Gardeners Cottage Huntly

Gardeners Cottage is my place, just outside Huntly. It's detached, set in the owner's big woodland grounds. You'll be on your own, but the main house is up the track if you need anything.

It sleeps six. Three bedrooms upstairs: two doubles and a twin. There are two bathrooms, one upstairs and a shower room on the ground floor. It's got a 5 Star rating. It's clean and well looked after, with things like toiletries and slippers provided.

Downstairs is mostly open plan: kitchen, dining, living area. There's a second, smaller living room too, with a wood burner. It's a good room if some people want to watch TV and others want to read. The kitchen has a dishwasher and washing machine. Outside, there's a hot tub on the patio, which is enclosed. There's also an EV charger.

You can bring dogs, up to two. There's a big kennel outside with an indoor bit and an outdoor run. The grounds are about 25 acres of woodland and fields. We get pine martens, red squirrels, and buzzards around.

Huntly is about a mile away. It's a small town with shops, a Co-op, and a couple of pubs. The castle is right in the middle. You're about 20 minutes from the coast at places like Portsoy or Sandend. The Cairngorms National Park is about a 40 minute drive west if you want proper mountains.

For local walks, the Clashindarroch Forest is nearby. You're also on the edge of the Malt Whisky Trail. Dufftown and Keith are a short drive away with more distilleries.

For planning days out, the Visit Aberdeenshire site is useful.