A Quiet Riverside Cottage Beside Loch Awe
Wake up to the sound of the River Cladich running past the garden, a few minutes' walk from the centre of the tiny Argyll hamlet of Cladich on the eastern shore of Loch Awe. This is the Riverside Cottage in Cladich, not the same-named bed and breakfasts in Doolin, Lynmouth or Tracadie, and the difference is the setting: a white Highland cottage with pink roses at the door, the loch a short stroll down the single-track road, and Ben Cruachan rising on the skyline. From the moment you pull up, the welcome from host Graham sets the tone for a stay that runs on hospitality rather than hotel polish.
The single biggest reason guests book here is breakfast. It is cooked fresh to order, with homemade bread, jam and marmalade, and Graham usually asks you the evening before what you would like, so you come down to exactly the plate you fancied. Add free private parking on the doorstep, free Wi-Fi throughout, and dogs welcomed at no extra charge, and you have an easy, good-value base for exploring the loch.
It is genuinely peaceful and genuinely remote, which is the whole point. There is no guest lounge and no on-site restaurant, just three comfortable en-suite rooms, a warm host with stories to tell, and the water outside. Riverside Cottage works well for couples, solo travellers and touring guests, dogs included, who want a real Highland welcome and quiet mornings by the river rather than the polish of a larger hotel.
Comfortable En-Suite Rooms with Garden and River Views
You get three rooms, each with a private bathroom that pairs a bath and a shower, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, tea and coffee, free Wi-Fi and heating. The style is simple and homely, neutral and white with the occasional Highland touch, and the bathrooms are notably generous, tiled with a cornflower-blue accent and a heated towel rail. The bedrooms sit on the upper floor and are reached by stairs.
The Double and the Twin both look over the garden, and the Twin has the largest footprint of the three at 28 square metres. If you want the water, ask for the Deluxe Double: it is the only room with a river view as well as a garden view, and the one where you can fall asleep to the sound of the Cladich. Cleanliness is one of the property's strongest points, and recent guests reliably describe the rooms as spotless and comfortable.
Why Guests Keep Choosing This Loch Awe B&B
Plan to use the cottage as a touring base and you will get the best of it. Loch Awe boat and fishing-tackle hire is about two miles down the road, Kilchurn Castle is a seven-minute drive, and St Conan's Kirk, the Cruachan Hollow Mountain power station, Inveraray Castle and the seafood town of Oban are all within an easy half-hour reach. The neighbouring Cladich Fold runs award-winning Highland-cattle farm tours, and the hamlet's restored red phone-box honesty shop sells home baking and local art in season.
A car makes all the difference out here: the nearest restaurant or bar is roughly two miles away and there is no public transport to the door, so book your evening meal ahead and bring the dog. The reward is a stay that returning guests praise above all for the welcome from Graham. This is the right choice if you want a peaceful, dog-friendly Highland base with an outstanding breakfast, as long as you are happy to drive for dinner.
Why Book Riverside Cottage B&B?
Riverside Cottage is strongest for couples, solo travellers and touring guests, dogs included, who want a peaceful Loch Awe base with a standout breakfast rather than hotel polish.
Breakfast cooked to order
Graham asks the evening before what you would like and cooks it fresh, with homemade bread, jam and marmalade. Guests rate the breakfast the best part of the stay.
Riverside Loch Awe setting
The River Cladich runs past the garden and Loch Awe is a short walk away, with Kilchurn Castle and Inveraray Castle within an easy drive.
Free parking and dogs welcome
Free private parking sits on the doorstep and dogs stay at no extra charge, so road-trip travellers and dog owners are well looked after.
Best-fit guests
Best for couples and touring guests who want a quiet, adults-only Highland stay and are happy to drive a couple of miles for dinner.
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Interesting Points About Riverside Cottage B&B
- Graham, the host, usually asks the evening before what you would like for breakfast and cooks it to order the next morning with homemade bread, jam and marmalade; the breakfast draws unanimous praise across hundreds of stays.
- The cottage holds Argyll and Bute Council short-term let licence 230926-000669, a verifiable trust signal under Scotland's mandatory licensing scheme that most same-named B&Bs cannot show.
- The River Cladich runs past the garden as one of the main feeder rivers of Loch Awe, Scotland's longest freshwater loch at 41 km and its third largest by surface area; the Deluxe Double is the only room that looks onto the water and catches the sound of it.
- Set your navigation to the village name Cladich rather than the postcode PA33 1BQ, which misroutes drivers; the hamlet is signposted off the A819 between Dalmally and Inveraray.
Rooms & Accommodation at Riverside Cottage B&B
Double Room with Private Bathroom
Sleeps 2 · 22 m² · Garden view · Private bathroom · Upper floor
Best for two travellers who want the lowest rate and still want a private bathroom with both a bath and a shower. The entry-tier double looks over the garden, with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee tray and free Wi-Fi. On the upper floor, reached by stairs.
