ESCAPE RIVER CABIN

An off-grid bolthole with a touch of luxe hotel living

- Mairi Mulhern

Blanketed by heather and dotted with birch trees, the hillside is almost silent. The babble of a nearby river makes the only sound as golden hour falls on the Alpine sweetgrass. A herd of cows grazes quietly nearby as a thrush's song floats on the autumn breeze. This is Straloch, a 3,000-acre family-run estate in Highland Perthshire on the fringes of the Cairngorms National Park. It's a world away from the bright lights and sirens of the city, and a balm to my spirit. For the next two days, my partner and I are staying at River Cabin, a picture-perfect timber dwelling on the banks of the River Fernate in a secluded corner of the estate.

Owners Lucy and Will Holt worked with Casa Architect of Aberfeldy and Dunville Designs of Dunkeld to transform this once-crumbling fishing hut into an off-grid bolthole that boasts all the swagger of a boutique hotel. "We love the Scottish countryside, but we weren't prepared to compromise on creature comforts," says Lucy. "Our goal was to make River Cabin ooze luxury despite its wild location, so there's a fitted kitchen and a cosy double bed with down pillows."