Nestled in a sheltered glen Strathpeffer was a popular spa town in Victorian times due to the sulphur springs that were found here in the 18th century. This village was the scene of fierce fighting between the MacKenzies and the MacDonalds in the 15th century and later between the MacKenzies and the Munros. The MacKenzies won the battles in both cases.
There are many traces of the grandeur that is the Victorian legacy. As a renowned European health resort, the town was laid out so that there are wide streets, beautiful gardens and there are many hotels. The Spa Pavilion is now owned by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, which raised the funds to restore the building and then turned it over to a voluntary community group, Strathpeffer Pavilion Association, which is running it as a venue for the arts, conferences, weddings and other functions. Full details of forthcoming events are on its website: http://www.strathpefferpavilion.org/ The pump room, located in the middle of Strathpeffer, dates back to 1819 and the pavilion dates back to 1880. This was built as a venue for entertainment and has been restored to its former beauty. The Upper Pump Room has also been restored and is being run by another local group. It is open from April to October and you can taste the (allegedly!) curative spa waters. In the village you will find a shop for groceries, Post Office, cafes, antique shops, the excellent Square Wheels for bike hire and trail guides, and a superlative Belgian Chocolates shop.
Location - Strathpeffer is approximately 18 miles from the Highland capital city of Inverness, and only 4 miles from Dingwall, the county town of Ross and Cromarty. There is a regular train service stopping at Dingwall and buses run to Strathpeffer from Inverness. On booking, we provide our guests with full directions and a map to find the property.