Highland Staff Block (Quite a few pics)

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Random

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
144
Reaction score
5
I went on holiday in the Scottish Highlands a couple of years ago and was amazed to find this place literally next door. What are the odds on that eh? I'd been coming here for years and never noticed the place, then happened to spot it on my way home after the holiday one time. I was worried that someone might have come in and redeveloped the place in the time before my next visit, but I needn't have worried.

The approach. Note the leaves at the bottom of the gate.
810978803_04901bbf7a_b.jpg


Looking up the very overgrown drive
820465380_c674155d8f_b.jpg


I don't know what happened to this place, there is no obvious sign of fire and certain things indicate that it hasn't been like this for too many years. The roof is totally gone and it is way too hardcore for me to set foot inside. Not without a helmet anyway, and I don't tend to take that sort of thing on holiday.
820467574_b9bdbddae0_b.jpg


The place I was staying in is a timeshare complex, but it was originally a quite famous hotel. The architecture is almost identical to this, which makes me think that it was staff quarters or the owners house at one point. Either way, it's quite a stunning place.
810984285_649a271b6b_b.jpg


811871388_7591837070_b.jpg


Eerily some windows are still glazed and the TV aerial still stands. I saw very little trace of vandalism, it's simply too far out of the way and well hidden for that.
810985497_5911643640_b.jpg


810968925_abe09a3330_b.jpg


The devastation is pretty much complete all around the house. It seems that the roof must have fallen in one place and nature took it's course with the rest.
810967351_a8328a9690_b.jpg


811865434_7c33712cef_b.jpg


820472442_d2078b3b1a_b.jpg


819595355_2c84049983_b.jpg


Another indicator that the building was linked to the hotel was the amount of bizarre junk left lying about. The cellar was full of deep fat fryers for some reason, and the shed (also roofless) had to be seen to be believed.
811855710_27d615d3f4_b.jpg


810980537_5a243d4879_b.jpg


811857938_fb609f7054_b.jpg


810964519_60abf910d3_b.jpg


811853230_71f0d8aedb_b.jpg


I think whoever built this place intended the design to be a pastiche of a gothic castle; this being the case, what would a castle be without it's throne?
810986539_2b477bf9ee_b.jpg
 
Love that 8th pic, very Terry Pratchett "Discworld-esque" It's the only analogy I can come up with at the moment! :lol:

Good stuff, give us more of the same!
 
Is the third last pic showing a bit of a suit of armour?? I'd kill to find a complete suit of armour to dress in on an explore.

Anymore detail as to location? Highland is a bit too vague :p
 
Bet this place looks lovely in it's hey day. Really like the round tower shaped part, with the pointy roof. And love seeing that tiny trap (ie pony and trap) in the outhouse.

Lovely find,

:) Sal

ps, try asking at the timeshare place you stay at, someone who works there may have any information, or may know someone who does. They may also have history of both buildings and old pics too. It's worth a try.
 
Very nice find :)

What a random contrast in condition between the complete roof turret and the collapsed floor!

Lb:jimlad:
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. To clarify a few points:

-The ruin is in the Trossachs, approx. 4 miles from Loch Katrine. For the Weegies among you, this is where your drinking water comes from.

-I have tried to research the history of the place but have come up blank. The timeshare staff didn't even know the place was there until I asked them about it!

-Yes, it is a leg from a suit of armour. I think it is probably a 20th century repro to be honest, but is still quite cool. I'm not into removing things from sites at all, but if the helmet had been there I would have been seriously tempted.

-There is something a bit Tolkeinesque about the place. The tower bit makes me think of Rapunzel (spelling?)

- You can't tell from the photos, but a couple of the less damaged rooms have still got really crap 70s style melamine furniture in, which leads me to think that people who weren't very valued by their landlord stayed here last. Hence a staff block.
 
You mentioned the TV antenna, looking at it that's a pair of the old VHF ones, for the old black and white 405 line TV. Compare with modern UHF ones and you'll see it's much bigger.The last 405 line VHF TV transmitter was turned off at the end of 1982 so the lack of a UHF antenna could provide a date for the abandonment of some time at the beginning of the '80s.

So maybe your 1970s furniture is period rather than retro.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top