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A 6 acre oasis in the Cairngorms National Park where nestle 3 off grid 2 person eco cabins and a 4 pitch lightweight camping ground. Waterfowl ponds, cultivated areas, sheep and hens are to be enjoyed with views straight to the mountains. There is nothing but moorland and forest in between. The Lazy Duck is close to mountain bike trails, skiing and snowboarding, climbing and plateau treks, rafting, kayaking, fishing, golfing and plenty of whisky distilleries. Landmark Forest Adventure Park, Highland Folk Museum, Highland Wildlife park and the leisure pool at the Aviemore Centre are all within easy reach and of top class quality for visitors. Small is beautiful at the Lazy Duck. We say 'Been Active? Come home to slow living' with our hot tub, sauna & visiting Swedish massage practitioner.
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We stayed in the The Lookout with 2 kids aged 6 and 10, and had the BEST week.
Days filled with adventure, you are just at the entrance to Nethy Bridge (15min walk into the village) and with nearby Aviemore there are endless activities in the local area. Then evenings spent back at the Lodge for playing boardgames, toasting marshmallows and sitting out by the fire. Absolute bliss.
The Lookout has everything you need - even small details like robes and crocs provided for heading out to the shower, and blankets for sitting outside.
Our kids absolutely loved it, as did we.
The outdoor shower is fab, although very short and so for hair washing we used the jug/ bowl provided. The compost loo was super clean and hygienic.
We stayed for 7 nights and were sad to leave. Phil & Sarah are the most wonderful hosts, so thoughtful and helpful (provided some picnic boxes when we asked, and also as a surprise for us fitted our kids bikes with water bottle cages!) but without being in any way intrusive.
Next door is the Safari Tent so you may have other family nearby, which our kids loved. All the other lodges are tucked away very private.
We also booked the hot tub and massage, highly recommend.
Overall we had the most special stay.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Rothiemurcus is fantastic for activities and bike hire.
The local cafe in Nethy Bridge is...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Phil Hodgkiss, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 30 Jul 2024
Thank you so much, You have very kindly listed key areas that we strive to achieve excellence in; primarily a safe and hygienic experience but the finer details we believe are just as important from Sarah's delightful eye for detail and sense of fun to our unobtrusive hospitality. We are around but only when you want or need us. And when little people (and their grown ups) embark on and enjoy such an epic bike ride, Phil will always routes around in his box of bike bits to see what kind of gift he can fit to their bikes :o) The perfect guests and we would love to see you again. xxx
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Thank you very much for a wonderful weekend. A breakfast of freshly laid eggs started off our Saturday. Coffee outside in front of the chiminea with hints of whisky from the smoked barrel firewood. Then onto our lazy journey with a very relaxing and soul feeding massage from Sarah. Followed by use of the infrared sauna to sweat out life’s troubles. We then had an invigorating outdoor shower and topped it off with use of the hot tub under the stars. Thank you so much for an extraordinary weekend. Warmest regards Douglas & Maja
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The stay in the Lambing Bothy was tremendously cosy, quiet and refreshing. Even in the midst of winter the outdoor shower and toilet were quirks that brought value to the experience.
The duck keepers are most helpful and friendly. Whilst the surroundings are all wooded Highland fare, sequestered away on the edge of Nethy Bridge.
We'd love to return, especially in a summer to see the contrast.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from eco_lazyduck, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 8 Mar 2020
We are delighted that you enjoyed the quirks, both the shower and compost loo with a view are a short hop and a skip from the cosy comfort of the hut. Invigorating but not uncomfortable, we hope. Helpful and friendly is our aim so we got it right, thank you! We'd love to see you both again. Summer is a different experience, more porch, chimenea and soaking up the sun than cozied in by the fire with a great book/game and company. all the best, Sarah & Phil
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Myself and my partner are not long back from a week spent at the Lazy Duck together at the end of April.
First off, I can’t thank the Lazy Duck team enough for moving our booking! We were initially meant to stay in January, and I had shared my plans to propose to my partner (spoilers - she said yes)! Anyway, we unfortunately contracted covid, and were not able to travel. We were both gutted, but I was devastated that my plans had gone awry. The duck keepers allowed us to move our booking and head away in April instead. I am so so grateful that I got to execute my plans as I’d imagined them and that myself and my fiancé (!!) got to enjoy the most fantastic trip we could ever have imagined.
