Cuween Cottage is a refurbished 19th-century farm-worker's dwelling, which sits below Cuween Hill chambered cairn, looking out across the islands in the Bay of Firth. There are many holiday properties in Orkney which have been built and finished to modern standards: this is not one of them. Read on only if you have an affection for out-of-the-way places which tell their own story. This is a bothy in the traditional sense (but with hot water, heating and appliances including a big telly and wifi....)
A (relatively) modern kitchen and bathroom were added in the '60s (on the left in the picture, with larger window). The original cottage (to the right) has been left fully open-plan, and both fireplaces re-opened. Sleeping area (double-bed) is at the kitchen end, and the sofa is in front of the wood-burning stove at the seaward hearth.
The cottage has been renovated as a hideaway for one or two persons, and appeals to the archaeologists, birdwatchers and anglers who want a quiet spot with a central location on the Orkney Mainland. The proportion of guests who are faithfully returning is increasing year by year...
