GLENEAGLES

We stayed at Gleneagles on a post Christmas weekend. A beautiful part of the world , stunning scenery and dogs welcome.

Which room ? – Braidhouse – We chose a suite room , on the ground level with patio, Beautiful room , very large with a fire and sofa alongside an enormous bed .. The patio is not enclosed and so dogs will need to be on a lead as we found out when our pointer decided he would go and meet a passing gentlemen on his way home from the bar at midnight !! There is a turn down service , however The Pointer dog would not allow the staff in , so in future we would put a do not disturb on the door . Dogs are allowed to be left while you go for dinner etc

Access all Areas ? – Dogs are allowed in the foyer area only , They are not allowed in the bar or any of the other public eating or drinking areas, at the golf house they are allowed on the area just outside the golf shop only , so if you want to soak up the atmosphere of the bar this may not be for you. In the foyer there is a large roaring fire and the staff will bring your dog a bowl of water and bring the humans drinks ..

Out and About ? – lots and lots of walking , On the first evening we just explored around the vicinity of the hotel before we headed for dinner . The second day we went out onto the shooting ground area , Mr C went for a shooting lesson and I took the pointer dog out onto the moor .. We saw deer ( almost too late as the pointer was almost off ! ). There is a circular walk of approx 3 miles , it is all signposted. In the summer it is used by the riding school for hacking out , something to be aware of for dog walkers , on this occasion I didn’t meet a soul , it was absolutely stunning .. The deer are all around and so if your dog is prone to chasing , maybe a lead is required , The Pointer Dog is quite good on the whistle , but it did take some controlling , he was VERY excited .

The following day we walked the Kings golf course , In the summer there is a tearoom- The Halway House at the 9th hole , this was closed in winter. A great walk , stunning scenery , beautiful . A loooong walk ( approx 3 hours for us at a dog walk pace ). We got caught out with the light, making it back just past dusk – it did give us the opportunity to see the House lit up beautifully just as it started to snow. Well worth it and the dog could go off the lead under control.

Whats in in for the Humans ? – The food at Gleneagles is beautiful , Lots to choose from , there is a fine dining restaurant and also a huge Bistro which was lovely , lots of atmosphere and some fancy touches , flambé at the table anyone … Breakfast is a great choice but I found some of the food was not as hot as it could be . I am sure there are lots of places to eat locally but due to our short stay we did not venture from the stunning grounds of the hotel itself.

Packing list ? – For us for our winter trip – layers to keep warm but strip off once hot following the dog walks – Dog towels for muddy paws … Your own dog food – Tho they do provide a little surprise on arrival for your dog.

Budget – £££££

Would we go back – ??? – In an Instant – This is a very special place