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Twin Room with Private Bathroom
Sleeps 2 · 28 m² · Garden view · Private bathroom · Upper floor
Choose this if you are two friends or family travelling together who want separate beds and the most floor space. At 28 square metres it is the largest room, with a garden view, a generous tiled bathroom and the same entry-tier rate as the Double. On the upper floor, reached by stairs.
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Deluxe Double Room with Bath
Sleeps 2 · 24 m² · Garden and river view · Private bathroom · Upper floor
Choose this if the view matters most. The top-tier room is the only one that looks onto both the garden and the river, so you can fall asleep to the sound of the Cladich. It has a double bed and a private bathroom with a bath. On the upper floor, reached by stairs.
Check PricesIs Riverside Cottage B&B Right for You?
Best Suited For
- Couples and solo travellers who want a quiet, adults-only Highland base by the water
- Dog owners: dogs are welcome at no extra charge
- Touring and road-trip guests using Loch Awe as a base for Kilchurn Castle, Inveraray Castle and Oban
- Guests who care most about a genuinely good breakfast, cooked to order each morning
- Anglers and walkers: loch boat and fishing-tackle hire is about two miles down the road
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You are travelling with children: children cannot be accommodated and there are no cots or extra beds
- You want to walk to dinner: the nearest restaurant or bar is about two miles away, so a car is essential
- You expect hotel extras: there is no guest lounge, no on-site restaurant and no luxuries, by design
- You need step-free bedrooms: the rooms are on the upper floor and reached by stairs only, with no lift
Amenities & Facilities
Food & Drink
- Cooked-to-order full breakfast, the standout of the stay
- Homemade bread, jam and marmalade
- Tea and coffee maker in every room
- Not available: On-site restaurant
- Not available: Bar
Room Amenities
- Free Wi-Fi throughout, flawless in guest feedback
- Flat-screen TV with satellite channels
- Electric kettle and tea / coffee facilities
- Heating
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Free toiletries
- Hypoallergenic bedding
- Wardrobe or closet
- Drying rack for clothing
- Not available: Air conditioning
Bathroom
- Private bathroom with bath and shower
- Free toiletries
- Towels and toilet paper provided
- Tile / marble floor
Property & Outdoors
- Garden
- Outdoor seating area
- Bicycle parking
- Fishing arranged locally (charges may apply)
- Not available: Swimming pool
- Not available: Spa or wellness centre
Parking, Services & House Rules
- Free private on-site parking (no reservation needed)
- Private self check-in and check-out
- Dogs welcome at no extra charge
- Non-smoking throughout
- Quiet hours 22:00 to 06:00
- Not available: Children
- Not available: Cots or extra beds
- Not available: Lift
- Not available: Airport shuttle
Cladich, Loch Awe & Around
Riverside Cottage sits in Cladich, a small, scattered Highland hamlet on the eastern side of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, on the B840 just off the A819 between Dalmally to the north and Inveraray to the south. The cottage stands on the banks of the River Cladich, one of the major feeder rivers of the loch, with the centre of the hamlet about 100 metres away. A practical first tip: set your navigation device to the village name Cladich, because the postcode can send you to the wrong place.
Loch Awe is Scotland's longest freshwater loch, a long, island-dotted ribbon of water ringed by mountains, oak woods and ruined castles. It is a slow-travel base about two hours from Glasgow by road or rail, and it rewards quiet mornings on the water far more than a busy resort would. Boat and fishing-tackle hire is available from Loch Awe Boats, roughly two miles down the single-track road that fronts the house.
Within a short drive you can reach Kilchurn Castle on its loch peninsula, the eclectic St Conan's Kirk, the Cruachan Hollow Mountain power station deep inside Ben Cruachan, and the Gothic Inveraray Castle, seat of the Duke of Argyll. For dinner, the nearest options are a drive away: Ardbrecknish House is about 1.8 miles, Portsonachan Hotel about 3.2 miles, with far more choice in Inveraray, around 15 minutes, and Oban, around 30 minutes. The seafood town of Oban is also the ferry gateway to Mull and Iona. A local quirk worth catching: the hamlet's restored red phone box is an honesty shop selling home baking and local art in season.
- Loch Awe: Adjacent · short walk to the shore. Scotland's longest freshwater loch at 41 km, with boat and fishing-tackle hire from Loch Awe Boats about two miles down the single-track road.
- Kilchurn Castle: ~7 min drive. A roofless Clan Campbell ruin on a Loch Awe peninsula, built around 1450 by Sir Colin Campbell and one of Scotland's most photographed castles. Free, exterior open year-round.
