Grid Reference: NB987125 HILL HOUSE is an old croft house built of stone

GENERAL

There are stunning scenic views inland to the hills of Wester Ross and out to sea to the Summer Isles, Skye and the Outer Hebridees. A recent Automobile Association article stated: "North-West Scotland's scenery is about as good as it gets…majestic mountains sweep down to a wondrously wild and miraculously unspoiled coast". It is one of the most unspoilt corners of the British Isles. There are abundant walking opportunities both along the coast and in the surrounding hills. Shop within 2 miles and pub within walking distance. The price reflects the fact that it is not up to the standards set by Tourist Boards. It retains some of the ambience of a crofter's house in the mid-20th century, but has basic mod-cons (electric cooker, fridge(s), two bathrooms - each with flush loo and basin, one of the bathrooms has a bath), electricity. There are storage heaters in each of the downstairs rooms and thermostatically controlled heaters in the two bedrooms. The owner's family have been using it for holidays for the last 35 years. Although we let the house so that it pays its way and for improvements, it is very much a "lived in" home and not an impersonal rental house. Downstairs - kitchen, bathroom, sitting room. Upstairs two bedrooms and bathroom. Each bedroom has two single beds that can form a double bed. It is somewhat basically furnished. Some of the furniture is made of driftwood and herring boxes. But it has one or two elegant pieces of furniture as well (See photos).  

Most people love the place, but a small minority fail to appreciate its unique situation and are put off by its relative simplicity. For instance it has carpets but not wall to wall. If you are a finickity suburbanite you may not like it. There is no TV.

ACCESS

The house is situated about 200 metres above the Achiltibuie-Reiff road. You can get to the house either by a 5 minute steep uphill walk over a field from the road or (since 2005) there is a steep rough track up to the house which is OK for most cars (you may have problems if your car is very low-slung and/or has long wheel base). You should inspect the track before going up it in your car to make sure your car can make it. It's your choice! The track starts on the non-seaside of the road and about 50 metres east of the public phone box. It is not sign-posted. Whichever route you use to get to the house, please close all gates after you, in particular the last gate before the house which is the gate that stops the sheep from getting into our garden where we have been trying to get various shrubs/trees to grow.

As stated most cars have no problem using the track. A survey of the first 6 months of 2007 found that for 9 out of 10 people there had been no problem. (The one person who flunked it was due to timidity (my opinion)). In case the unexpected should happen (eg a landslide or you feel unsure of making it with your car) you should be prepared to walk up the steep hill to the house and to carry all your belongings. This is just to alert you that the house may not be suitable for the infirm and/or elderly. 

HOW TO GET THERE

It is possible to get there by public transport by a combination of bus from Inverness to Ullapool and another bus from Ullapool to Achiltibuie (and on to Altandhu if you're lucky). However they may not synchronise and you could easily spend a day getting from Inverness. Furthermore the nearest shop (Polbain) is about 2 miles each way. IN OTHER WORDS IT IS VIRTUALLY ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A CAR.  

ALTANDHU is 2 1/4 hours drive from Inverness and 45 minutes from Ullapool. From Ullapool take the A835 Ullapool to Durness road and turn off after about 10 miles north of Ullapool to the left.  Follow sign to Achiltibuie (15 miles). First junction - go straight ahead (right is to Lochinver). Fork right at second junction signed to Altan Dhu and Reiff. Fork left at third junction signed Altan Dhu (Reiff is to right). Look out for red phone box on right-hand side; uphill track to Hill House starts approx.35 metres further on on left-hand side just after next passing place sign you come to. If you reach smokehouse you have overshot the track by about 200 yards.There are three houses above the road behind the Smokehouse. It is the one in the centre with black metallic roof and white-painted walls and a red-painted front door. Access to track that leads to house (see above).

ARRIVAL - Do try to ensure you arrive in daylight. It is essential to have a torch if arriving after dark to enable you to turn on the "NON-HEATING" electricity (see below) and to avoid rabbit holes. We take soft things (bedding etc) in large black plastic bags which also affords protection from the rain!

PARKING - if you decide not to drive up the track to the house, there is a layby in the road below the house and about 100 yds west of the Achilitbuie Smokehouse. It has been extended to give extra room for a car to park, but always leave room for another car to use the layby as a passing place as it is a single track road. It is advisable not to park in front of the metal gate leading to the path up to the house - some 50 metres west of the layby - as the shepherd may need to take his sheep through the gate from time to time. If you do use the rough track up to the house there is plenty of parking room alongside the house (See photos).

TELEPHONE/ MOBILE PHONES - there is a public call box about 200 yards along the road towards Reiff. Reception for mobiles depends on your system. We have always been able to get reception (sometimes having to stand in the porch, or in extremis, outside, as the walls are so thick they hamper reception).

ELECTRICITY - There are two systems - HEATING (three storage heaters - sitting-room, hall, kitchen) and NON-HEATING (hot water, kitchen equipment, lighting, ring main, heaters in bedrooms):

NON-HEATING - switch on main switch on arrival; off on departure. There are in fact two BIG RED switches at right hand end of fuse box marked "Non-heating".

