife are stunning and untouched. We had a great time as did our collie Isla.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Nyree T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fabulous charming, historic black house
We stayed in this beautiful cottage for 1 week and enjoyed every minute of it! The views are stunning and there are great beaches, walks and an abundance of wildlife. We were well looked after by Ann and Bill and Mark the owner was excellent at communicating with us. Not having the internet and TV allowed us to reconnect with each other, as well as the environment. We didn’t want to come home and will definitely be back!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

6/10 Okay

Colin C.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Black House
The location of this property is unique and stunning unfortunately the condition in which it was presented to us, was extremely poor. Given that hospitality has just had a lockdown period following COVID it would be expected that the property would have been deep cleaned. Disappointingly this was not the case. The bed (on the divan drawers) was stained with insect droppings and dead insects (wood lice) littered one of the drawers. The bathroom ceiling was covered in cobwebs from wall to wall. The kitchen cutlery and utensils needed thoroughly cleaned due to dried egg yolk found on one of the knives. Encrusted egg also found on the spatula and along the edge of one of the chopping boards. It was a terrible start to our stay but once we got the place into a satisfactory (I stress, only satisfactory. The under-bedding needing re-laundered) condition, we went on to enjoy a fantastic week on Breneray and Nth Uist.

10/10 Excellent

David P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Peace and quiet
Relaxed and refreshing. Plenty of pleasing and interesting walks.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Gareth W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful week, lovely location.
The cottage is very beautiful and in an amazing location. It is simply surrounded by wildlife! Snipe winnowing, Geese, Ducks, Gulls, seals and even a nest of wrens fledging 1 metre outside the window in an adjacent stone wall. Just a couple of things that would improve the experience from our point of view...... Now that we are in high summer (daylight from 0330 until 2300), blackout curtains would be helpful in the bedroom. We were grateful for the lack of TV (fitted in with our relaxation & wildlife viewing), we felt that the property would benefit from some kind of Internet connectivity (no mobile coverage in the cottage) to help with researching local history, wildlife, etc, and especially in these crazy Covid times, the ability to check different places opening hours, etc, as it is very hit & miss from place to place. There are few other options as the Berneray visitor centre is closed due to Covid, so do your research before beginning your trip or your options will be quite restricted when in the cottage.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

David T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Tranquillity.
No TV, Wi-Fi or, for us mobile signal. Just birds, seals, sea - Oh! and wind. Perfect place to unwind.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Andy W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Home from home.
The house was lovely and homely and had everything needed. Really cosy at night with the curtains closed and fire burning, and a beautiful location - perfect place for peace and quiet, and wildlife was amazing.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2020