The White House – Huntly

Set in the village of Aberchirder, locally known as Foggieloan, this beautifully-styled period house sleeps 13 guests across eight bedrooms. It’s close to the borders of Aberdeenshire, Moray, and Banff, with the River Deveron running by the property’s garden, so there’s plenty of opportunities to fish for a good catch or to paint this enchanting landscape. The surrounding countryside and coast boast pretty beaches, fine distilleries and mighty fortresses. It’s the ideal place to catch up with friends and extended family in a relaxed family-friendly setting while exploring this magnificent corner of Alba.

Head up the long beech-tree-lined driveway where a warm ambience awaits you at this elegant home. Step inside the property to find refreshingly bright and airy, elegant interiors where tasteful traditional style blends perfectly with contemporary touches. There’s magnificent period furniture, an abundance of wall art and authentic antiques adding charm and character throughout the property. The bedrooms have fabulous garden and river views and there are many activities to enjoy in the surrounding countryside – head north to enjoy the pretty Scottish fishing villages and beaches or west for the whisky distilleries and castles of Speyside.

The cook in your party will love the traditional Aga set in a contemporary-style kitchen which has a breakfast area and is well-equipped for family feasts; there’s a separate dining room for more formal meals. Relax and watch films together in the living room where there’s an open fire and doors leading out to the garden; or curl up with a good book in the quiet drawing room where there’s a library and a warming open fire to keep toes toasty. You’ll also find a convenient cloakroom, a utility room, and a fishing rod storage room on the ground floor.

When night falls, head upstairs where you’ll find all eight bedrooms. There’s a king-size bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, two double bedrooms (can be adapted to twin beds), two twin bedrooms and three single bedrooms. There are also four family bathrooms on this floor.

Outside, there’s a large private garden leading back towards the steep riverbank where there’s salmon fishing along a 1-mile beat, available for early bookings. Sit outside on sunny afternoons and enjoy the sight of red squirrels and birdlife in the garden, or enjoy a game of croquet, swingball or table tennis.

• 8 bedrooms – 2 King size, 3 twins (can be made up into doubles on request) and 3 singles
• 5 bathrooms – 1 en-suite bathroom and 4 family bathrooms
• Electric hob, electric oven, Aga, microwave, 2 fridge/freezers, 2x dishwasher and washing machine
• Cot and highchair
• 2 dogs welcome - restricted to ground floor
• Open fire – logs included
• Smart TV and DVD player
• Wi-Fi included
• Private garden
• Oil fired heating
• Ample off road parking
• Fishing can be arranged directly with the owner by prior arrangement
• Shop and pub 8 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 £60. We’ll provide more details about this when booking your holiday.

This is a spectacular region of Scotland where there's something to interest everyone. You're in the heart of castle country here, so history lovers should explore Aberdeenshire's popular Castle Trail, featuring 19 of the finest abodes including: early Georgian mansion Duff House (9.5 miles), 11th-century Delgatie Castle, and Fyvie Castle with its fine antiques (15 miles).

Golfer guests will be happy to find several courses nearby; tee off at Turriff (9 miles), Royal Tarlair (11 miles), and Huntly (12 miles). Afterwards, your entourage may want to refresh with a wee dram, so book a tour at one of the region's distilleries and learn everything you wanted to know about the production of fine malts: try Knockdhu distillery in Knock (6.5 miles), GlenDronach Distillery in Forgue (7.5 miles), or Strathisla Distillery in Keith (15 miles).

And don't miss the charming wee town of Portsoy on the Moray Firth (10 miles); it's small but mighty. See the old 17th-century harbour, buy marble jewellery – the local marble features in Versailles and other world palaces for its rare beauty – and join in the fun of the annual boat festival which celebrates boat building and marine crafts, music and art.

For more artisan shopping afternoons, head to Eden Watermill (13 miles), a charming old mill with a tearoom serving light bites and homemade treats, a studio workshop with seasonal events, and a shop with tweed and tartan gifts created at the mill.