- St Conan's Kirk: ~15 min drive. An eclectic lochside church whose Bruce Chapel commemorates Robert the Bruce's 1308 victory at the Pass of Brander and reputedly holds one of his bones.
- Cruachan Hollow Mountain Power Station: ~15 min drive. A pumped-storage station opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1965, with a vast machine hall reached by a 1 km tunnel about 300 m inside Ben Cruachan.
- Inveraray Castle: ~16 km · ~15 min drive. The Gothic-style home of the Duke of Argyll and Clan Campbell. 2026 season runs 26 March to 26 October, Thursday to Monday.
- Ben Cruachan: ~26 min drive to the start. At 1,126 m the highest peak in Argyll and Bute and the high point of the Cruachan Horseshoe, popular with munro-baggers.
- Oban: ~30 min drive. The seafood capital of Scotland and the ferry gateway to the Inner Hebrides, including Mull and Iona.
- Loch Awe Station: ~11 km. The nearest railway station on the Oban branch of the West Highland Line; a taxi or pre-arranged transfer covers the last stretch to the door.
Getting to Key Locations
Photo: The Carlisle Kid, CC BY-SA 2.0
Loch Awe
Scotland's longest freshwater loch is the cottage's front yard, a slow ribbon of water dotted with islands and ruined castles. Hire a boat or fishing tackle about two miles down the road, or simply take a quiet morning by the shore. It is the still, mountain-ringed setting that pulls touring guests back.
View on Map
Photo: Brian Deegan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kilchurn Castle
7 min drive
About seven minutes' drive from the cottage, this roofless Clan Campbell ruin sits on a peninsula at the head of Loch Awe. Built around 1450 by Sir Colin Campbell, it is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. The exterior is free to visit and open year-round.
View on Map
Photo: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Inveraray Castle
15 min drive
Around 15 minutes' drive south, the Gothic-style seat of the Duke of Argyll and Clan Campbell is a landmark of the western Highlands. The 2026 season runs from late March to late October, Thursday to Monday. The lochside town of Inveraray around it has the area's widest choice of restaurants.
View on MapHow to Get to Riverside Cottage B&B from Glasgow
- Drive north on the A82 and A85: From Glasgow, follow the A82 up the west side of Loch Lomond, then the A85 through Tyndrum and Dalmally. Allow roughly two hours and a bit for the full drive.
- Turn south on the A819 toward Cladich: At Dalmally, head south on the A819 and follow the signs for Cladich onto the B840. A scenic alternative comes up the A83 over the Rest and Be Thankful to Inveraray, then north on the A819.
- Set your navigation to Cladich, not the postcode: Enter the village name Cladich in your navigation device rather than the postcode, which can misroute you. The cottage sits on the banks of the River Cladich, a few minutes from the centre of the hamlet.
- Arriving by train: The Oban branch of the West Highland Line runs from Glasgow Queen Street to Loch Awe or Dalmally, sweeping along the loch past Kilchurn Castle. From the station, a taxi or pre-arranged transfer covers the last 15 to 20 minutes to Cladich; a car is strongly recommended out here.
Loch Awe & Argyll
Cladich sits at the centre of one of the western Highlands' quietest corners, where Loch Awe runs for 41 km between mountains, oak woods and a handful of tiny historic villages. Within a short drive are Kilchurn Castle, St Conan's Kirk, the Cruachan Hollow Mountain power station, Inveraray Castle and the working Cladich Fold of Highland cattle, with Oban's seafood and ferries about half an hour away. The video below is a road-trip through the history of Argyll, useful destination context rather than a tour of the cottage itself.
Around Argyll and Loch Awe
A history road-trip across Argyll, including the Loch Awe area and the hamlet of Cladich. It is destination colour for first-time visitors, not a walkthrough of the property.
Is Riverside Cottage B&B worth it?
Yes, if you want a peaceful, dog-friendly Highland stay beside Loch Awe with a breakfast guests call faultless and a host whose welcome earns near-unanimous praise. Couples, solo travellers and touring guests all rate it highly. Skip it if you are travelling with children, who cannot be accommodated, or if you want to walk to dinner, as the nearest restaurant is about two miles away and a car is essential.
What Guests Say About Riverside Cottage B&B
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Superb
Guests love the cooked-to-order breakfast, the warm welcome from host Graham and the spotless, comfortable rooms in a peaceful riverside setting. The hospitality and the breakfast are the standout themes across recent stays, with dogs made just as welcome as their owners. Travellers who book it for the hospitality and the quiet Loch Awe location, and who are happy to drive a couple of miles for dinner, come away delighted.
A great host with everything you would expect of a B&B; the only downside was having to leave.
Derek
Great location, a friendly owner and a super breakfast.
A warm welcome for her and her two dogs, with a great breakfast and a comfortable room; she would like decaf and herbal teas added.
