Want to Vacation Like the Queen Mother? Stay at This Scottish Retreat
About 18 minutes into The Crown season 1, episode 8, the Queen Mother finds herself in the northernmost part of Scotland. While there, she ends up doing a bit of shopping; not for fashion or for cars, but for a home: the Barrogill Castle, which she later renamed the Castle of Mey.
In real life, at the time of this purchase, the Queen Mother stayed at the House of the Northern Gate in 1953. The home was built in the 19th century by Mr. Thomson-Sinclair of Freswick, and later became the home of Admiral Sir Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair. Notably, it was the first home in the area to have electricity.
The House of the Northern Gate is set atop sweeping moors of the most northerly point of mainland Scotland and has since been a rental spot for travelers. Another famous visitor was Led Zeppelin, who used it as a recording studio. Interested in joining the lineup of guests? You're in luck: extensive renovations have just been completed, so that the home is up-to-date with modern needs without shedding its thorough (and very cool) history.
The House of The Northern Gate has nine bedrooms, equipped with Egyptian cotton bed linen, a fully equipped gym, a movie room, a games, room, a study room (with a fireplace!), and a 22-person dining room. Fully catered stays, planned itineraries, a full staff for housekeeping, spa treatments, and yoga are offered.
But, like most things in Scotland, the glory is found in the home's surroundings. The House of The Northern Gate sits on the doorsteps of the Flow Country (a UNESCO World Heritage site), a large blanket bog peatland in Caithness and Sutherland. The home is situated on an 1800-acre estate, with access to three lochs, a secluded sandy beach, and a hidden cave to explore. It's near the Thurso River (one of the best for salmon fishing in Scotland), and Dunney Bay where one can take up a surf class, canoeing, and paddle boarding.
Interested in vacationing like a royal? Start here.
For more information, visit the houseofthenortherngate.com.
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