Eagle Brae is set in a beautiful location within the Scottish Highlands, so you’ll be surrounded by scenic lakes and spectacular scenery. There are ten cabins on-site, and each one offers guests privacy and the chance to see some of the country’s awesome wildlife.
The highlight of Eagle Brae, though, has to be the number of activities available for guests. They have everything you could think of, including canoeing, dog sledding, hiking, and black grouse safaris.
Their story
Mike and Pawana Spencer-Nairn met during one of Mike’s trips to the Himalayas. After moving from Jersey, they were committed to creating the ultimate self-catering holiday experience in the Scottish Highlands.
Eagle Brae is set on 8,000 acres of land that have been in Mike’s family since the 1930s. This dream has been accomplished, and now guests get to enjoy a slice of paradise within Highlands. It is truly one of the most sustainable eco-lodges in Scotland.
The cabins have plenty of luxury amenities for guests, but the most special part is that the family’s ties with the Himalayas can be seen throughout – especially with the furnishings. Read more about them here.
Sustainability actions
Lowest impact construction and operation
- The log cabins at Eagle Brae are built using western red cedar logs. This type of wood is incredibly durable and lasts hundreds of years.
- It also has natural defenses against fungi bacteria and is surprisingly decay-resistant. Also, western red cedar is highly repellent against wood-boring insects.
- The cedar used in the building also absorbs carbon into its trunk, consuming carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. So by the time this type of wood is 100-150 years old, it’s stored a substantial amount of carbon.
- Very little energy was used during the build, as the cabins have been hand-made without using any tools larger than a chainsaw.
- The log walls also provide the finished surface for the cabin’s interior and exterior, saving on weather-proofing and materials.
Highest level of energy efficiency
- Log cabins are 15% more thermally efficient than houses, as the logs act as thermal mass. They store heat during the day and release it throughout the night, meaning less energy is required to heat the cabins. This also works in reverse for keeping temperatures cool during the summer months.
- Eagle Brae also has a 60KW turbine, which is part of a micro-hydro scheme. This provides electricity and hot water to all the cabins.
- The owners have ensured this energy-producing scheme has as little impact on the environment and local wildlife as possible. They’ve done this by collaborating with the local fishing board.
- To date, Eagle Brae has generated 1.6m kWh of hydroelectricity and sent 1.2 kWh of that back to the grid, which is pretty impressive!
- Each cabin has a wood pellet burner that helps to keep them warm throughout the year with underfloor heating. This is a renewable, efficient, and low-carbon energy source.
- The grass roofs on the cabin also consume carbon and provide insulation, so save plenty of energy.
- The water source at Eagle Brae is from a sustainable and natural underground supply. It’s treated on-site and gravity fed to all cabins, so no carbon-heavy treatments or nasty chemicals are used.
- There is also a Tesla charge point on-site for guests to use if they have an electric vehicle.
Pioneer in waste management
- All guests at Eagle Brae are encouraged to conserve energy, preserve water, and recycle whenever possible during their stay. Each cabin has recycling bins for glass and kitchen waste (which is composted on-site) to reduce waste
Organic and chemical-free operation
- Eagle Brae offers home-cooked meals, meats, and other supplies on-site, so don’t guests don’t have to source their own. This includes tasty homemade elderflower cordial, which is made with foraged flowers.
- However, there is also a concierge service on-site that will consolidate grocery requirements from multiple guests. This reduces the need for multiple car journeys.
Actively protects nature and community
- To replace the green space lost in the build, the cabins have grass turf roofs. The turf is protected from the deer that graze here, so encourages wildlife-friendly grass and wildflowers to grow.
- Eagle Brae also offers guests the chance to offset their carbon journey to the cabins by planting a tree during their stay. All the trees are grown on-site in the tree nursery, so they have been reared with zero carbon miles before planting.
Most popular activities near Eagle Brae
- Walk up the Munros
- Head to Glen Affric
- Take a day trip out to Loch Ness
- Go canoeing
- Mountain biking
- Dog sledding
- Clay pigeon shooting
