The Knock

The Knock comes fully set up for a week away. A detached stone house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, it sleeps eight and stands on the Mar Estate at Inverey, deep in Aberdeenshire's Cairngorms. The kitchen has everything needed for proper cooking—microwave, dishwasher, freezer—while a utility room with washing machine and tumble dryer means you can manage laundry. A woodburner in the living room warms the place on colder days. Wifi and on-site parking are provided, along with bed linen and towels. One well-behaved pet is welcome.

The location opens onto serious mountain country. Hill walking and climbing start from the door; in winter, Glenshee ski centre is twenty minutes away. A chairlift there offers views without the ascent. The River Dee allows fishing with advance notice through the estate, and red and roe deer stalking can be arranged. Braemar village, four miles off, hosts the annual Highland Gathering and has an eighteen-hole golf course. Dunnottar Castle and Balmoral are within reach for a day out, as is the Cairngorm Whisky Centre near Tomintoul. This is serious walking and outdoor country—expect to see golden eagles, ospreys and capercaillie if you're patient and quiet. The nearest shop and pub are four miles away.