The journey from Glasgow to Skye has done a fabulous job of ramping up anticipation for an overnight stay and dinner at Edinbane Lodge.

The city slowly melts away into rolling hills and greenery as the satnav guides us dutifully to a small village where this restaurant with rooms sits, nestled onto the riverbank.

Overseen by chef patron Calum Montgomery, Edinbane is a 16th-century hunting lodge that was painstakingly renovated and restored in 2018 and has since been recognised with all manner of accolades from 4 AA Rosettes to a listing in the Michelin Guide.

(Image: Lynne Kennedy Photography)

When it comes to the food, the Skye native calls on local producers, almost all of whom are family or friends, to draft a love letter to his home which is then executed with an incredible attention to detail.

This includes hand-dived Loch Greshornish Scallops, foraged sugar kelp and a selection of root vegetables picked by their very own groundskeeper Willie.

(No, not that one.)

And the rooms? We were to stay in the Riverside Suites, detached from the main building and situated in a former ceilidh hall, which had recently been given a makeover to match the standard of work going on in the kitchen.

(Image: Caroline McQuistin, Isle of Skye Media)

We’re in suite number six, somewhere I’ll continue to daydream about weeks after arriving back in the city.

From the free-standing bathtub positioned perfectly in line with a nifty, built-in TV screen to the outdoor decking with furniture that offers a private view of the river which babbles peacefully in the afternoon sun, this space has everything you could ask for in a weekend retreat.

(Image: Caroline McQuistin, Isle of Skye Media)

A reverence for locality is evident here too, with beautiful hand-crafted mugs and saucers from neighbours Edinbane Pottery as well as Highland toiletries and soaps .

And feeling instantly at home away from home, we easily whittle away a few hours finding joy in doing nothing other than basking in the sheer luxury of it all.

Let’s skip to dinner then, shall we?

(Image: Supplied)

Edinbane is a fine-dining restaurant, and yet a casual and cosy approach to décor does the job of retaining that rustic, hunting lodge feel.

And gosh, do I envy the folk who will be staying here over the festive season, when I imagine the thick stone walls, dark wood and plush furnishing are all the more atmospheric.

The tasting menu here is hyper-seasonal, switched up every four to six weeks to make the most of the produce which is at its best during that window of time.

Accompanying our rundown of tonight’s dishes is a handy little fact sheet of sorts that provides a deeper insight into the ingredients used, detailing exactly how far they have travelled before arriving on our plates. 

Serving them is a small team of staff who are warm, chatty and extremely knowledgeable about each ingredient or wine pairing, spending just the right amount of time talking us through every element of the dishes before returning to the kitchen or stopping to pick up cocktails from a small bar that's filled with local whiskies and spirits.

BBQ Drumfearn Mussels with asparagus, almonds and purslaneBBQ Drumfearn Mussels with asparagus, almonds and purslane (Image: Lynne Kennedy)

There was never any doubt that Montgomery could cook, but having the chance to sample his dishes in the intimate setting of Edinbane is an amazing, almost theatrical experience.

It begins with two bowls of colourful crackers of dehydrated scallop roe or seaweed and chanterelle, a warm-up which cleverly cuts down kitchen waste, but also offers an incredible depth of salty, umami flavour.

What follows is a skilful showcase of all the riches that the Isle of Skye’s larder has to offer from cured Uig halibut to topped with caviar and wild, Red Deer venison tartare served in bite-sized pastry shells, to rope-grown mussels in a small pot of BBQ smoked goodness.

(Image: Lynne Kennedy)

We know it’s not wise to push our appetites to the limits by finishing a trio of freshly baked breads that appear midway through, but do so anyway, tearing at warm dough until there is little more than crumbs left while we wait for the next plate.

And while you might assume nothing could distract from our own seats for the show, as ever in a restaurant of this calibre, the experience is enhanced all the more by snippets of conversation overheard from our fellow diners.

On this occasion it’s an American family, who appear to be celebrating a birthday, that is keeping us enthralled.

They’re a few courses ahead of us, so the evening becomes a fun game of hearing their squeals of delight just before we’re served the exact same dish.

(Image: Lynne Kennedy)

All four are very taken with the most robust course of the evening, rich hogget meat served with a vibrant green streak of asparagus and spinach, preserved truffle and a crisp hash brown.

In a surprise to no one, minutes later so are we.

By the time we've reached dessert, it’s difficult to refrain from creeping over to their table to ask if we can have a sneak peek at the intriguing ‘Edinbane Woodruff with Birch Sap Syrup’ course before our own arrives.

It’s worth the wait when we’re introduced to beautifully balanced sweet where the subtle bitterness of a small green plant grown by the river is offset by Scotland’s answer to maple syrup.

After reaching the end of this culinary odyssey, over three hours since our meal began, it’s just a short walk back to the suite before sinking into that superking-sized bed with thick, feather-stuffed pillows leads to a sleep so deep, it’s a wonder any alarm clock could disrupt it the next morning.

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Thankfully we do avoid snoozing past check-in, and despite having lunch booked just down the road at the brilliant Café Cùil in Satran, there’s no resisting the temptation of one last taste of luxury at Edinbane Lodge.

Their breakfast offering is simple, once again proudly hammering home a commitment to locally sourced goodness instead of overwhelming with choice.

It’s fresh fruit salad and organic, Rora Dairy yoghurt followed by hot smoked Glendale trout with fluffy scrambled eggs and sourdough toast.

(Image: Lynne Kennedy)

On the way out the door, Montgomery himself pops his head into reception, a room which displays an impressive selection of awards including those coved AA Rosette plates, to bid us farewell.

Having just rewatched his latest appearance on the Great British Menu one member of the party is clearly a little star struck, but soon composes herself once we’re offered a tour of the plot outside the building which will soon be home to vast polytunnels, ideal for housing even more fruit and veg plants in the summer season.

For someone so confident and determined under pressure on the small screen, it’s interesting to note that the chef seems far more relaxed on his home turf as he talks through these grand plans.

And if it hadn’t been made so painfully obvious by each tiny detail or flourish that pays tribute to their historic location, hearing him speak of the blood, sweat and tears his family has dedicated to restoring this beauty of place once again proves that they were exactly the right ones to take on the job.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more magical stay in all of Scotland, and it’s been a privilege to be one of the first to do so in their newly refurbished suites.

For more information on Edinbane Lodge, visit their website here.