Doune of Rothiemurchus

An elegant country house, the home of the Grants of Rothiemurchus for centuries. The Doune stands beside an ancient motte, or hill fort (Doune comes from 'dun' for a fortified place). The house dates to the 16th century, and was probably built by the Shaw family.

The house was extended in the 1780s and again in 1803 when the Georgian frontage was added. For a time in the 1930s, the house was operated as a hotel, and it was used by the army as a base during WWII. After the war, the house was abandoned, and by 1975 it was derelict and in danger of being lost forever. An ambitious programme of ongoing restoration work has restored it to something approaching its former glory.

Doune of Rothiemurchus was the home of Elizabeth Grant, who wrote her 'Memoires of a Highland Lady' here. Visitors can explore the Doune as part of a themed 'Highland Lady Safari', or a Rothiemurchus Experience Safari Land Rover tour.

The Doune is set in the midst of a glorious outdoor estate, with a location on the edge of Britain's winter playground; the Cairngorms National Park. The estate offers superb scenery and a huge variety of outdoor recreational activities. See the Rothiemurchus website for full details.