After a few days in Aviemore, we hopped in our car a drove to our final destination in Scotland where we'd spend our official elopement. Our cozy cottage was about a two hour drive through the rolling countryside nestled within the wooded hills of the Cairngorms ancient forests.
The cottage was more dreamy than we could have expected. We just knew it was going to be the perfect nest to call our home for the next several days and prepare us for our special day. The clean air was crisp and cool and was perfumed with the fresh scent of pine and spruce, and the blue morning sky was brilliant against the green and brown autumnal landscape.
When we arrived, we unlocked the front door and found a wonderful spread ready for arrival including fresh cheese, scones, jams, and local ale sourced from the nearby farm store. And after a few months of pre-marital dieting, we were more than ready to indulge in the treats! :)
The cottage was perfectly cozy and wonderfully designed. It had everything we could wish for a comfortable stay including board games, puzzles, and logs for the fire.
After exploring our new little home and doing some light unpacking, we decided to head outside and say "hello" to Mother Nature.
There was so much to explore! From the incredible wildlife and natural surroundings to the storied past uncovered by historic ruins, there were pages of adventure and history unfolding right outside our door.
Loch an Eilein Cottage’s Hidden History
Loch an Eilein (pronounced "lochan-yellen") is Gaelic for Loch of the Island. It’s named for its little island with a ruined castle, originally dating from the early 14th century. The cottage looks straight out to the castle from its secluded position on the western shore. The castle itself is steeped in history, originally built as a sanctuary from clan war bands, who would frequent the ‘Thieves’ Road’ on the loch’s eastern shore to reach and plunder the herds of cattle in Strathspey.
In 1690, Government forces defeated a Jacobite army at the Battle of Cromdale, and the surviving stragglers retreated via Aviemore, attacking Loch an Eilein Castle as they passed by. Incredibly, they were held off by the occupants - a group of women, children and old folk. The castle eventually fell into disuse in the late 1700s. There is also a local legend that a zigzag underwater causeway once linked the castle island to the shore, but sadly no evidence has ever been found to prove its existence.
In 1813 Sir John Peter Grant built the cottage as a folly, first for his wife and then gifted to his daughters Elizabeth and Jane. He repaired and improved the cottage for them, adding a back kitchen and a flower garden.
The daughters adored the cottage, and in 'Memoirs of a Highland Lady', Elizabeth wrote; "We had a pantry and a store room, well-furnished both of them, and many a party we gave there, sometimes a boating and fishing party with a luncheon, sometimes a tea with cakes of our own making, and a merry walk home by moonlight." She also writes of seeing "fish eagles" (ospreys) nesting on the walls of the castle.
After a cool autumnal day exploring the area, we kicked off our shoes and Chris built a warm fire to heat our cottage. We'd spend every evening snuggled up in our cozy home with the warm ambers of the fire burning bright as we sipped scotch, played puzzles, and dreamed about the days to come.
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