Long a social anchor within this remote setting, the original inn occupies a prominent position between the loch shore and the village’s main thoroughfare. The proposals seek to restore the building’s inherent character, preserving its role as a pub while improving an intimate restaurant. A considered extension, informed by local vernacular traditions, expands its capacity without compromising its integrity. Tapering eaves subtly guide diners’ gaze toward expansive south-west views across Loch Ness, embedding the experience of the landscape within the architecture itself.

A short distance along the shoreline, a bakery pavilion will offer shelter and sustenance to walkers returning from bracing journeys along the beach. The new ‘L’-shaped structure gently embraces the loch-side, incorporating built-in seating, public amenities, cycle storage, and a bakery beneath a generous, protective roof overhang. Clad in blackened larch and modest in scale, the single-storey form is deliberately recessive, partially veiled by trees and planting to minimise its visual presence.

Together, the buildings are unified by an understated architectural language that privileges natural materials, local craftsmanship, and a deeply social sensibility. The wider scheme is completed by a range of community-focused additions, including the relocation of a playground, improved parking, new footpaths, a jetty, back-of-house facilities, and a sports pitch; collectively enriching the civic life of Dores while remaining in quiet dialogue with its remarkable setting.