Balnain Farmhouse

Set near Easter Ross, this fine sandstone farmhouse with its own garden is ideal for larger groups who want to enjoy time together in a beautiful and convenient setting. Sleeping 12 guests across five bedrooms, it’s perfectly placed on a 4,000-acre country estate amongst some of the most spectacular Highlands scenery. The estate has a fascinating clan heritage and offers a range of traditional country sports and outdoor activities for guests to enjoy, yet you’re a mere 12 miles from the small city of Inverness, perfect for groups who can find their way here by train, plane or car. In the surrounding region, discover the market town of Dingwall (3.5 miles), the Victorian spa village of Strathpeffer (8.5 miles), and the character villages, brewery (8 miles), and seasonal fruit farm of the Black Isle.

Inside, you’ll find bright and airy rooms decorated in a calming country style for a welcoming, homely feel.

Inside, you’ll find a handy utility area to kick off muddy boots and rain macs, before you venture in towards the living room. Warm yourself in from of the open fire (first basket of peat included) and make use of the TV, DVD player, and the spacious seating area; this is the perfect place for your gang to curl up on squishy sofas and gather after a busy day out. The spacious kitchen has everything a cook needs for family mealtimes, including an electric range-style cooker, a fridge and chest freezer. There’s a hatch through to the dining room, where there’s a long table, perfect for entertaining. There’s also a handy downstairs family bedroom with twin beds and a set of bunk beds, plus a shower room.

Find the remaining bedrooms upstairs - a cosy double bedroom, two twin bedrooms, and a spacious family room (with two double beds). There’s also two ensuites and one family bathroom on this floor.

Outside, there’s a private hedged garden, ideal for children and four-legged friends (two dogs are welcome to enjoy this wonderful holiday home). Grown-ups can relax, recharge, and enjoy the views from the comfort of the garden seating and relax to the sound of birdsong. Parking is available for guests in the driveway.

• 5 bedrooms - 3 twins, 1 double and 1 family room with double and bunk beds
• 4 bathrooms - 1 downstairs ensuite shower room with WC and separate WC, one family bathroom with shower over bath and 2 ensuite bathrooms upstairs: one with shower over bath and one with shower
• Electric range cooker, chest freezer, dishwasher, fridge, microwave
• Utility room with washing machine
• Travel cot and highchair available upon request
• Open fire with starter pack of peat included
• TV, DVD player
• Wi-Fi included
• Private and enclosed garden with garden furniture
• Driveway parking
• Telephone with honesty box
• Shop and pub within 4 miles
• Arrival: 16:00 onwards
• Departure: before 10:00, unless otherwise stated in your arrival details
• 2 dogs allowed. Dogs are charged at £20 each per full or part week
• There is an Accidental Damage Deposit of £500 when booking at this property, however this may be waived for £55. We’ll provide more details about this when booking your holiday.

It's a short drive to the local village shop where you'll also find a choice of pubs with food (2 miles). The River Conon meanders through this area of the Highlands providing the perfect setting for abundant wildlife and outdoor pursuits. Look out for roe deer, osprey, badgers, and pine martens on the estate - there's even a red kite bird-feeding station.

Explore the estate's romantic gardens, lochs and ponds; and venture along its river banks, woodland footpaths and cycle tracks. River and loch fishing is also available (fees apply), and further activities can be arranged with the helpful owners including clay pigeon shooting, canoeing, abseiling, archery and photography with expert rangers. There's also a nine-hole golf course on the estate so you can easily challenge fellow guests to a few rounds.

Further afield, outdoor adventures also include cycling, pony-trekking and trailriding with experts at Aigas Field Centre (6 miles), while, imaginative bairns will love the legendary tales of elusive Nessie at the Loch Ness exhibition centre (19 miles).

Shoppers and history buffs will also enjoy the proximity to the small city of Inverness (12 miles), the capital of the Highlands, with an ancient cathedral, castle, and nearby battle site where the final Jacobite rising occurred (19 miles). For a bird's-eye view of the city, head to Inverness Castle where you can enjoy panoramic vistas at The Castle Viewpoint, a new visitor attraction with an audio-visual experience and the opportunity to climb 94 steps towards the view in the North Tower.