We both work extremely busy jobs, alongside being full time students just about to graduate, and raising a ten year old. Five days of absolutely blissful quiet living was exactly the reset we have been needing. If you are looking for complete rest and relaxation, and you find that in nature, then the Lazy Duck is for you. The Homestead was clean, cosy, and full of everything we could need including plentiful drinking water, logs, kindling, comfy bedding, plenty of tea lights, the list goes on and on! The outdoor shower and composting toilet are an experience, but nothing we weren’t prepared for! You know what you’re getting into! You get plenty of run time from the shower and it’s a tiny three second run back in your front door.
We barely seen another soul but when we did bump into the team they were so friendly, chatty and really made us feel that we were at a home from home. I can’t fault our stay whatsoever. I’ve seen a few reviews on here talking about militant rule following and I’m honestly not sure what that’s about. Perhaps it’s because we were looking for a quiet getaway and we weren’t wanting to do anything that would get us in the bad books but honestly I didn’t get that vibe at all and it feels a bit like those comments might be from people who were staying in the wrong place!
If we had one comment to make (and it’s not something that would stop us returning) it’s just to say that there is no rainwater tap in the composting toilet. The Lazy Duck is a getaway that’s likely to attract the more eco conscious visitor and therefore people who use a menstrual cup rather than other sanitary products. My partner was not able to rinse her cup in the toilet and we therefore did pop out and buy some other sanitary products therefore creating waste we’d normally avoid however I’m sure there’s a reason for this! It absolutely won’t keep us from coming back, and we are in fact already looking at booking a return trip.
We would give the Lazy Duck ten stars if we could. Can’t wait to see you again! Thanks for being the backdrop to the trip that changed our lives - the soon to be Mrs & Mrs! X
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Phil Hodgkiss, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 23 Mar 2024
Thank you so much for the detail and passion, we love to hear that our hospitality has delivered xxx
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We stayed three nights in The Woodman's Hut at the beginning of October and it was so magical. Although the weather wasn't particularly on our side, we still managed to sit out on the porch with the chimenea (and wine!) and it didn't dampen our experience at all.
I was a bit nervous about the outdoor shower but it was brilliant. Once you've filled the bucket up with hot water from the kettle you get about 2-3 mins in the shower- and the steam means you barely feel the cold, honest! Even the compost toilet wasn't as scary as I had imagined, just make sure you bring a headtorch for the walk from the cabin at night.
Phil and Sarah have though of everything to make the stay comfortable, including crocs/dressing gown for the shower, all the cutlery/plates/bottle opener etc, woolly blankets and all the logs/kindling you'd ever need. We also ordered a larder basket which had gorgeous homemade bread, jams, butter, milk, porridge, potato scones and bacon in and it was all delish.
The kitchen has a small gas stove/oven/grill which meant that will forward planning we could easily dine in and make the most of the cabin on an evening. The stream fridge was great and really kept bottles cool, but after a heavy downpour we lost our basket and had to retrieve everything further downstream. There are candles dotted around and a 'big light' for when you need something a bit brighter but we hardly used it.
Phil and Sarah have created a truly enchanting experience and we can't wait to return again!
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Date of stay: October 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
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Response from The Duck Keepers Lazy Duck, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 12 Dec 2020
Hi Chloe, Thank you for such a wonderful review and highlighting the elements that make our hospitality slow and weather-proof! Nothing like an excuse to cosey up with a book and afternoon to lazily dream away. All our little touches like Knockando blankets and fleecy dressing gowns are presented to ensure luxuary but in a quirky way. Can't wait to host you again! all the best, Shara, Phil & Brodie
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This place is magical. Spent 4 nights in the ducks nest and was surrounded by wildlife and tranquility. The duck keepers are brilliant on hand if you need anything. Showering outside in the open is mind blowing and the composting toilet is easy to use. If you are looking for peace and quiet this is the place for you. Will be booking for next year with out a doubt. Thank you for an amazing stay.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:You need to be open minded to stay here
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Phil Hodgkiss, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 23 Mar 2024
Thank you xxx
