Weekend away
FEEL THE NEED FOR SOME FRESH AIR? A GLORIOUS ESTATE IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS BRINGS THE BIG COUNTRY TO YOUR DOORSTEP
For most of us, a trip to Scotland means taking a few days off and why not when you can leave all thoughts of real life behind and find yourself in a world of glens, burns, heather and pine forests? Glen Dye in Aberdeenshire has them all in abundance, along with creature comforts in its four cottages and cabins. If you live in southern England, the Highlander Caledonian Sleeper to Aberdeen, or the Lowlander to Edinburgh, make the journey part of the trip (there’s something special about travelling through the night, and the new mattresses on board are super comfy) and then it’s a glorious drive to the Grampians either way. From Aberdeen it’s only 45 minutes to Glen Dye, whereas the route from Edinburgh will take you via Scone Palace and the snowy peaks at Glenshee and Royal Deeside, which are well worth the longer detour.
Where we stayed
Glen Dye estate has been in the Gladstone family since 1845 and was passed down to Charlie Gladstone who runs The Good Life Experience in Flintshire. The spirit of the festival lives on with exuberant touches here and there in the architectclever conversions of 19th-century farm buildings (steadings) into two cottages. Inside is modern and Scandi-style comfortable – a wood burner offers a warm welcome home after a day in the hills, where the big landscape and rushing rivers urge you to push yourself to walk, run, bike or, for the foolhardy, swim in the ice-cold River Dye. As well as the cottages, they’ve wheeled a 1955 Airstream alongside the restored sawmill, and there’s a lodge with its own cabin, too. And, for the wild at heart, this year there are Camp Glen Dye learning weekends on offer.
What we ate
A welcome sack of groceries on the table included bread, wine, butter, milk, good jam – and that firepit essential of marshmallows. It’s practically compulsory in the Highlands to stock up on smoked salmon and venison – we bought ours and other deli goodies at the excellent Finzean Farm Shop on the neighbouring estate. Our wild red deer steaks were tender and delicious and came from the farmers market in Banchory eight miles up the road. There’s also a butcher here and a well-stocked outdoor shop. The eaterie everyone is talking about is the Hauser & Wirth takeover of the Fife Arms in Braemar in Royal Deeside. It’s not far from Balmoral, which is open to the public from 1 April to 2 August.
What we did
We explored the estate – there are more than 30,000 acres of it. The glen is a majestic expanse – heathercovered peaks become greener pastures alongside the raw and powerful River Dye, which pounds its way down from the mountains. Scotland’s right to roam gives you free rein to wander through the woods and hillsides. The Falls of Feugh are impressive and if you’re there at the right time there’s a chance of seeing the seemingly impossible feat of salmon leaping over rocks to spawn on the gravel beds upstream. And you can’t spend time in Scotland without visiting a castle (it’s like the law or something): choose from Crathes Castle near Banchory or, on the coast 30 minutes away, Dunnottar, a medieval ruin on a rocky outcrop.
We also liked
Our wood-fired hot tub in the forest. Lights strung above a path into the woods reveal a clearing where it awaits. And so will you, as it takes a few hours to heat up. But there are games and books to amuse you back in your cottage or cabin, and a record player with a selection of vinyl is a nice touch. Lying back in the warm water amid the golden larches against a black winter sky, the smell of woodsmoke, a beaker of red wine. Life gets no better.
The best bit
The views. Wherever you are in
Glen Dye, the granite-tor-topped Clachnaben overlooks the estate. Legend has it that the chunk missing from the adjacent ridge is known as The Devil’s Bite because he bit a large piece out, didn’t like the taste of the granite and spat it out on the summit. At the top of the steep hill from the Bridge of Dye is the Cairn o’ Mount pass where, on a clear, crisp winter’s day, we had 360-degree vistas: to the north we could see the Moray Firth; to the east, across the rich farmlands of Aberdeenshire, was the North Sea; to the west stood the snow-topped Cairngorms, the UK’s highest collection of peaks; and to the south lay the lowlands. The view was like watching a map come alive in front of you – the sense of place is palpable and it’s like nowhere else in Britain.
Caledonian Sleeper cabins cost from £170 each way for two people sharing. Double cabins are also available and you can bring your dog for an extra fee (sleeper. scot). The Steadings at Glen Dye each sleep seven and cost £945 for three-night weekends ( four nights midweek). The Sawmill Airstream sleeps up to four and costs £675. glendyecabinsandcottages.com