Escape Glen Dye

Come for an exhilarating woodland stay designed to refresh and reinvigorate adventurers young and old

- Catherine Coyle

The tagline for Glen Dye is ‘Home of the Brave’. You’ll see it (discreetly) all over the 30,000-acre estate to the south of Banchory, where Charlie and Caroline Gladstone (descendants of Victorian prime minister William Gladstone) have created the kind of retreat that meshes an old-school spirit of adventure with luxurious interiors so laidback you might not even notice the thread-count of your sheets or the original art on the walls.

I mention their motto for two reasons; firstly, because at North Lodge – one of the three self-catering properties they’ve renovated – they have managed to create just that: a home. From the hamper of treats awaiting you on arrival (marshmallows for toasting, croissants for baking and whisky for warming you up) to the deep, velvety furniture draped in slouchy blankets that beckon you to cosy up, North Lodge feels special and familiar all at once.