Gardener’s Bothy

Gardener's Bothy suits couples wanting to escape into genuine countryside. This single-bedroom cottage sits on the Balnaboth Estate in Glenprosen, one of Angus's remote glens on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. You get the whole place to yourself, with parking on site and a wood-burning stove to warm the open-plan living space on cooler evenings.

The 6,000-acre estate offers serious walking and cycling through beech woods, moorland and alongside mountain streams. The River Prosen has fishing rights across five miles, while Glen Shee's downhill skiing lies 25 miles away. Red squirrels, otters and deer are everyday sightings here. The setting is genuinely secluded, yet market towns and the Angus coast are minutes by car, and Dundee—with its Contemporary Arts centre and full-time observatory—is close enough for a day out.

One well-behaved pet can come with you. No smoking indoors. The cottage works best as a peaceful retreat rather than a holiday packed with activities, though the walking alone keeps most guests occupied.