It seems the King really does live on- we've recently had the pleasure of welcoming him here at Kiltearn House!

Australian-born Paddy Twohill is doing an excellent job of keeping the Presley name, image and sound alive.

Paddy, who was known as 'The King' by his friends as a child, is a retired accountant and enjoys impersonating Elvis on certain week nights.

Twohill is one of Sydney's best-known Elvis tribute artists- read more here.

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Castle Stuart Golf Links, a championship links course situated between Inverness and Nairn on Scotland's Moray Firth is the perfect venue for The Barclays Scottish Open 2012.  And being just a half an hour drive away, Kiltearn House is the perfect place to stay whilst you're in the area!

Tournament details:

Event starts on: 12/07/2012 and ends on: 15/07/2012

Barclays Scottish Open: Castle Stuart Golf Links

12-15 July 2012
Castle Stuart Golf Links
Inverness, Scotland

For further information and to book tickets click here.

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We're always looking for new special touches to add to the guest house to make your stay that extra bit pleasurable.

Thanks to The Highland Craft Company we can now offer guests staying in the luxury superking room a range of our very own personalised toiletries hand made in the Scottish Highlands!  

From gorgeously scented soaps and body butter bars to luxurious bath and shower products packed full of natural goodness, The Highland Craft Company has it all!

The Highland Craft Company is a family business run by Liz and Tim Johnson and as they are based close to us in Easter Ross, Liz even offered to hand deliver our first order!

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What better place to spend Valentine's weekend than in the picturesque Scottish Highlands?  February 14th falls on a Tuesday this year, so many couples will be celebating their love for eachother the weekend prior to this.

Along with crisp winter walks across the Highland countryside such as Fyrish Hill near Kiltearn House, there are many places of interest to visit locally.  Why not go and see the pandas at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig, take a Malt Whisky distillery tour or take a cruise along the famous Loch Ness? Finish the day in Inverness city center with a romantic meal for two at one of the many restaurants on offer, such as the Mustard Seed.

Of course there's nothing wrong with just relaxing and enjoying doing nothing!  Enjoy a romantic weekend break with us here at Kiltearn House, with luxurious accommodation, stunning surroundings and excellent food! 

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We've been really busy all year so I thought it would be a nice gesture if I volunteered to make Christmas dinner.  Admittedly I'm not the worlds' best chef- even baking a simple cake is not something I do often (or particularly well!).

An easy task I thought, until it came to planning the menu.  Although the supermarkets now do the prepping for you if desired, I do still want to have some imput so I can at least say that I made some of it myself!

So as you can imagine I've been swatting up on my appetisers and canapes and wanted to share a few ideas with you- just in case like me, you too could do with a little inspiration!

Merry Christmas everyone...

Hasselback potatoes

mini toad in the hole

Mushroom tartlets

Potato pancakes

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With just four weeks to go until Christmas, we'll be very busy this weekend putting all of the Christmas decorations in place ready for our favourite time of the year! 

One thing I just can't do without every year is a 'make your own crackers' kit.  I love to choose the gift inside so it's meaningful to the person pulling the cracker- like a mini gift!  I've found a great company called Party Pieces which sells these kits and so much more.  Have a look for yourself and make Christmas all the more enjoyable!

Rocking Rudolph party place cards, £2.99 for 10

Party gift boxes, £7.99 for 9

Cross stitch mince pie stand, £3.99

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Nature is fascinating isn't it?  From tiny bugs to lush plantlife to the biggest mammals on earth- everything works together to keep the world turning. Unfortunately, as global warming becomes more of a threat, it's necessary for us to take action to stop further damage from occuring.

Every living thing has its relevance, which is why the work of Plantlife, a charity dedicated to protecting the nations' wild plants, is so important.

Knowledge is key, which is why educating the public on such matters is vital.  Plantlife have arranged a Culbokie Wood Fungi Walk on Wednesday 12th October 2011 from 2-4 where you're invited to find out about the 'hidden world' of a pine woodland.  David Genney and David O'Brien from the Scottish National Heritage will be your guides and are on hand to answer any questions.

The event is free of charge.  Call 01786 479382 to book a place or e-mail scotland@plantlife.org.uk.

Click here for ways you can help.

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When Claudia and Andreas arrived to see if we had any availability, it was unfortunate that we were fully booked and unable to accommodate that evening.  Another option was to set-up their tent on our front lawn... four star camping at its best!

Being the adventurous types, Claudia and Andreas were happy to camp outside for the night- luckily the weather was fair.  We were pleased to at least be able to offer the couple a cooked breakfast the following morning.

We received a lovely e-mail from the couple shortly after their stay...

" We want to say thank you once again, for the great time we were allowed to have in your place. We loved to stay in your garden and in your house, but most of all we are thankful for your hospitality, which we will remember more than any castles or places of Scotland, we were able to visit. You have a very great landscape surrounding you, we had a really nice holiday ".

Thank you- it was lovely to meet you!

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Are you ready to take-on the mighty Munro challenge?  Teams of 2-4 hill walkers are invited to climb the Munros, located in the stunning Scottish Highlands, for a brilliant cause- to raise money for children and young people with cancer.

Each team will select their own mountain/s and routes and money will be raised by asking people to estimate what the Mighty Munro Summits Height might be.

The start date for this charity event is 25th September. For more information or to register, click here. 

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The Highlands of Scotland boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and a relaxing train journey is one of the best ways to experience it and soak it all in. 

Relax and enjoy 80 miles of beautiful Scottish countryside by catching the Scotrail train from Dingwall (just a 20 minute drive from Kiltearn House) along the Kyle line.  Make sure you sit on the right-hand side of the carriage for the best views!

The train journey terminates at Kyle of Lochalsh, near the crossing point to the Isle of Skye, providing the perfect opportunity to explore the area.  The scenery is breathtaking- the perfect day out.  Read more about the Kyle line train journey here.

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We were delighted to discover that one of our guests, Mr Paul Graham, spotted a rare Red Kite soaring over Kiltearn burial ground yesterday and managed to take these fantastic shots!  These birds of prey have thankfully been saved from national extinction by one of the world's longest running protection programmes and has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland.  Thaks for sharing, Paul...

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We've made a few changes to the dining room- mainly with the introduction of new furniture and wall art- to make the room feel warmer and altogether more homely.  With less clutter, the room looks a lot bigger.  Our wine and spirit selection is now displayed tastefully in the alcove to the left, with more choice upstairs on the landing in the guest coutesy bar.

The dining room before...

and after...

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