Birch Studio Rafford

Birch Studio is a lodge near Rafford, between Forres and Elgin. It's one of six similar places on a small working farm. You share the site with the other studios, but you get your own lodge.

It's a compact, open-plan space. There's a kitchenette area and a sitting area with big windows looking out over a paddock. The bedroom is separate and has a king-size bed, or they can split it into two singles if you ask beforehand. There's one bathroom with a walk-in shower.

Outside, there's a veranda you share with the studio next door. It leads straight onto the paddock, so you can just walk out into the field. It's very quiet here.

The place is rated 3 Star. It's clean, warm, and well put together with local materials. Everything you need is included: bedding, towels, wifi, parking. One well-behaved dog is welcome.

You're a couple of miles from a shop and a pub. Forres is close by for more options. The coast at the Moray Firth is about seven or eight miles away for beaches. You're well placed for walking, like the Dava Way, or for fishing on the local rivers.

It's a good spot for seeing this part of the country. Elgin is a short drive. Inverness is under an hour south, and Aberdeen is about the same east. You can get to the Cairngorms, Speyside, or plenty of castles within thirty minutes to an hour.

If you're planning trips, these sites are useful: Cairngorms National Park, National Trust for Scotland Archaeology, and Visit Moray Speyside.