The Coach House

You enter The Coach House into a generous living space with an open fire and 55-inch television, with the dining room leading through to a kitchen equipped for real cooking – two electric ovens, a hob, dishwasher and all the basics mean you can prepare proper meals rather than make do. The ground floor also has a separate toilet, useful when the house is full.

Upstairs are four bedrooms spread across the first floor: a kingsize with an ensuite shower, a second kingsize, and two singles (one with a pull-out single bed beneath for a seventh guest). A family bathroom with bath and shower serves the other bedrooms. Oil central heating keeps the house warm, and wi-fi, bed linen and towels are all provided. One well-behaved pet stays free.

The property sits on a 400-acre working farm two miles from Alford, surrounded by countryside with the River Don nearby and views towards Bennachie and Coreen hills. There is a large garden with lawned and gravelled areas, sitting-out furniture, and private parking for four cars. Fishing can be arranged by arrangement with the owner. Note that the garden has a sloping bank leading to an unfenced burn. The area offers castles including Craigievar and Castle Fraser, footpaths through the surrounding hills, and museums in Alford itself.