One of two gun towers on Cat Hill, to the west of the Sawmill. This one on the lower part of the hill is round, the other one on the summit of the hill is square. Built for defensive purposes by General Munro during the Napoleonic Wars. This odd little tower has two smaller towers inside the outer tower.

At our recent Christmas Dinner, we were delighted to make a presentation to Andrew Urquhart, who has been driving a JCB on Novar Estate since 1967. He joins John Ross, our tractor driver, in being a truly wonderful employee of 50 years!

The Estate not only has great, lung busting, hills to climb, but also woodland paths for cycling and walking. A nice stroll for the whole family.

Dornoch is just 35 minutes from Novar and is a beautiful place to spend an hour or a day. Enjoy a round of golf, a stroll on the beach, wander the antique shops or browse the Jail Dornoch and Cathedral.

Whilst a burst pipe for many is not a pleasant thing - with sub zero temperatures on the Estate, our burst created our own beautiful Novar ice sculpture! (Thanks to Cameron for the photos)

Braemoray sleeps 6 in a very spacious house and sits within the deer park on the Estate. Dogs welcome but kept on leads whilst in the park please. An open fire means cosy nights after a day out exploring!

If you're spending the day in Inverness or just want somewhere calm to enjoy a few hours peace, the Inverness Botanic Gardens offer just that. As well as tropical plants there is also a cafe offering hot and cold food.

If you enjoy a challenge when out walking, Ben Wyvis is the highest mountain in the area at 1046m. It is an isolated, prominent and popular munro. The great whaleback ridge of Ben Wyvis is covered in a carpet of woolly hair moss and is home to many interesting plants and animals including red and roe deer, pine marten and golden eagle.

Located in Balintore, just 25 mintes from the Estate, sits the "Mermaid of the North" which forms part of the Seaboard Sculpture Park. Created to represent the traditions & heritage of the Seaboard Villages.

The STOREHOUSE is just minutes away from Novar Estate, on the A9, and offers light lunches, magnificent mains and delicious desserts! Well worth a stop any time of the year.

This photo by Deirdre Eaglesham Photography of winter sunlight at Loch Glass, Evanton is simply magical. Just another amazing reason to visit us!

Fyrish House sleeps 12 in luxury and is the former dower house, with magnificent views across the Cromarty Firth. It is a great base, whether you prefer sport on the Estate, or to explore the Highlands of Scotland. Find out more here: https://goo.gl/47579o