Hearthstanes Steading Featured

Tucked into the Tweedsmuir Hills on a working hill farm, The Steading at Hearthstanes Estate is one of the Scottish Borders’ most quietly remarkable places to stay. Five beautifully converted stone cottages — dating back to the 1600s — sit within a traditional steading complex, each with its own character and private entrance, and together offering accommodation for up to 25 guests across a total of nine bedrooms.

Whether you’re booking a cottage for two or taking over the whole steading for a larger gathering, this is a place where the landscape does the heavy lifting. The River Tweed runs along both sides of the farm, the Broadlaw — Southern Scotland’s second-highest peak at 840 metres — rises from the estate itself, and the surrounding hills are classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Wild Scotland, on your doorstep.

The five cottages range from the intimate Mathieside (sleeping 2–4, ideal for a couple’s retreat) to the spacious Glenheurie and Lategillan cottages, each sleeping up to six to eight guests. Glenheurie includes a wheelchair-accessible bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor — a thoughtful touch that makes the estate genuinely welcoming to all. Every cottage is well-appointed: 32″ Freeview television, fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, and fast Starlink Wi-Fi throughout the complex. A welcome pack of local produce is waiting on arrival, and linen, towels, and kitchenware are all included.

The estate has been generating its own renewable energy — hydroelectric and solar — for three decades, powering the entire farm and heating the cottages cleanly. It’s a detail that speaks to something deeper about how Hearthstanes is run: with care, with longevity in mind, and with respect for the land.

Activities are abundant and wonderfully varied. Miles of hiking and mountain biking trails stretch across open hillside and through mature forest. There’s fly fishing on the Tweed, deer stalking with professional stalkers, 4×4 farm tours, and — only at Hearthstanes — the UK’s only continental 9-pin bowling lane, tucked away on-site for a rainy afternoon surprise. Airport and train station transfers can be arranged, electric car charging is available, and there’s even stabling for those arriving on horseback.

Beyond the estate, the Scottish Borders rewards exploration. The Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall, St. Mary’s Loch, and the Southern Upland Way are all close by. Traquair House — Scotland’s oldest inhabited house — is within reach, as are Dawyck Botanic Garden, New Lanark World Heritage Site, and a scattering of excellent local breweries and textile mills. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle are all accessible within a couple of hours, making this as practical as it is peaceful.

From the oldest of buildings to some of the wildest countryside in Southern Scotland, The Steading at Hearthstanes Estate offers something rare: a genuine working farm with heritage, heart, and space enough for everyone.