Foundry Bank

Bonar Bridge sits where the Dornoch Firth narrows into the Kyle of Sutherland, a tidal water that once made this a working port. The village has deep roots—its name comes from a Gaelic word for lower ford—and Foundry Bank itself is part of that history, a 19th-century stone cottage that once formed part of the local foundry where iron was smelted for the original Telford Bridge. The building has been restored without losing its character, and it now opens directly onto a long living space with solid wood floors and deep-silled windows looking out towards the bridge and the Kyle.

Inside, the ground floor holds a living and dining area with a 42-inch TV and leather seating, a kitchen equipped for proper cooking (electric cooker, dishwasher, washer-dryer), and a shower room. Upstairs are two double bedrooms, both double beds at 4ft 6in. Electricity, heating, bed linen, towels and wifi are all included; there is parking for two cars on site. One dog can stay free. The pub is within a mile's walk, and the setting makes for a genuine base to explore the Northern Highlands rather than a stop on the way through.