Dalgrassick

Dalgrassick is a renovated cottage on Glenkindie Estate, a working Donside estate on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park where woodland and wildlife habitats are gradually being restored. It sleeps four across two double bedrooms, one downstairs and one up, each with plush bedding and soft lighting, which makes it a natural fit for a couple, two couples, or a small family.

The living room carries most of the character: a wood-burning stove with the first basket of fuel included, a deep sofa to sink into, a rocking chair and a record player. The kitchen and dining area comes fully equipped with an electric oven and hob, dishwasher, coffee machine and fridge freezer, and the bathroom has both a bath and a separate walk-in shower with traditional fixtures, plus botanical toiletries provided. A utility room with a Belfast sink and a Miele washer-dryer deals with wet boots, outdoor gear and muddy dogs, and there's a bike store outside along with a purpose-built kennel, so the whole household is catered for.

The large private garden suits morning coffees and long evening light, and walking trails lead straight from the door through the estate, where guests are free to roam and salmon and trout fishing can be arranged on Glenkindie's own stretch of the River Don. Its neighbours on the estate, Chapelton, Home Farm, Greenstyle and Tornahatnach, sleep between five and six apiece, so a bigger party can spread across two or three cottages and still meet for dinner.