Endless summer days make Scotland best for summer

Traditionally getting to Scotland involves a drive – and often quite a long one – albeit a pretty memorable road trip. But as flights and car hire drop in price air travel is increasingly an affordable and easy option.

Inverness Airport is expanding fast. It’s modern, well-organised and easy and takes flights from many different destinations in England, Ireland and continental Europe. This opens up much of the far north of Scotland, a region more often visited by adventurous Europeans than by the neighbouring English.

There was a recent initiative to make the region more tourist-friendly by renaming the airport ‘Inverness Loch Ness Airport’ but this was soundly trounced by 88% of Scots consulted. They have the number of tourists they like up there thank you very much, and don’t need to resort to gimmicks.

There is one outstanding Wolsey Lodge within easy reach of Inverness. Blervie House in Moray is just 40 minutes east of Inverness Airport, overlooking the Moray Firth. Confounding stereotypes, this is the third-sunniest region in the UK, with more than a touch of Gulf Stream warmth. Summer is the time to explore the coast, where you’ll find miles of sandy beaches, deserted apart from a few resident seals, and countless small inlets and fishing harbours. Inland there are whisky distilleries, golf courses and National Parks to explore. Blervie House itself is set in an estate of 272 acres, of which 45 are gardens, so with so many riding trails and countryside just outside your door it’s tempting, once here, to stay in and make the most of your stately-home surroundings.

Buoyed by many years as a hub for the North Sea’s oil industry, Aberdeen Airport has a well-established network of domestic and international flights. This is the airport to choose for Lys-Na-Greyne, a 45-minute drive inland near the Royal Deeside village of Aboyne. This is castle country, with Dunnotttar, Braemar and Balmoral amongst the highlights, with the National Trust operating Crathes, Drum and more. They’re all conveniently strung along a ‘Castle Trail’, but once you’re sightseen out the lodge can offer fishing on the River Dee while the Cairngorm National Park is at your door.

Edinburgh and Glasgow airports have long been well served by flights both European and intercontinental, and these are the airports to choose for the other Scottish Wolsey Lodges. Take your pick of either for a stay at Cardross: both are 59 minutes away by car. Cardross is a magnificent mansion whose military origins are revealed in its commanding position: it has fantastic views over the River Forth and the countryside in every direction. Now it’s very much a superbly comfortable stately home, beautifully decorated and wonderfully welcoming. There are great castles at Stirling and Doune, Scotland’s two major cities are not far away and both east and west coasts are within easy reach.

Greenhead Farm is near Glenrothes in Fife, 40 minutes north across the Forth from Edinburgh. Set at the heart of a large working farm this is a luxurious experience, and a great base from which to explore Stirling, Perth and Edinburgh itself. Though with so many board games in the living room and croquet in the gardens you may find yourself spending more time in the lodge than out on expeditions.

Fly to Edinburgh for Greenhead Farm