The Windy Roost

From £125 For 1 night, 5 adults 10 9 reviews
Senga cabin (added by manager 03 Mar 2023)

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Senga cabin (added by manager 03 mar 2023)
1/8
1/21
Favourite
Picnic table and seating (added by manager 26 jan 2023)
Cabins in the snow (added by manager 26 jan 2023)
Mountains in the distance (added by manager 26 jan 2023)

  • Luxury cabin with North Sea and mountain views on the North Coast 500
  • John O’Groats and Dunnet Head 40 minutes’ drive; Wick 15 minutes
  • Shower room, well-equipped kitchen and private garden; shared barbecue
Thinking of doing the NC500? You can overnight at The Windy Roost in Occumster village, or base yourself there for several days – either way it will be very hard to leave. If you’re wondering why, well, for starters, accommodation is in a south-facing cabin set on an 11-acre croft, with spectacular views stretching to the sea, coastal cliffs and stunning, often snow-capped mountains Add vivid sunrises and sunsets to the mix – when weather conditions are right, of course – and then, thanks to the low levels of light pollution, you can watch galaxies shimmering in the sky from your private terrace – should you catch a cloudless night. By the way, that terrace is sheltered and fenced (so any dogs accompanying you stay safe), with outdoor seating, a picnic table and lighting. If you’re keen to spark up a barbecue, there’s a communal firepit behind the cabin. Things are pretty smart inside the cabin too; it’s nice and insulated to keep the Scottish winter cold at bay, and air-conditioned in summer. Sleeping up to five guests comfortably, the cabin has a fully equipped kitchen (with air fryer, grill, oven, microwave and all cutlery and crockery). And if you fancy a lazy day, there’s wifi to keep in touch with back home, and a Smart TV for catching up on all your favourite programmes from the comfort of the sofa.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 1
Open all year
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
  • At least one of the party members must be aged 18 or over.

Languages spoken

English

Reviews

10

Overall rating based on 9 reviews View breakdown

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would recommend this site to a friend

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Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

A great find, well located for exploring the area and a short…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness No rating
Cleanliness 10
Wifi No rating
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: A great find, well located for exploring the area and a short drive to supermarket and town. Mandy and Pete were lovely and the accommodation was comfortable with excellent facilities. Would use again if visiting the area.

Recommend to friends Visit again

J'ai aimé l'accueil, le cadre et les hôtes sont adorables et plein…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Hanan J. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: J'ai aimé l'accueil, le cadre et les hôtes sont adorables et plein d'attentions

Recommend to friends Visit again

Location Cabin and facilities were perfect Enclosed deck perfect for our dogs…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Gabriel M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Location Cabin and facilities were perfect Enclosed deck perfect for our dogs

Recommend to friends Visit again

Perfect glamping weekend

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Lovely friendly couple, fabulous interior that was brand spanking new. Spotless, comfy beds, fridge and freezer, lots of hot water with lovely shower. Lots of lovely little touches like fire pit and well stocked welcome pack. Beautiful views and area down to Tain stunning.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent location and the whole place was spotless. The owners where on…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 8
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 6
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Christian B. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Excellent location and the whole place was spotless. The owners where on site and explained how everything worked. We will definitely be back.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great pod in a good location.

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Really good accommodation with great hosts. Accommodation was very clean and provided everything we needed. A really good location for exploring the far North East of Scotland.

Disliked: Just be aware that the top bunk is only suitable for small children. My 9yo couldn't have slept there. We used the sofa bed instead.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing place, Amazing Hosts

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Glenn W. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Only 4000 letters to say what I liked. That's not enough. Excellent communication by hosts before arrival. This is a gem of a place. Cabins are new and extremely well kitted out. Microwave, air fryer/grill/rotisserie. Everything you possibly would need. Smart TV, WiFi. Fully heated with full Aircon unit. So you have full control of temperature. Beautifully decorated. I absolutely love the handmade decor around the bathroom. Lots of personal touches which make it feel warm and comfortable. There is a lovely private seating area outside each Cabin. So lovely to sit outside with a glass of wine or bear when it's nice and sunny. This is also enclosed by a small fence. So secure for most dogs. There is also a fire pit to the rear of the cabins, so good for barbecues Now to the hosts. They are very friendly. Very good local knowledge. Especially with regards to lovely walks and attractions in the area. I really appreciated the guidance on where to walk and what to see. As there are a few neomythical sites within 2 to 4 miles of the Cabins. Especially small standing stones that are on the same layline as Stonehenge. I almost forgot very dog friendly. They love dogs. So your furball will be made to feel very welcome. They have ducks floating around (very quiet I must add) sheep are in adjacent properties. I was lucky to see Deer bounding across an adjacent field. It is a very quiet spot, about 400 yards from the NC500 route. So a perfect place to stop. As John O'Groats is only about 30 minutes away. I recommend you make it a base for the east coast. So stay there a minimum of a few days. As you won't regret it. I stayed a weekend and regret I didn't stay longer. Thank you for making Zorro (my dog) and my stay perfect. He loved it as much as I did. Just add that there's a B&M, Pets at home, Argos, Farm foods and Lidls about 15 minutes north of the property in Wick. Also Tesco's North of Wick with Fuel. So you have everything at hand within 10 to 20 minutes.