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The most beautiful, quiet, idyllic, and undisturbed place we have ever stayed. Literally feels like you're in the middle of nowhere. We stayed in the woodmans hut, which was through a gate, and over a little bridge and was in it's own grounds pretty much. The views are simply stunning, and all the facilities were brilliant. The eco toilet was cleaner than that of some hotels we have stayed in! Such a clever, and clean design. We had a wood fired hot tub booked one of the nights, and it was beautiful. The hosts were so lovely, and very helpful, providing us with fully charged adapters for our phones/torches etc, as there is no electricity in the hut, and really wasn't needed. We had so many items provided for us which we really weren't expecting, so we will pack much lighter on our next visit (hopefully in the not too distant future!) There has been so much thought gone into this beautiful place, and the attention to detail is superb. I really didn't want to come home, and it made me reevaluate so many of the ways we do things in our homes on a daily basis, and what we really could live without. The simple life? yes. Slumming it? Absolutely not! I felt like a princess in my own little world up there. Everybody should stay here at some point in their lives if you ever need to escape it all. My new favourite place. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience. Helena and Dan.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't plan too much! Sit back and relax.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Phil Hodgkiss, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 25 Mar 2024
Thank you both! It is always a pleasure to welcome and host guests like you, who bring such energy, enthusiasm and fun to our site! Hope to welcome you back some time soon xxx
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We stayed in the ducks nest. We were looking for a complete escape and we got it. The cabin has everything you need. Initially we were dubious about the compost toilet and outdoor shower, but they really weren’t a problem. The shower was actually a fabulous experience. The little wood burner kept the well insulated cabin toasty warm. Stargazing from the hot tub was an experience we will never forget and we met a lovely red squirrel and some roe deer too! A fabulous retreat for couples who either want to just hibernate away from the world or to use as a base for more adventurous activities.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Bring layers to wear. The wood burner keeps the cabin really warm so you’ll probably only want a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Phil Hodgkiss, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 23 Mar 2024
Thank you xxx
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We booked four nights in 'The Duck's Nest' and couldn't have been happier with the welcome and the experience we received during this time. The site is set back far enough from the road that you can't hear the traffic but is close enough to Nethy Bridge that you can lazily stroll to the café for a coffee. It's also full of wildlife: ducks, birds deer, squirrels and we even spotted a toad! The Duck's Nest was the perfect little cabin: cosy, comfortable and had all of the essentials. You 'sacrifice' many of the modern conveniences you think you need but you're more than rewarded with the comforting little touches that make it feel like home and the sense of tranquility the cabin and location offer. Reading books, listening to nature and enjoying the outdoors: what else do you need? Once you work out the best routine for getting enough hot water ready for the shower, it's a fantastic experience in itself. The woodland and countryside surrounding The Lazy Duck is breathtaking and well worth the (probably long!) drive to the site. We'll almost certainly be back.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Duck Keepers Lazy Duck, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 11 Oct 2020
Thank you for the review and for sharing the essentials; our site and what is around us and a lazy stroll stroll away. all the best, Phil
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I had a restful 3 nights in the Homestead cabin mid May. The hosts, Sarah and Phil were very accommodating and on hand if I needed help with anything like lighting the stove. Deer and red squirrels could be seen in the woods and be viewed by a hatch from the outdoor loo. Having a bucket shower, with water heated on the stove, in the privacy of the corrugated iron cubicle was invigorating. Sarah is also a trained massage therapist and I am glad I booked that experience in the Wellbeing studio in advance. It's a special place in an idyllic location run by good people. Enjoy.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Duck Keepers Lazy Duck, Owner at The Lazy Duck
Responded 11 Jun 2021
Thank you so much for the kind comments, Sarah is delighted by the response she gets from her well being offer and we both genuinely appreciate and are touched deeply by your recognition that our intention and effort is all focussed on being good people. Best wishes and hope to see you again, Sarah & Phil
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Hello
Not sure where you are coming from ?
Trains to Aviemore from London Edinburgh Glasgow and Aberdeen then short local bus jorney to NethyBridge where
The Duckeepers are able to meet you.
Aberdeen, United Kingdom47 contributions18 helpful votes
Hello, the hot tub isn't free. think we were about £7 per person for a hour. they also add some very nice oils which are good for you and are very relaxing. as for the distance, it depends on the cabin you hire. we normally have the 8 bed cabin which is about 15-20 feet away. I suggest you take a pair of flip flops. we love the hot tub, even on a cold night we have found it very relaxing and soothing..
hope this helps..
There are more places to choose from in the Nethy Bridge area.
LOCATION
United KingdomScotlandScottish HighlandsAviemore and the CairngormsNethy Bridge
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
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Are there any historical sites close to The Lazy Duck?
Many travellers enjoy visiting The Old Packhorse Bridge (10.6 km), Aviemore Railway Station (13.9 km), and Aviemore Ring Cairn & Stone Circle (13.8 km).
