CAITHNESS
T
he opening of a remote Scottish B&B
is usually a relatively low-key affair, but
when The Granary Lodge recently launched,
it attracted vast media attention, numerous
headlines and multiple hits across social media.
This remote and luxurious accommodation is set on the
rugged Caithness coastline near Scotland’s north-easterly
tip, with panoramic views across the Pentland Firth over
to Orkney. But the reason this coastal B&B made waves
is the fact that it’s managed by HRH Prince Charles’s
charity, The Prince’s Foundation. The heir to the British
throne personally attended the opening ceremony,
ensuring that this quiet and beautiful corner of
Caithness was the centre of attention. However,
once the photographers and journalists headed home,
a tranquil seaside escape awaited discerning guests
seeking to combine luxury with Scotland’s great outdoors.
Despite the quite windswept and blustery location,
one of the Granary Lodge’s main draws is its picturesque
situation, next door to the Castle of Mey. This castle is
renowned as the much-loved holiday home of the late
Queen Mother, who purchased the run-down building,
garden and grounds in 1952, the year she was widowed.
Mey may have represented a much-needed retreat,
a project, a clean slate, an investment, or a combination
of many factors after the loss of her husband, King
George VI; but this homely castle offers visitors a real
insight into the Queen Mother’s life, off duty.
The Castle of Mey was originally built by George,
the 4th Earl of Caithness. His third son and heir, George
Sinclair, changed its name to Barrogill Castle, and it
remained the seat of the Earls of Caithness for the next
century. A lack of male heirs led the 15th Earl to leave the
castle to a friend, FG Heathcote. It was then privately sold
to Captain FB Imbert-Terry, who made the famous sale
to the Queen Mother in 1952. It was Her Majesty who
restored the Castle of Mey’s original name.
Many royal palaces are exceptionally discrete about
their regal inhabitants, but the tour guides at Mey are
allowed and encouraged to share information about the
region, the building and the Queen Mother’s life here