Blairemore Farm, Scotland

Scotland is perfect for bigger families, larger, wilder, cheaper, kind of like the Mongolia of England. Return visit to Blairemore, where we could take some calls and wash some laundry, while the kids followed the farm feeding rounds. Farmer Ailsa and James Clark quit their professional jobs in Edinburgh to invest in this joint business of idyll and to try to provide a lifestyle for a child that never came, something that hits close to my heart. She is a accomplished chef, her home-cooked catered meals (chocolate roulade and fruit pavlova!) made being maid mummy easier this week.

The shortages of Brexit, Covid and inflation have hit Scotland particularly hard. I wasn’t sure if it was a response to trying to encourage pollinator communities but everything seemed overgrown, preoccupied and expensive to fix. The farm is not spreading fertilizer this year because nitrogen prices are too high. The spacious cluster of cottages are well decorated but have no labour for towels change, cleaning or trash collection. Still a wonderful value stay for early morning walks, distilleries and grilling farm-fresh meat for meals. I love how there are stitched green quilts of hedgegrove but in endless horizon- Blairemore Farm, Crieff

Some days are more chilly than others in Scotland!