A Slow Trip to the Scottish Borders with Kip Hideaways (Ad - press trip)
This trip was part of a project where I was taking photos for Kip Hideaways, so I am marking this as an ‘Ad’ and a press trip.
Please note that this trip was back in autumn, before lockdown, and social distancing was adhered to the whole time.
It’s no surprise that my travel content has suffered over the past year. I feel very lucky that I was able to visit Sicily in the summer and take my dream trip to America at the beginning of 2020, but I am really missing being able to travel more regularly. I had grand plans to visit more of the U.K last year, but local lockdowns and work prevented me from doing this. As we sit here in January, in the midst of a strict lockdown with gloomy skies outside my window, I thought I’d share a few photos from the one short trip I did manage to take last autumn. This was a work trip - taking photos for Kip Hideaways in one of their beautiful properties on the Scottish borders - but I wanted to share it on here to give you all a bit of travel inspiration.
The drive up to the Scottish borders wasn’t long - just a few hours from home - but after spending so much time at home last year I couldn’t have been more excited to be travelling someplace new. We (my boyfriend, dog and I) were only spending two nights away from home and I was there for work, but it still felt like a welcome break. Lochside Bolthole is located close to the market town of Melrose, right on the borders. I’d love to go back and explore Melrose, but because of the pandemic we hunkered down in the cottage, only leaving for long local walks. This was actually a blessing in disguise. Usually when we are travelling, we aim to take things slow but always end up going out to explore and booking restaurants for meals. This time, we had a beautiful, cosy cottage where we could let time slip away and just not worry about anything for a couple of days. I just had to make sure I captured the photographs that I was there to shoot - but other than that we were free to just take long baths, read our books and cook together.
This was the first time I’d stayed with Kip Hideaways and I was really impressed. If you haven’t come across them before, Kip curate a collection of the very best boutique rental properties in the U.K, so you can just look through their listings rather than trawling through the entire internet. The website operates on a subscription service costing just £14 a year for full access to the website, including direct bookings, secret content, member offers and gifts when you stay. And there’s tons of choice for anyone with a dog, which is always an added bonus as when we take staycations we always want to take Evie with us!
The cottage we stayed in, Lochside Bolthole is part of a larger property with other rentals and the owner’s home close by - but the cottage felt private throughout our stay. It was basically my dream home - an old gatekeeper’s house that had been completely modernised inside with all mod cons, yet with a cosy and welcoming aesthetic. We spent most of our time curled up on the sofa in the snug lounge, with the fire roaring while we sipped wine and read our books. Across the hall, a large kitchen-diner provided everything we needed to cook our own meals during our stay while also providing a large table to sit down to eat. Upstairs, the bedroom boasted the biggest, comfiest bed I’ve slept on for ages with beautiful views out over the loch from large windows. The bathroom was perhaps my favourite space in the cottage however - a beautifully designed room with stylish scalloped tiles in the large shower and a dreamy freestanding tub that offered views of the stars while I soaked.
I wish we could have stayed for longer, as there were many walks we would have liked to enjoy in the local area. I took Evie for early morning strolls down to the loch and along the lane, and we spent one afternoon out on a longer walk that took us through the woods to a larger loch and round in a loop. The triple peaks of the Eildon Hills loomed in the distance - beckoning us for next time we visit the area.
If you’re looking for a slow and relaxing getaway post-lockdown and want something to look forward to for later this year, I’d highly recommend Lochside Bolthole. We’re definitely going to be exploring more of the U.K when it’s safe to do so - and I’ll hopefully be checking into more Kip properties along our way.
