Binsness - stunning Scottish manor and grounds.

With a breathtaking estuary location - lapped by sea to one side, with a river at the bottom of the garden and forest all around - Binsness is so utterly beautiful you will never want to leave. Dating from the 17th Century, with its family antiques, paintings, four-poster and unique character Binsness has been stunningly renovated to the highest specifications: open fires, modernised kitchen and wide-screen tv indoors; and wide variety of activities outdoors, make a holiday to remember for ever. The space Binsness consists of the most remote, memorable and extensive estate imaginable: almost an island, it stands alone on the Findhorn Bay - with its renowned micro-climate and third-highest sunshine count in the British Isles - surrounded on two sides by water and sheltered by 5,000 acres of the Culbin Forest. Perfect family get-away (please read down to all the wonderful activities on offer and catering options), with the superb budget air and rail links Binsness is surprisingly accessible. Leave your office at the end of a stressful Friday and be on this romantic, remote and unspoilt private estate in time for dinner! This fabulous house has a long and fascinating history. Its current owner has known and loved the house all his life: his grandfather - doctor, close friend and confidant of the future King George VI - spotted its elegant avenue of Irish yews leading up the garden when on a boat trip, fell in love with it and vowed to make it his... a dream which took him many years to fulfil. It was recently refurbished and modernised with huge taste, charm and sensitivity, for instance with a South-West sun roof terrace offering an unforgettable panorama across the garden and bay, as well as a fully modernised kitchen and shower and bathrooms. Binsness is over a mile from the nearest house but only 5 miles from the pretty town of Forres referenced in the first line of Macbeth. From the house there are beach walks stretching all the way to Nairn, sixteen miles away. It is a perfect spot from which to explore Scotland, within easy reach of the Cairngorms, the Speyside whisky trail, the beaches and golf courses of the Moray coast and, of course, the now renowned dolphins who live in the Moray Firth. Guest access Our guests have the run of the house and estate. As sole occupants, you are welcome to use the kitchen, sitting room, drawing room and games room. However the housekeeper Lindsay and estate manager Andy can be on hand for any assistance you may need, or to arrange any of the exciting outdoor activities you may opt for. There is a beach at the bottom of the garden along any stretch of which you can enjoy picnics and barbecues, and extensive private woodlands surrounding the estate rich with wildlife: osprey can be seen from the garden fishing in the estuary; otters, seals, deer, red squirrels, badgers, bats and wild cats have all been spotted from the house. Other things to note There is a wealth of activities suitable for your stays which we can provide or arrange for you, including: boating over to the pretty pubs Findhorn (20 minutes) sea-fishing, for instance for cod and mackerel; wild-fowling across the beaches for instance for duck and geese; golfing at any of a number of superb courses nearby - and many more. Feel free to ask for more details before booking . If you want the pampered option, Lindsay is more than happy to cook and clear up for you, from a fully-catered week to one slap-up four course dinner as a special treat. Please enquire about this option before booking, to ensure Lindsay's availability and for prices and menus. There is limited Wifi at the house but because the location is so remote it is impossible to make it reliable, so we don't list it as a facility to avoid disappointment. Please ask for more details before booking: much as we would love to, we cannot guarantee this service. Finally, Binsness House is such an exquisite self-contained world, so far from the madding crowd or indeed anything else to impinge on your stay, that all you will need are suitable clothes to enjoy the breathtaking walks and surroundings, a good book (although there are plenty here) and a mind ready to relax...