Sykes Holiday Cottages

Dawn Balharry: Business Development Manager – Scotland.  

Brought up on the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve in northwest Scotland, Dawn spent her childhood among a menagerie of tamed wild animals, including a golden eagle, Highland ponies, red deer, otters, pine martens and a three-legged fox. The daughter of the well-known naturalistDick Balharry, she has a deep affinity with the outstanding landscape and wildlife of the Highlands and has also lived in the Cairngorms, Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, Fife and, for the past 30 years, on the Black Isle. Her home above the Cromarty Firth is an inspiring demonstration of her creativity and skills in gardening, interior decoration, cooking and handcrafts. With leisure pursuits ranging from hill walking and wild swimming to music and travel, Dawn has deep-rooted environmental and cultural interests and is passionate about what Scotland has to offer.

In her role as a Highland Ambassador, she is dedicated to establishing partnerships and promoting the Scottish Highlands. She has a strong background in the tourism industry, hospitality, catering, building conservation, and the high-quality holiday rental market. This expertise allows her to effectively promote and develop tourism in the Scottish Highlands.

Through her former role as Property Manager for LHH, and now as Business Development Manager for Scotland, Dawn has had 20 years of experience sourcing exceptional properties for holiday lets, from the Borders to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. She is therefore well placed to offer a personalised service to owners, making recommendations tailored to suit a particular property and giving expert advice on rental strategies to optimise income. She has an intuitive feel for the character of a house and knows how to draw out individuality while ensuring that high standards are met.

Dawn’s comprehensive understanding of the holiday letting market, combined with her localised knowledge and grasp of Scotland’s topography and infrastructure, give her a very special perspective on the country she has lived and worked in all her life. Enthusiastic and approachable, she is a trusted advisor for any Scottish property owner seeking success.

Here are a few of Dawn’s favourite things: 

• Sourcing local produce and discovering good places to sample it.  
• Exploring breath-taking landscapes.  
• Enjoying the occasional dram.  
• Knitting complicated patterns. 
• Outdoor swimming in all weathers. 
• Walks with her wonderful husband and two small terriers of pensionable age.   

If you’d like to speak to me about your holiday property in Scotland or any related projects then you can do so on the details below.  

Mob: 07585 558435  Email: dawn.balharry@sykescottages.co.uk