The Sheep Shed
Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Boutique Farm Bothies
- Bothy for 2 from £115 per night (read our low price promise)
- 1 kingsized mezzanine bed (restricted headroom which measures 140 cm). Use of hot tub is included!
Not suitable for children
Pets welcome
Overview
The Sheep Shed joins the Barley Bothy in another field where Jane and James grow malting barley. They also breed sheep on the farm, and grow strawberries – you’ll get a taste of their own homemade strawberry jam in your welcome hamper, along with fresh strawberries when in season and some other Scottish treats. Fishing, hiking, and perusing farmers markets are all available and encouraged in the area!
Soak in the private woodfired hot tub under clear starry skies, bathe by candlelight in a tin tub as rain taps on the roof, climb up to bed in the cosy mezzanine, and cook supper on a woodburning stove - a romantic little haven filled with simple pleasures! Inside it's charmingly rustic, with cosy, colourful and upcycled furnishings, and the added bonus of a proper flushing loo. The big woodburning range will keep you warm in even Aberdeenshire winters.
Fill the trough bath when you come back from Highland countryside walks, perhaps up Bennachie, along the Moray coast or somewhere on the famous Malt Whisky Trail. Or jump in the woodfired hot tub - which is even great in the rain! Then enjoy a cup of tea and some stargazing from the mezzanine bed or comfy crow's nest chair as the fire crackles below.
This romantic space is perfect for couples. Barley Bothy is the one to book if you'd like to bring little ones along for the adventure.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 3 pm
- Check out: 11 am
- Please bring wellies, walking boots, a head torch, a good book and slippers
- The stairs to the mezzanine are very steep - please be careful!
- Sleeping arrangements
- 1 kingsized mezzanine bed (restricted headroom which measures 140 cm). Use of hot tub is included!
Extra space available
Space for 1 pet from £10 per pet per stay (space for 1 large dog or 2 small dogs)
Cooking
- Woodburning range cooker
- Cool box on the deck or basket lowered into stream in the hotter months
Washing
- Private flushing loo in ensuite bathroom
- Water trough bath with hot water from the range cooker via a flu boiler
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Woodburning range
- Solar lighting
- Bed linen and towels provided
- USB and 12v charging sockets for charging phones or laptops only
Entertainment
- Board games and card games for two and a small selection of books
- The woodfired 'LuvTub' is exclusively for the Sheep Shed. You will only be charged for wood to run it after your welcome basket has been used up
Getting there
Newton of Begshill, Drumblade, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, AB54 6BJ
Entrance to the farm: ///heartache.firepower.dorms
By train
The nearest station is Huntly, 7 miles away. However a car really is essential to get around - the farm is very remote!
By car
Follow the Drumdollo road to the very very end when it becomes a gravel track. Keep the farm buildings of Denend on your left and follow the gravel drive way over a byrne and up the brae. Turn immediately left and you will see Barley Bothy ahead of you with her blue painted windows!
Food & Drink
At Boutique Farm Bothies
On arrival, a welcome hamper will be waiting for you, packed with home baked bread, Scottish porridge oats, local Aberdeenshire fudge, tea, coffee and homemade jam from Jane's home grown strawberries.
A Taste of Aberdeenshire local produce hamper tailor-made to your requirements can be arranged before you arrive if you give Jane some advance notice. The hamper includes lemon curd, sausages, bacon, eggs, tatties, veg, oatcakes, cheese, milk and butter along with your choice of two main meals and two puds.
Or if you want to cook from scratch and need to pick up supplies, Jane recommends Thorneybank honesty box farm shop (8 miles), Forbes Raeburn butcher in Huntly and Downies Fish Shop Whitehills (20 miles). The nearest shop for basics is a BP petrol station and Spar, 5 miles away.
Pubs & Restaurants
Huntly Castle – 9 miles
The Fjord Inn, Fisherford – 9 miles
The Fife Arms, Turriff – 14 miles
Gadie's Restaurant at Touched by Scotland, Oyne – 18 miles
The Galley restaurant and The Seafield Arms both in Whitehills – 20 miles
Glenfiddich restaurant at the distillery with free whisky tour! – Dufftown -20 miles
Rockfish – chippy at the seaside Whitehills – 20 miles
Boyndie Community Café – Near Whitehills 20 miles
Portsoy ice cream and coffee shop – 20 miles
Formartines Café and Farm Shop – great outdoor play area and lovely woodland walk around a lake – 24 miles
The Kilted Frog, Inverurie – Superb French deli and café - 24 miles
Platform 22 Torphins – café and gallery with weekly farmers market – 40 miles
Activities
At Boutique Farm Bothies
Sit back and observe the working farm, with lambs skipping around in Spring, strawberries ripening in Summer and the combine harvesting the barley in Autumn. If you're interested, a tour of the farm can be arranged with Jane.
Easter/April is lambing season – with opportunities to feed and cuddle the lambs! In 2019 this will begin around 15th April for 4 weeks.
During summer it's strawberry season - with prime picking opportunities.
Places to Visit
Explore the Whisky Trail
Discover the stunning Aberdeenshire and Moray coastline within half an hour drive
Follow the Castle Trail
Fish the Aberdeenshire rivers
Golf – the ultimate Scottish game!
