Scandinavian lodge self-catering holiday accommodation in beautiful Dumfries & Galloway
13 miles WNW ~22 min drive DG7 1DX
The Olive Retreat is a relaxed, family friendly mediterranean restaurant & café in the centre of Castle Douglas. We visited on a midweek evening. As it was fairly quiet we were given a choice of tables for two by the friendly waitress.
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We bought 22 Barend in July 2022. The previous owners had obviously cared for the lodge, but there were some improvements we wanted to make straight away. The first significant change we made was to rename it “Serenity”; it was called “Milvus Lodge” before (Milvus is a genus of medium-sized birds of prey). After considering a few different names, we settled on “Serenity” as it captures the feeling of the location, and what we look for, to get away from the hustle and bustle of life.
It’s our intention to make some changes to the lodge listed below, which we hope you’ll appreciate, particularly if you’ve stayed here before.
Read moreThe lodge has a 55″ Smart TV (Toshiba 55QV2F63DB 4K QLED VIDAA). Not pictured, but in the same place!
It has live TV channels available through Freely. There’s also a multiregion DVD player connected, and a selection of DVDs for you to choose from.
Feel free to sign in to any of the streaming services on the TV (Netflix, Prime etc.); just remember to sign out again before you leave!
Alternatively you can bring a Roku or similar, Games Console etc. to connect to the TV (there are 2 spare HDMI ports).
You might want to set yourself a reminder to sign out of your accounts and pack away your devices and any of your remotes at the end of your stay! (That’s what I do 😄)
We love Threave Estate and Gardens and enjoy visiting them. However, until now, we hadn’t managed to visit when the house was open.
Read moreWe love Threave Estate and Gardens and enjoy visiting them. However, until now, we hadn’t managed to visit when the house was open.
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26 miles NE ~45 min drive DG1 4RU
We visited Caerlaverock Castle many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve visited many castles in the UK, but this one stuck in our memory, with it’s distinctive shape, moat and contrasting building style inside the castle walls.
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After we’d visited Crawick Multiverse, we made the short(ish) journey to Wanlockhead Inn, Scotland’s Highest pub (1531ft / 467m above sea level)! It’s about 10 miles (20 mins) from Crawick Multiverse.
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Crawick Multiverse, near Sanquhar (pronounced “sang·kuh”) is a very interesting place to visit. I had a misconception of it when I first heard of it, thinking it was to do with science and geology. However, it’s actually a piece of “land art”. It was designed to reflect the cosmos in this area that’s celebrated for its dark skies.
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Barend Loch, nestled peacefully within the tranquil surroundings of the lodges, provides an idyllic setting for carp fishing.
Just 100 metres away, only a 4 minute walk!
Guests at Serenity don’t need a permit, and can enjoy carp fishing right on the loch opposite the lodge (however please only use barbless hooks). Legend has it that a monster 14lb carp was even caught here!
Read moreWe’re excited to announce a recent upgrade at the lodge – a brand new landing area at the top of the stairs! Frosted glass fills the frames, allowing light to pass through and keeping a sense of openness with ample light for the landing and hallway. The design not only ensures privacy for anyone inside the room, as they can’t be seen from the other side, but also maintains the open and airy feel.
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7 miles NW ~13 min drive DG5 4AH
We visited The Birchtree Hotel on a midweek evening in March. Initially we sat in the Bar area, unaware that there’s a separate restaurant area upstairs.
Read moreFor any questions about Serenity 22 Barend, please submit the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.