THIS LIFE David and Alexandra Crichton

The couple who run Perthshire’s Monzie estate take a break from the dozens of jobs they do every day to show us around

- Gillian Welsh

It’s the stuff dreams are made of and where life-long memories are formed. A castle on the edge of the Highlands with four and a half thousand acres of roaming, undulating land sweeping around it, clean crisp air, spring-water burns, wild gorges, native oak, ash and beech trees, all topped with panoramic views, a sharp winter light, tear-inducing sunsets and seclusion.

This is what David and Alexandra Crichton have on their doorstep, albeit not from the 17th-century Monzie Castle in which David’s mum lives, but from a farmhouse on the hill where the couple have set up home and where they soak up this magnificent landscape. “It’s the best view in Perthshire,” beams Alexandra.

It’s also where they’ve based their business. Alexandra manages Monzie Visitors, looking after four converted cottages for holidaymakers and an award-winning B&B, and David runs Monzie Joinery. Until five years ago they were in London, Alexandra for a PR agency specialising in tourism and lifestyle, and David for a private bank as an economist and investment strategist. “I really enjoyed it, but I always knew there would come a time when I went back home,” he says.

David’s family has been at Monzie since the 1850s, but their origins stretch back many centuries. He might be chief of Clan Crichton, but he runs the estate in a very hands-on way, day in day out. He and Alexandra graft around the clock to ensure it remains sustainable, welcoming and special for those who want a heart-filling experience in this beautiful part of Perthshire.