We’ve just finished our second holiday cottage at Dod Mill – The Bothy! We are so excited to be welcoming more guests to our little corner of the Scottish Borders. The Bothy is a 2+2 studio-style accommodation option, in Dod Mill’s original stables and pigsty. It has a definite barn conversion feel – but it’s hopefully a good bit cosier today than it was in the 1800s.

The Bothy has a large living-sleeping-dining room with beamed ceilings and a lot of windows which definitely define the feel of the place. The huge window at the gable wall end looks out into a pretty little walled garden area. Beyond, there are apple trees, the old quarry and Dod Mill’s rare breed sheep. Through a quirky round window at the back, you get a sneak peak of the woodland, rivers and mill pond. All to explore!

cute barn conversion

In the 1700s to 1900s, The Bothy was Dod Mill’s stables (the larger room) and pigsty (the twin bedroom and shower). In the early 1980s it took on a more creative purpose and became a workshop for a talented stained glass artist – Liz Rowley – hence all of the windows and light! More recently, the barn conversion was completed and we’ve taken that one step further to the cosy cottage here today.

Cool scottish cottage

Like Old Mill, we worked with wonderful interior designers (DecorAir) with a brief to create a cool holiday cottage – modern but rustic. We’ve worked together to source some original and interesting furniture, fabrics, kitchen details and decorative touches. We had lots of fun scouring markets for antique pieces such as the French balloon mould, the old Indian drum, the bottle-drying rack and vintage coloured-glass beer bottles.

A base in the Borders

The Bothy is a bit of a bolthole for guests looking to explore the Scottish Borders. One of our favourite places to visit is Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House with its walks along the River Tweed. Close by, you can see Scott’s View which is the area’s most iconic beauty spot. On the same loop, visit the historic town of Melrose (including for the famous Melrose 7s rugby tournament).

How to Book

The best places to book this holiday cottage are right here on our website, and also on Airbnb.  The Bothy is available until end August 2019 when it will close for a few months for further development. We are planning addition of a master mezzanine bedroom – so in about a year’s time, you will be able to upgrade from the (very comfy) sofa bed to an even-more-comfortable king size bed.