Our Dog Friendly Garden
The very beautiful, Shae, Rusty and Torvi, enjoying the dog friendly garden in the Spring sunshine. Credit and thanks to Nicola for the photo.
We know how crucially important it is when booking somewhere for a holiday with the hounds, that it includes a dog friendly garden – which means it’s fully enclosed. Who wants to be standing outside of a night, with your dogs on leads whilst they do their thing, because you daren’t let them out on their own!
That’s why we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that at Sail Mhor View, that’s exactly what you get. A beautiful outside space that’s fully enclosed, and as safe for your pack as we can make it. A Proper Dog Friendly Garden! One side is enclosed by dry stone wall, most of which is about 5ft 6″, with wire above bringing it to just under 6ft, and the very lowest point is 4ft 9″ but again, with wires above, to approximately 6ft. The other three sides are a mixture of wooden ‘hit and miss’ fencing and stock fencing, all of which has been meshed to 6ft, with a strong, heavy duty, 2″ aperture wire, to prevent diddy dogs from squeezing through. There is also a 6ft stock gate, which again, has been meshed all the way up, and gatepost gaps have been made as secure as possible, using additional fence posts. If you have concerns over diggers or houdinis, please get in touch. We regularly check the perimeters, and ensure that our fencing is kept in good condition, for everybody’s peace of mind.
The garden surrounds the whole cottage, so your dogs can run around to their hearts content. There’s plenty of space for them to get up to top speed and chase each other round, or just have zoomies by themselves!
Laid mainly to lawn, the garden is a real sun trap, with some dense shrubbery to explore, providing plenty of shady spots on warm days. It also offers spectacular views over Little Loch Broom – absolutely beautiful at any time of year.
The front of the property is laid to hard standing for parking, making it easy to unload dogs and luggage!
We ask that guests keep the gates shut at all times, otherwise the dog friendly garden will be deer friendly as well!
“Sensory Scentsations” enrichment activities for dogs
In late August 2025, we added “Sensory Scentsations Sensory Garden Enrichment Activities for dogs” to Sail Mhor View.
We know from experience with mantrailing, just how much joy dogs can get from using their incredible sense of smell, so we introduced a “Snuffle Wall” and a “Sensory Fence” area.
One of our own dogs has also had to have intensive physio over the years, and we’ve seen the benefit that nerve stimulation can bring, hence adding a small area of sensory matting, which all dogs seem to like!
Our home built ‘Snuffle Wall’ is fully interactive for dogs of all sizes – just add their favourite treats or toys to the buckets, and watch their snuffley delight in trying to reach and retrieve them.
Hours of fun for your dogs – without even leaving the premises!
Photos show returning guests Holly, Buddy, and Star getting to grips with the Snuffle Wall.
Our ‘Sensory Fence’ provides dogs with a short amble full of delicious smelling, dog safe herbs.
(This will be seasonal, as we’ll have to take them in over the worst of the winter months)!
Photos show our own dogs, Bongo and Cookie, on a quality control exercise.
Our orthopaedic textured matting is something we’ve added because we know from our own Buddy’s experience with physio, how different surfaces can help to stimulate nerves in the paws. This is particularly useful for improving proprioception (the dog’s own body’s ability to sense its position and movement), and balance, and is really useful for dogs recovering from surgery, or with neurological conditions.
Photos show our Cookie on the sensory matting, and Buddy, the inspiration for our Sensory Garden for dogs at Sail Mhor View. (Buddy is pictured in our own garden).
This is why the gates need to be kept shut at all times – our local wildlife is exceptionally sociable! Large herds of deer roam all year round, on the vast open space seen opposite.
As well as being fully enclosed so you can relax with your dogs, we have to mention the absolutely fantastic views across Little Loch Broom. (Just because it’s a dog friendly garden, it doesn’t mean it can’t be people friendly too)! Whichever time of year you choose to come, you will be amazed at the ever changing scenery. Even watching rain come up the loch is incredible – when you see it at the end of the loch at Dundonnell, (6 miles away), time it, and see how long it takes to reach Durnamuck! (It’s even better watching it move away, granted)! The light here is just amazing, and puts on incredible shows, lighting up Beinn Ghobhlach and Sail Mhor in golden hues, making them look on fire. In the winter, if you are lucky enough to be here when there’s snow, you’ll think you’ve stepped into Narnia! In spring and summer, the stunning rhododendrons turn the garden into a riot of colour, adding to its beauty. On a clear night, step outside and look up… you’ll be amazed. And of course, we do sometimes get treated to spectacular shows by The Northern Lights – although it does need to be a clear sky. Keep an eye on AuroraWatch UK for notifications while you’re here.