A well-appointed, comfortable room, an excellent host and a superb breakfast in a lovely quiet location.
A lovely home from home with a very nice host; the twin beds were his own oversight when booking.
Quiet and remote in a lovely location, with a warm welcome and homemade jam a nice touch; basic accommodation with no luxuries.
A wonderfully put-together place with a wonderful host, great facilities and lovely food; the mattress was very firm and there is no real river access.
A fine way to get a taste of rural Scotland; remote, but they liked that, with a great host and a great breakfast.
Good to Know Before You Book
Set your satnav to Cladich, not the postcode
When you use a navigation device, enter the village name Cladich rather than the postcode PA33 1BQ, which can misroute you. The hamlet is signposted off the A819 between Dalmally and Inveraray, and the cottage sits a few minutes from its centre.
Breakfast is cooked to order
Breakfast is prepared fresh each morning and draws the warmest feedback of any part of the stay, with homemade bread, jam and marmalade. Graham usually asks the evening before what you would like, so come hungry and tell him your preferences. Confirm the breakfast option for your dates when you book.
It is genuinely rural, so bring a car
The nearest restaurant or bar is about two miles away and there is no public transport to the door, so plan your evening meal and book it ahead. Free private parking sits on site, with no reservation needed.
Adults only, dogs welcome
Children cannot be accommodated and there are no cots or extra beds, so this is an adults-only stay. Dogs are welcome at no extra charge. Cancellation and prepayment terms vary by the rate you choose, so check the conditions shown for your dates before you confirm.
Photos of Riverside Cottage B&B
Frequently Asked Questions
Riverside Cottage B&B is in the hamlet of Cladich on the eastern shore of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, postcode PA33 1BQ, on the B840 just off the A819 between Dalmally and Inveraray. This is the Cladich property, not the same-named bed and breakfasts in Doolin, Lynmouth or Tracadie. When you drive, set your navigation device to the village name Cladich rather than the postcode, which can misroute you; the cottage sits a few minutes from the centre of the hamlet on the banks of the River Cladich.
Riverside Cottage B&B is consistently well-reviewed by guests. The strongest praise goes to the free Wi-Fi, the staff, the cleanliness and the breakfast, with location, comfort and value all drawing steady approval too. The recurring themes are the cooked-to-order breakfast, the welcome from host Graham and the spotless rooms.
Breakfast at Riverside Cottage B&B is cooked to order each morning and is the property's signature feature, the part guests praise most. It is a full cooked breakfast with homemade bread, jam and marmalade, and Graham usually asks the evening before what you would like. Confirm whether breakfast is included for your dates and rate when you book, as it can vary by room option.
Dogs are welcome at Riverside Cottage B&B at no extra charge, and the property is well used to four-legged guests. Several recent reviews mention dogs being made just as welcome as their owners. There is no documented weight limit or cap on numbers, but it is worth mentioning your dog when you book.
Free private parking is available on site at Riverside Cottage B&B, with no reservation needed. Because the cottage is rural and there is no public transport to the door, a car is the practical way to arrive and to reach the nearby castles, the loch and places to eat.
Children cannot be accommodated at Riverside Cottage B&B, so this is an adults-only stay. There are no cots or extra beds at the property, and each of the three rooms sleeps two. Couples, solo travellers and touring guests are the natural fit.
Check-out is until 10:30, and you can check in any time from 16:00 up to 21:00. Both are self-service and managed by the host rather than a staffed reception desk. You can ask for an early or late time as a special request when you book, though it cannot be guaranteed.
Plenty sits within an easy drive of Riverside Cottage B&B around Loch Awe. Kilchurn Castle is about seven minutes away, St Conan's Kirk and the Cruachan Hollow Mountain power station around 15 minutes, Inveraray Castle around 15 minutes and the seafood town of Oban about 30 minutes. Loch Awe boat and fishing-tackle hire is roughly two miles down the road, and the neighbouring Cladich Fold runs Highland-cattle farm tours.
Other Great Stays in Scotland
Dalgair House Hotel, Callander
A friendly hotel in Callander, a gateway to the Trossachs, the closest of our Scottish stays if you are touring the southern Highlands by car.
Glassford Residence, Glasgow
Merchant City apartments in central Glasgow, a useful first or last night when you are driving up the A82 to Loch Awe, roughly two hours south of Cladich.
The Gryffe Inn, Bridge of Weir
A village inn at Bridge of Weir near Glasgow Airport, handy if you are flying in before heading north-west into Argyll.
Ready to Book Riverside Cottage B&B?
A peaceful, dog-friendly stay beside Loch Awe with cooked-to-order breakfast, free private parking and free Wi-Fi. Best for couples and touring travellers who want a real Highland welcome.
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