I could hardly imagine that the nature could be so poetic and surreal as it gets in the north of Scotland in the Highlands. The intense and bright greens of moss, pines and giant fern is contrasted to carpets of purple heather and occasional roaring springs. Not to forget abundant bushes of blueberries and raspberries that we saw just anywhere we went in the forest. Days are fresh with occasional drizzle and the sky is covered with dramatic heavy clouds. In the center of this wonderland there is a place called Killiehuntly farmhouse & cottage. A beautiful farmhouse which has been perfectly restored and tastefully decorated to accommodate only a couple of guests at the time.

The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy. It is your home away from home. The owners have combined old farm house style with modern nordic design with refined sense for details from selection of the carpets to selection of books in the library, from selection of whiskey in the main salon to coffee machine in the kitchen. This is the place where even the most demanding guest will return home in good mood.

Rooms are simple and comfortable with the best of kind bed linens, old fashioned bathrooms with wooden paneling.

This is the place where you want to stay and enjoy every moment. It makes you feel good and isolated at the same time.

And then there is a forest and the farm around the house which are absolutely stunning. We had a chance to see a blacksmith on our morning walk to the forest. It was a real hipster moment like no other we saw anywhere before.

The walk up or down the hill around the farm is simply breathtaking with its misty forests, ponds, lakes and springs.    

Meanwhile in the house Duncan and Nicky will prepare you a breakfast, lunch basket, afternoon tea or dinner… Their recipes are simple and delicious with the nordic twist. All the ingredients are form the garden or locally sourced. But it is not even all about the food but rather about the atmosphere in the house… about the smell of bread and cakes that Duncan is baking every morning, the jazz you hear playing in the dining hall, a glass of wine in the greenhouse, reading a book next to the fireplace, or about a bouquet of delphinium in the vase in the entrance hall….Finally, if you plan to spend more than a couple of days at the Killiehunly, one should definitely make a ride from Kingussie and Aviemore towards Balmoral Castle. Not to see the Queen’summer residence but rather to admire these empty, harsh and incredibly beautiful landscape of the Cairngorms National Park with its castles, ruins, cemeteries and sheep, of course! If this is not enough, take a ride to Saint Andrews or spend a few hours in the magnificent gardens of the Cawdor Castle near Inverness before taking the flight back to reality.