HEATING - don't touch heating fusebox -- each heater has ON/OFF switch at floor level and has two controls on top of heater - INPUT and OUTPUT - turning each control clockwise maximises, counter clockwise minimises. In very cold weather turn both to maximum; in warm or very warm weather turn both to minimum or turn off altogether (at floor level); in between you can choose combination that suits best. A good combination for average Highland temperature (neither warm nor very cold) is input to maximum or near maximum and output to minimum or near minimum. To get boost of heat turn output to maximum (but you will fairly soon have to increase input to maximum also). When you see switch at floor level light up this means heaters are loading (that is provided heater in question is switched on at floor level). Heaters are loaded at any time of day or night depending on the whim of the electricity board. But a certain minimum of power is guaranteed every 24 hrs. Heater in hall will be ON when you arrive - other two heaters OFF. WHEN YOU LEAVE PLEASE ENSURE HALL HEATER IS SWITCHED ON (Input at max, Output at min) AND OTHER TWO HEATERS ARE SWITCHED OFF (ie as they should be when you arrive).

WALL-FITTED HEATERS IN BEDROOMS - switch on at wall socket; use thermostat to control output.

METERS - Please read BOTH meters (heating and non-heating) on arrival/departure and pay us for what you have used when returning key. (As of August 2008 rate is: non-heating £0.1496/unit; heating £0.0861/unit)

DOCTOR - comes from Ullapool. He has a surgery in Achiltibuie and there is also a district nurse (information in desk drawer).

SHOPPING - Excellent shop at Polbain has almost everything you need including fresh veg/fruit. There is also an equally good shop in Achiltibuie but further to get to. Using the local shops helps support the community. Ullapool (45-50 minutes away) has a Tesco supermarket.

RUBBISH You can get large and small bin liners from local shop. You can use these to take your rubbish away each day when you set off on your walk etc and dump in one of the road-side bins (location of some of these shown on map in kitchen). Do not leave rubbish by the road side below the house. MAKE SURE THAT NO PERISHABLE FOOD OR RUBBISH IS LEFT ON DEPARTURE. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE EMPTY CARDBOARD BOXES IN HOUSE!! HELP YOURSELF TO ANY FOOD THAT YOU FIND IN THE HOUSE.

LETTERS - you are in hands of postman. I think he delivers to house.

BREAKAGES - replace if possible - nearest hardware stores in Ullapool and Lochinver or let us know so that a replacement can be sent up with next tenant. Not always easy to buy things locally.

SITTING-ROOM FIRE - temporarily (June - October 2008) out of use due to lightning strike end 2007. It is in process of being repaired. Should be ready by Christmas 2008. 

FRIDGE - Please leave clean and leave door open on departure. Unplug from socket.

HOT WATER - immersion heater expensive on electricity so switch off when not needed. It heats up very quickly.

LINEN - we prefer people to bring their own bedding. However there is a double duvet, 2 or 3 blankets and some pillows which you are welcome to use. Whether or not you take duvets, pillows or blankets, you will have to provide your own sheets, towels, teacloths, bathmat, duvet covers and pillow cases. The mattresses are foam with no cover so you should take an under sheet or 2 of your own. King size undersheets and fitted sheets are ideal. Alternatively take the equivalent for single beds.

CLOTHING ETC - waterproof trousers, jackets and boots are strongly advised at all times of year. IF you have soaking wet clothes, please hang them over bathtub from washing line that pulls out from wall and let them hang till all dripping has ceased; then hang damp clothes from clothes drying mechanism suspended over storage heater in hall.

PETS (ASSUME ONLY DOGS) are welcome with their own beds but please have them deflea-ed. It is essential that they don't chase sheep. If they do, they may well be shot! Please do not let them pad around inside house with wet/dirty feet - especially not on the rug in sitting-room. They should not be allowed to go upstairs. Fold up sitting-room rug if necessary. Whatever else please clean up after them and dispose of their excreta well outside the sheep-proof fence that surrounds the garden. They must not sleep on the furniture.

WATER - It should be on when you arrive. If for any reason it is not on close all taps in bathroom and kitchen; secondly go to back of the house. You will see the waterpipe going into the house. There is a valve which you turn anti-clockwise to allow water to flow (clockwise - if for any reason you want to switch water off). Do not switch on hot water heater until water system has filled up. Please do not shut off water on departure unless specifically requested to do so in which case leave all indoor taps open.

GUEST BOOK

Please record your impressions (bad as well as favorable) in the latest volume. Feel free to read what others have written.

DEPARTURE/CLEANING - Please leave house clean (as I hope you found it on arrival). There is an excellent hoover. We do not have anyone to clean the house. We rely on you. Please leave all interior doors (except the door from the hall into the porch) open on departure. This allows warm air from the one storage heater that is left on to circulate round the house.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PRINT OUT WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SCREEN AND TAKE IT WITH YOU.

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SOME BASIC DETAILS

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