Farmers Markets every Saturday across Aberdeenshire and weekly in Torphins and Insch
Outdoor & Active
Walk through the stunning countryside - for great hill walks, try Bennachie, half an hour's drive away
If you'd like to go cycling, there's an outside wash for your bike
Meet your hosts
From owner Jane:
"We moved to Newton of Begshill in 2012 we grow barley for malting whiskey, we breed sheep and grow strawberries.
Deer, pheasants, hare, and birds are prolific on our farm. Enjoy the experience of managing the wood burning stove for heating and wood burning range for cooking, which has a hot plate a roasting oven and warming drawer. This off grid plus concept provides subtle electric lighting and a charging point for electronic equipment, but getting back to nature and spending quality time with loved ones is what a stay at Boutique Farm Bothies is all about!"
Our guests say...
This was our one year anniversary weekend and our stay in the Sheep shed was all that we thought it would be. Our host Jane Foad was marvellous from meeting us at the bottom of the lane right up until we left. We had a wonderful weekend, the setting and weather was fabulous, time to think and enjoy, the Sheep shed was great, yes, back to a few basics, heating the water up via the wood burning oven, taking time for everything to heat and cook, it is very cosy and charming. The hot tub outside was a great way to end the evening, glass of wine in hand, lovely warm water and the stars overhead. I would recommend this to all, wonderful way to spend some time with your loved one!
20/04/2019Ian
We stayed at the Sheep Shed for two nights over Easter and we had simply a wonderful time. The accommodation was clean and cosy at the same time. Jane, the hostess, has put together an amazing holiday experience for her guests. From the moment we arrived, we were delighted with our choice. A beautiful welcome hamper was put together by Jane and we opted for an additional food hamper which provided us with dinner and breakfast for the two days. The “luv-tub” is an added bonus and definitely added to the holiday. We both came home recharged and would absolutely return again!
18/04/2019Nicole
This is a lovely rural retreat to get back to basics.
14/04/2019Luke
Great to get away from the hustle and bustle. Very relaxed and private. Jane the host was incredibly welcoming and helpful. She arranged food to be put in the Sheep Shed so we didn't have to bring it all with us. Had a massive learning experience trying to maintain the fire!! Amazing views during the day and a sky full of stars at night. Would highly recommend!
29/03/2019Kayleigh
Such a peaceful relaxing place to stay, everything you need is there and to cap it all the hot tub was awesome
03/03/2019Maureen
Love this place? Tell everyone!
Booking Terms
Canopy & Stars low price promise
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)
What does ‘from price’ mean?
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.
Agency Terms & Conditions
Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd Company No 09088366 of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is part of the Alastair Sawday’s Group of Companies. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“Booking(s)”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking. For all Bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the Booking in question, and in most cases this will be the owner of the property you’ll be staying at (“Owner(s)”). When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner of the Booking. Your Booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.
You may decide to make more than one Booking with us at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
By making a booking, you agree that:-
- you have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
- you consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
and
- you are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age.
The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. A Booking is confirmed on receipt of a 25% non-refundable deposit for all Bookings with check in dates of more than 10 weeks away. For all Bookings that have a check in date of less than 10 weeks before check in, payment for the Booking will be required in full and the entire Booking will be non-refundable. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.
1. Booking and payments
1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in).
1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.
1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your reponsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If we have been unable to take payment after two weeks of the balance due date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking.
1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.
1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Alastair Sawday’s Publishing Co. Ltd who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.
2. Cancellation and Amendment by You
2.1 Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Customer Services Department by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.
2.2 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Arrangements. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments.
2.3 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:
2.3.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.
2.3.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.
2.3.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.
2.3.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.
2.4 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:
2.4.1 Alterations to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations are subject to availability and may incur a £30 adminstration fee.
2.4.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.
Special note: Generally Owners will charge the above cancellation and amendment charges, however we must stress that these are a guide only and charges may differ from those shown here depending on the Owner. The exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.
3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Owner in relation to any alternative Booking offered by the Owner but we will have no further liability to you.
4. Complaints
Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner as soon as possible. If you don’t follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It’s important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.
5. Pricing
Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.
6. Information & Accuracy
The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:
(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;
OR
(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured ad so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;
OR
(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.
7. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
8. Pets
Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply.
9. VAT
Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price.
10. Visa, passport and health requirements.
Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Arrangements you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday.
11. Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them with you on holiday.
12. Special requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.
13. Group Bookings
Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of booking is permitted.
14. Maximum Numbers
Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
15. Your Responsibilities
Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits. You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.
17. Discrepancies
In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.
18. Validity clause
In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.
This was our one year anniversary weekend and our stay in the Sheep shed was all that we thought it would be. Our host Jane Foad was marvellous from meeting us at the bottom of the lane right up until we left. We had a wonderful weekend, the setting and weather was fabulous, time to think and enjoy, the Sheep shed was great, yes, back to a few basics, heating the water up via the wood burning oven, taking time for everything to heat and cook, it is very cosy and charming. The hot tub outside was a great way to end the evening, glass of wine in hand, lovely warm water and the stars overhead. I would recommend this to all, wonderful way to spend some time with your loved one!
20/04/2019