The Castle & Grounds
Situated amidst 2000 acres of Carbisdale Forest, with its own natural loch, Carbisdale Castle commands 360-degree views from its 365 windows of breathtakingly beautiful panoramas
A Great House
Carbisdale Castle is a world-class residence and estate. The rich history of the Castle, with the amazing story of its original builder, the Duchess of Sutherland, and its service as the royal home of the King of Norway during the Second World War, inspired Samantha to embark on major renovation and conservation of the Castle, its grounds and loch, and to restore it to its original magnificence and splendour, for present and future generations. Lady Samantha Kane of Carbisdale combined all the decorative features and grandeur of the Duchess of Sutherland’s original creation with services, systems, fixtures, fittings and layout of the highest contemporary quality, together with reorganisation of the existing accommodation to suit 21st-century living and the development of a spa and swimming pool, therapy-treatment rooms and gym, as complementary features to the 23 rooms, 42,000 square feet, of gross internal accommodation. The Drawing Room and Whiskey Bar of the Castle were Lady Carbisdale’s own design, centred around an imposing portrait of the Duchess and the original, deep mahogany bar, which was retrieved and restored, fully stocked with a fine selection of rare wines and whiskeys, complemented by Lady Carbisdale’s own brand of whiskey, sourced locally and blended especially for the Castle’s guests to enjoy.
The Carbisdale Club: Experience the Life of Lords and Ladies
The initial membership offering is limited to 100 members, who will pay a joining fee and annual subscription to avail themselves of the castle’s luxurious bedrooms, five star hospitality, butler service, fine dining, pool and gym facilities, office facilities, grounds and more. Guests will experience the life of royalty, awakening to the sound of bagpipes, performed by the Castle’s own bagpiper, and relax in the evening to traditional music, played by musicians nestled in the acoustically designed gallery above the stunning ground floor gallery, with its magnificent architecture and paintings. Guests will be waited on by a staff of twenty, whether they dine in the State Dining Room, enjoy afternoon tea in the regal Library of King Haakon VII of Norway, retire to the Drawing Room of an evening, with its own Whisky Bar, to sample a variety of fine whiskies and wines, or play a game of billiards on a full-size snooker table in the stunning Billiards Room, or immerse themselves in a movie in the Castle’s own full-size cinema. In the Upper Gallery is a fully restored Ballroom, ideal for dance and celebration.
The Castle Grounds
The Castle sits amidst the 2000-acre Carbisdale Forest and it is situated atop a natural escarpment, occupying one of the most dramatic positions of any building in Scotland. Lying on the southern edge of the County of Sutherland, the site was deliberately chosen by the Duchess for its prominence. The Castle offers a breath-taking panorama of beautiful woodlands, interspersed with streamlets and tranquil forest walks, encircled within the majestic sweep of the Kyle of Sutherland, the Oykel and Shin.
The Castle benefits from a substantial private grounds. A particular feature of the Castle is its natural loch, which lies about 1 kilometre to the west of the Castle, accessed by quaint forest walks, and the Castle’s own four-wheel-drive buggies. The loch is a particularly picturesque and peaceful place to quietly contemplate life, or cast a fly for the wild brown trout that occupy it. Currently, there is a plan to erect a cabin, boat-house and jetty for picnics, barbeques, and overnight glamping.