Lochbay Boathouse is a unique seaside house. It sits on the shore of Lochbay, on the Waternish peninsula, a few miles from Dunvegan, in the north-west of Skye. Built in the early 19th Century with thick walls of local stone, it was originally the boathouse for the Waternish Estate. In the early 1970's it was converted into a house by the singer Donovan and now combines modern comfort with the character of an unmistakably old building.
The furnishing style reflects the owners interest in the Arts and Crafts movement, with much of the furniture dating from the early 1900s. Many of the numerous paintings in the house are inspired by Scotland's rugged west coast.
The house sits on its own at the foot of a grassy cliff, with its semicircular front lawn projecting into Loch Bay, and a small tidal harbour on its north west side.
Just beyond the harbour is a pretty waterfall, where the ladies from Waternish House used to picnic in Victorian times.
The views from the house are simply stunning: south eastwards to the picturesque fishing village of Stein, south westwards across Loch Bay, and north westwards towards the sea, with the islands of Isay and Mingay in the foreground and the distant mountains of North Uist beyond.
Seals, otters, dolphins, herons and eagles live nearby, and can often be seen from the windows and garden.