Disliked: Nothing. Absolutely amazing. Thought I would of used the word amazing a few more times 😀

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hi Glenn, Wow thanks for a fantastic review, but more importantly so very happy you enjoyed your stay. Thank you, and thanks for the wine, your words are very much appreciated, the hard work creating this special place, is worth it when we know our guests are enjoying the location we are so lucky to call home. We are so lucky to meet and cross paths with people on their own journeys, you and Zorro are more than welcome anytime. Pete and Mandy.

What a fantastic place! Hopefully one day we’ll be back. Thank you!

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Rebecca R. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: The hosts were brilliant and so accommodating. The lodge was beautifully decorated and had everything we needed. We loved the extra touches for the dogs and the fenced garden so that they could be outside in the sunshine. Mandy and Pete, thank you! We loved our stay.

Disliked: Nothing, it was perfect.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Thanks for your kind words, we're glad you enjoyed your stay. 😃

Excellent very clean lodge with lovely hosts

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Ria c. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Cabin

Liked: Very clean lodge with everything you could think of in it, lovely hosts who are very welcoming, will definitely be going again soon

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Games room

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Play area

TV room

Take away

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available

Car parking by pitch/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Food shop

Free wifi

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Launderette

Parent & baby washroom

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Public telephone

Shower available

Toilet block

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided

Barbecues allowed

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Utilities

Charging facilities

Chemical disposal

Electric car charging point(s)

Gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Type

Tiny (1-10 pitches)

Location

The Windy Roost

The Windy Roost

Occumster

Lybster

Caithness

Scotland

KW3 6AX

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

58.30412°N
-3.25481°W

Route directions

///brilliant.king.swims

Nearest transport

Rail
11.1 mi Wick Rail Station
16.2 mi Georgemas Junction Rail Station
16.4 mi Scotscalder Rail Station
Ferry
23.4 mi Gills Bay Ferry Terminal
23.7 mi Scrabster Ferry Terminal
24.5 mi John O' Groats Ferry Terminal
Airport
11.9 mi Wick Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

For sightseeing with a bit of Caithness history thrown in, head for the brooding Neolithic tombs at the Grey Cairns of Camster (10 minutes’ drive), or hit the circular Yarrows Archaeological Trail at Ulbster (10 minutes) to see standing stones and Bronze Age hut circles. A snoop around Badbea Historic Clearance Village (25 minutes) reveals remnants of a settlement emptied during the 19th-century Highland Clearances. Keen hikers can hook up with the coastal John O’Groats Trail at Lybster (five minutes), passing spectacular Occumster Waterfall and the remains of 18th-century Clyth Harbour on the way to Whaligoe (around a two-hour walk). Once there, you might like to scramble down 365 stone steps (but don’t forget you’ll have to scramble back up again) to Whaligoe Haven, once a buzzing mackerel-fishing harbour. Heading north, aim for Dunnet Head – the most northerly point of mainland Britain – to stand on soaring cliffs home to thousands of seabirds. It’s almost law when you’re this far north to visit John O’Groats (both 40 minutes’ drive) for the chance to spot seals and dolphins in surrounding waters, or you can tour fairy-tale Dunrobin Castle (50 minutes), its museum and formal gardens.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020 2019 2018 2017
Dunnet 21.2 mi Sea N/A Excellent Excellent Excellent
Thurso 22.5 mi Sea N/A Good Good N/A

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

The Castle & Gardens of Mey 23 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Dunbeath Strath 7.5 mi

BLAR NAM FAOILEAG (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 19/02/1999) 11 mi

Staxigoe to Noss Head 12.8 mi

Noss Head and Sinclair and Girnigoe Castles 13.9 mi

FORSINARD (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 20/11/2006) 22.2 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in Caithness?

  • Does The Windy Roost have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is The Windy Roost dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Windy Roost? For sightseeing with a bit of Caithness history thrown in, head for the brooding Neolithic tombs at the Grey Cairns of Camster (10 minutes’ drive), or hit the circular Yarrows Archaeological Trail … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Windy Roost?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  Anytime –  Anytime
    Depart by:  Anytime
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  4 p.m. –  10 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at The Windy Roost? From £125 (for 1 night, 5 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.