The quirky Scottish holiday lets seeing a bookings boom despite the downturn

Dozens of Scotland’s crumbling castles, churches, barns, old vehicles and even unwanted storage units are being reinvented then rented as quirky holiday lets.

Down on the Farm provides a unique accommodation experience for anyone looking for the perfect getaway

Buildings of every type from Iron-Age brochs, lighthouses, treehouses and boathouses, to banks, bits of old boats and even an aircraft fuselage have had fresh life breathed into them as inventive restorers help Scotland’s tourist sector bounce back from the pandemic.

VisitScotland said tourism was continuing to experience challenges from the combined effects of the pandemic and the cost of living but said there was still keen interest from holidaymakers seeking a "unique experience".

According to Scotland’s national tourist organisation, these quirky renovations are a hit with visitors, which is having a knock-on effect for bars, restaurants, tours, outdoor activities and attractions helping to bolster local economies.

Old Church of Urquhart in Elgin

They say staycations are more popular than before the pandemic, with more than 1.25 million visits to VisitScotland.com as people search for more unusual options for accommodation ranging from castles to hostels, lighthouses and treehouses to yurts, tipis, wigwams, tents, farmhouses and glamping pods.

Not solely a hit with staycationers, searches have come from as far afield as the USA, Germany and the Netherlands.

VisitScotland say more than half of international visitors cited history and culture as the main reason for wanting to come to Scotland and are sold on its world heritage sites, listed buildings, world-class museums, galleries and performing arts.

Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said: "There’s a great demand for eye-catching and unique holiday experiences from visitors, keen to properly immerse themselves in Scottish history and culture.

Simon Hunt and wife Stephanie Burgon, Kilmartin Castle

"It is wonderful to see how our resourceful and creative tourism entrepreneurs and operators are a force for good -- investing time, money, love and effort into old buildings, vehicles and machinery to create priceless holiday memories, while also helping to create jobs, sustaining community assets and contributing significantly to the economy."

Among these are Carole and Matthew Short, who saved an old railway carriage from being destroyed for just £50 and bought a disused harvest hut for next to nothing to create holiday lets on their farm on the Aberdeenshire coast.

Carole said: "We would much rather use what we have. It’s very rustic and basic but it has a certain charm to it and is better for telling the story. Because we’re on the coast our guests want to sample the best fish, so we send them to the local fishmonger or fish restaurant.

"Our busiest months are April to October but we stay open in the wintertime too so people can enjoy the Northern Lights or stargazing. Although it was brought in as diversification, it holds its own against the farm income as well."

Gethin Chamberlain and Carolynn Shaw took on The Coach House at Ettrick Lodge, previously an old billiard room and coach house in Selkirk, to create The Five Turrets holiday home.

Gethin said: "From the start, we wanted to work with local businesses to make sure the business was an asset to the community. We wanted our guests to contribute to the local economy and support the great local businesses here.

"So, we work with local restaurants to provide a personal chef service, you can get bikes and e-bikes delivered to the door, go for a guided fishing expedition, get paddle boards delivered, gin tasting sessions - all local businesses who benefit from the recommendations. And we also set up a social enterprise, Go Wild Scotland, to create a new nature reserve for the town offering wildlife tourism experiences to fund free activities for our community."

Andreas Peter bought the B-Listed Old Church of Urquhart in Elgin, dating back to 1843, and converted it into a bed and breakfast with self-catering options. He said: "People can enjoy luxury in standard bungalows but what they are really after is to be part of Scottish history and culture.

"I was worried at first about the reaction of the community when I bought the church, especially the sadness of the congregation that they would have to give it up. But the people were absolutely delighted.

"I feel obligated - I own a bit of their heritage. We had fundraising events like a village fun day and an open garden event for the church congregation, with thousands of people from all over the country coming, because they heard the church was open once again."

Simon Hunt, originally from Australia. and his wife, Stephanie Burgon, from Newcastle, gave up stressful jobs with long hours to buy Kilmartin Castle in Lochgilphead.

Dating back to 1550, it was a former stronghold of the Clan Campbell but around 1790 it fell into ruin and remained roofless for 200 years. It had been renovated in the 1990s for residential purposes but required substantial upgrading internally to turn it into a holiday property.

Simon said: "Guests discover Kilmartin Castle online when digging a bit deeper for that Scottish castle experience. When they realise Kilmartin Glen and the museum are on our doorstep it is a real bonus."He added: "(Kilmartin Glen) being named as the fourth Best Place To Go In The World 2023 by The New York Times is a fantastic acknowledgement for what is still very much a hidden gem on the stunning west coast of Scotland."