From the front, it looks tiny! But as you enter from Church street, you will be surprised by how light, bright and spacious this new holiday property is! The house is split level, as it backs on to the open space of the Wally Green park and the footpath down the old railway line. Comfortably sleeping 4, the living area is at street level, with a king size double ensuite and a twin bedroom downstairs.

Barely recognisable as Portsoy’s old police station, which had lain empty for many years, it is now warm and cosy retreat, having been insulated and renovated to the highest standards. It provides an ideal base for your holiday, whether you are wanting to walk along the coastal paths with your four legged friend, discovering the pretty harbour villages and beautiful near deserted beaches nestled between dramatic rocky cliffs, or travel further afield.

Of course, like all our cottages, we have good WiFi and dogs are very welcome. The kitchen is well equipped, whether you want to cook a full Sunday roast or just heat up a takeaway! We provide Egyptian cotton sheets, Dorma duvet covers and thick fluffy towels. We aim to make the cottage a real home from home, so you feel comfortable as soon as you walk in!

Portsoy is a welcoming small town, with a lot going on for it’s size. It has a fantastic sense of community, with the caravan park, the 4 star Salmon Bothy museum, the Sail Loft Bunkhouse and the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival all being run by the community for the community. It is centred around it’s historic 17th and 19th century harbours, the area little changed in years: it was used as the film setting for the recent remake of Whisky Galore and last series of Peaky Blinders.The fishing industry has largely moved on, but you can often see the town’s two St Ayles skiffs rowing out from the harbour.

There are some fantastic walks round Portsoy, whether you walk westwards, past the old swimming pool carved out amongst the rocks, along the rugged coastline towards Sandend (pronounced ‘Sanine’) or further along to Findlater Castle, Sunnyside Beach and Cullen, or eastwards along the Coastguard’s path. There is the Shore Inn between the cottage and the harbours… and of course the award winning Portsoy Ice Cream shop.

The Banffshire coast is one of the world’s outstanding coastlines, says the National Geographic. Natural beauty combines with plentiful wildlife – there are dolphins, seals, puffins and other seabirds in abundance, if you are lucky enough to see them. Fishing villages all along the coast perch on clifftops, or crouch precariously at the water’s edge, with the oldest houses built gable-end on to the weather and the waves. In the summer, the light up here is special, days are near endless. Winter skies are dark and starry and – with a bit of luck – you might even see the Northern Lights! We hope you will visit Portsoy and discover this often overlooked, largely midge free corner of the North East of Scotland for yourselves.

Cottage Layout:

At street level, the open plan lounge living area is bright and modern, with high vaulted ceilings. At one end there are two leather sofas and a 55 inch wall mounted tv. At the other end is a well equipped and modern kitchen with a dining table and 4 chairs. The two areas are separated by a feature oak staircase with it’s glass balustrades. The lighting is designed to fit your mood, whether you want brightness on a gloomy day or mood lighting of an evening.

There is a handy utility room off the kitchen. Here you will find the washing machine, a retractable indoor drying line, cleaning equipment, and iron and board, extra storage and a shower room and toilet.

Downstairs, there are two bedrooms, both sumptuously carpeted.  The master bedroom has a king size double bed with small reading lights and bedside shelves, a chest of drawers and leaning ladder clothes organisers (instead of a traditional wardrobe). It has a beautiful, roomy ensuite. The huge walk in shower has both a fixed drencher as well as a hand held shower head. And if you want to soak in luxury the deep bath fits the bill! 

The spacious second bedroom has been furnished for flexibility. The single oak bed has a guest bed, so the room can be made up for one or two people. If the second bed is not needed, it can be stored away, leaving plenty of space for a desk and chair, should you need to work (or have space for a surly teenage to game!) Guests in this room will either use the master ensuite or the shower room upstairs but it does have it’s own ensuite ‘loo’. There is also a door out to the patio area.

Outside there is a storage area for the waste and recycling bins and steps down to the two lockable sheds, should you wish to store bikes, surf boards, SUPs or whatever. There is also a small enclosed patio area, which is still awaiting landscaping. There is a gate from this level out onto the old railway line, now a footpath leading down to the harbour, and the Wally Green.

Green Things
We try to manage our all our cottages in as sustainable a manner as possible. We recycle everything and provide information so our guests can do the same. We are aiming to reduce our use of plastics, by refilling (handsoaps) or sourcing products without plastic packaging (toilet paper, detergents etc). We both drive electric vehicles. I try not to use the tumble dryer, whatever the weather, line drying sheets and towels outside whenever possible. And we have recommendations of local activites, food suppliers and attractions so you can reduce your carbon footprint once you are here. A small start perhaps, but a step in the right direction!