Balmore Farmhouse

Balmore Farmhouse sits just south of Inverness in open countryside, and the setting hits you the moment you pull into the private driveway. This is a proper detached farmhouse, not a park lodge or a converted barn, with thick stone walls, a big garden wrapping around it, and the kind of quiet that only comes from being out in the fields with no immediate neighbours.

Inside, the living room sets the tone. Comfortable leather sofas curve around a wood burner, and on a cold evening with logs crackling away (an initial supply is included), it is genuinely hard to drag yourself off the sofa. A 50-inch Smart TV and Freesat keep things ticking over for quieter nights in. The kitchen and dining room are well kitted out, with an American fridge freezer, dishwasher, coffee machine, and views over the surrounding countryside while you cook. A separate utility room with a washing machine and tumble dryer takes care of the muddy boots and wet jackets that are inevitable when you are this close to the Highlands.

Downstairs, there is a king-size bedroom with its own dressing room and an en-suite shower room, handy if anyone in the group prefers to avoid stairs. Upstairs, three more bedrooms fill the first floor: two king-size doubles and a single, all served by a family bathroom with a bath and shower over. A cot and highchair are available if you are travelling with little ones.

The garden is where Balmore really earns its keep. Fully enclosed at the rear, so younger children and dogs can roam without worry, it has a proper sitting-out area with garden furniture, a barbecue, and a firepit for those long summer evenings when the Highland light refuses to fade. The private hot tub sits out here too, tucked into the garden with open countryside around you and nothing to interrupt the quiet.

There is private parking for four cars, so there is no awkward shuffling if your group arrives separately. Worth knowing: the water comes from a private borehole rather than a mains supply, and there are two steps up to the entrance. Two dogs are welcome.

Location-wise, Balmore is quietly brilliant. Loch Ness is only two miles away, and the drive through the Highlands to the loch is beautiful in any season, even with a dusting of overnight snow; it feels like an adventure. Inverness itself is just a few miles north, with a Tesco five minutes away by car for supplies. The wider area opens up the Northern Highlands: Culloden Battlefield, Fort George, empty beaches along the Moray Coast, and enough hillwalking, kayaking, and mountain biking to fill a fortnight. A beach, bar, and restaurant are all within three miles, with a shop even closer.

A welcome pack of sweet and savoury treats greets you on arrival, and the house comes spotlessly clean and well-equipped. Seasonal touches, like Christmas decorations during the festive period, set the tone from the moment you walk in. Games and puzzles for children are tucked away for rainy afternoons, and local visitor information is on hand to help plan your days out.