Alladale Wilderness Reserve

Quite Possibly the Coziest Luxury Resort in the Scottish Highlands.

- Anthony DeMarco

About eight red deer more than 5 feet high stand motionless as if posing for a portrait on an emerald-colored lawn at the edge of the forest. Innes MacNeill brings a blue bucket filled with dried food pellets. A few of the deer approach slowly, cautiously. The tallest one with the largest antlers (12 tines) comes forward and takes the pellets from MacNeill’s hand. He is the leader of the herd given the name Frank. While MacNeill feeds Frank he tosses pellets to the other deer that are more cautious. When the bucket is empty MacNeill walks away and the deer disappear into the forest.

This small herd is among the tamest of the wild fauna in the Alladale Wilderness Reserve, a 23,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands that serves as a comfy luxury retreat in a remote natural setting. The main guesthouse has seven cozy rooms that can accommodate 14 people. There are two lodges on the property that provide a more luxurious and secluded experience. For a more rustic experience there’s a bunkhouse that sleeps 18 in a comfortable camp-like atmosphere. There’s even a bunker-like hut in a secluded area of the reserve built into a ledge for picnics.