A new off-grid cabin has opened at Guardswell Farm in Perthshire, offering families a chance to stay in a remote setting with plenty of outdoor adventures. The Pitmiddle Hut, named after the abandoned village of Pitmiddle on whose pendicle field it sits, is the latest addition to the 81-hectare farm between Perth and Dundee, about an hour and a half from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
The cabin features a mezzanine bed for adults and a separate bedroom with bunks and a double bed for children, linked by a central indoor-outdoor space with sliding doors. It is off-grid, using solar power for lights and an induction hob, and has a compost toilet, though showers are available at the Steading, a converted barn that also houses a shop, washrooms, and a games room.
Guests can explore the farm's animals, including Shetland cows, Hebridean sheep, donkeys Ollie and Hugo, and pygmy goat Jimmy, who once escaped and crashed a wedding. The cabin has no wifi or TV, and phone signal is limited, encouraging activities like foraging for wild garlic, feeding animals, and exploring the Big Wood with its 198 steps cut into the hillside.
The farm also offers other accommodation: the Pendicle with a wildflower roof, the Infield with a stargazing window, and the Kailyard shepherd's hut, plus two cottages and a farmhouse. The Steading hosts events such as weddings, craft classes, and a monthly market, and sells the farm's meat, eggs, and cider.
Nearby attractions include sandy beaches at East Neuk, the Highlands hills beyond Dunkeld, and the Taybank pub and Aran Bakery in Dunkeld. The farm is run by Anna Lamotte and Digby Legge, who rear cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens, and tend vegetable gardens alongside hosting guests.
