Botanical grand tour - Big Sky Lodges, Muir of Ord
I spent the week at the beautiful Red Kite Lodge — the very first of what is now six stunning Scandinavian log cabins nestled on the edge of peaceful woodland. It marked the start of my 2025 Botanical Grand Tour, and I couldn’t have asked for a more magical beginning than a stay in the Muir of Ord.
Back in 2001, Ailsa’s dad, Angus, had the vision to build a self-catering holiday lodge inspired by traditional Scandinavian design. He imported the first cabin all the way from Lapland and, with the help of a few friends and his children, Ailsa and Dan, painstakingly brought it to life by hand. That first lodge — Red Kite — proved such a hit with Highland visitors that the family went on to build five more, and from that, Big Sky Lodges was born.
Pinto and I arrived in the late afternoon after a beautiful drive up the A9. I kept catching glimpses of the cycle path that snakes alongside the road, already plotting a long bike ride with Dave sometime soon. I cycled Land’s End to John o’Groats back in my twenties and absolutely loved it — the Scottish scenery was by far my favourite part of the journey. It would be so fun to return and attempt this route again, especially as we travelled up through Glencoe and Altnaharra, missing this particular stretch of the country.
I pulled up outside the beautiful Red Kite Lodge and headed in to make a quick cup of tea and check out our home for the week. The cabins are stunning — I felt as if I’d been transported to an Alpine chalet. The wooden interiors are so cosy and inviting. Styled beautifully by Ailsa, the cabins are filled with local artworks, handmade textiles, books, board games, and big, fluffy blankets — it truly felt like a home away from home.
After finishing my cuppa (made with lovely Black Isle milk, included with the stay), Pinto and I headed straight into the peaceful Spittal Woods to gather some foliage and specimens for my Big Sky intaglios. While there wasn’t much in bloom at the moment, I love the challenge of a botanical hunt. I got happily lost in the criss-cross paths meandering through the woodland, gathering ferns, lichen, and firs.
We returned to the cabin to warm up by the log-fired wood burner and spent a quiet evening reading and relaxing in our cosy new retreat. I woke up early the next morning and was greeted by the most spectacular sunrise. I took my coffee out to the croft woodland behind the cabin, where I made friends with the neighbour’s pony and spent a glorious half hour listening to birdsong, petting the horses, and easing into the day.
I packed up a temporary studio in my backpack and headed into the heart of the woods, where I rolled out clay and took the first impressions for my intaglio collection. Once I had a few miniatures made, I returned to the cabin to cast a larger gorse piece. The wind had picked up, making outdoor casting tricky, so Ailsa kindly let me use her storeroom to pour the plaster — safely out of the wind!
Ailsa was keen to try her hand at casting, so we spent a few wonderful hours chatting, drinking tea, and making some miniatures. I learnt how the cabins came to life — the inspiring story of how Ailsa’s dad imported a flat-pack cabin from Lapland and painstakingly built it by hand over 20 years ago, with the help of Ailsa and her brother Dan. The lodge was such a success with Highland visitors that they went on to build five more, and Big Sky was born. Ailsa and her husband took over the business 15 years ago and have since added two more offerings: The Loft and The Hideaway. It’s a true family business, built with love, hard work, and no doubt a few stresses along the way. Each property is uniquely decorated, with its own character brought to life by Ailsa’s creative flair.
I’m obsessed with dolphins, so when I heard there was a special viewpoint in nearby Chanonry, Pinto and I jumped in the car and headed to the coast. The winds were wild, and it would have taken a brave pod of dolphins to face the crashing waves — but we enjoyed a bracing walk before returning to Big Sky for a long soak in the bath, filled with the lovely Laura Thomas bath salts provided.
The next day, I returned to the woods to find more fresh botanicals and revealed some of the pieces I’d made the day before. I especially wanted to capture the magical gorse, just beginning to flower and scent the woods — a sure sign of spring. After a blustery morning of making, I visited Loch Achilty. It was completely sheltered and stunning. I had a quick dip followed by a quiet flask of tea, then made a stop at the Black Isle Berries farm shop — chock-full of delicious local and artisan provisions. The sticky ginger cake was a total winner, and I left with a few loaves to gift my fellow ginger-loving friends.
My lovely friend Nancy, who lives locally, popped in for a cup of tea that afternoon. It really did feel like home — sitting together, sipping tea, and chatting in the cosy woodland cabin. I took my last coffee out to the balcony of the main bedroom and watched the red kites swoop overhead and a cheeky red squirrel dart through the trees. I felt so grateful for such a peaceful and inspiring stay.
This was the first collaborative stay of 2025 and the tenth place I’ve had the privilege of experiencing as part of my Grand Tour of the UK. The idea for this project was inspired by my love of Grand Tour intaglio collections and the practice of young aristocratic men collecting small plaster intaglios on their travels through Europe in the 18th century. These pieces were often mounted in books or cases and displayed as souvenirs of their adventures, showcasing the artworks and decorative objects they encountered along the way.
I’ve decided to embark on my own version of the Grand Tour, focusing on the UK. But rather than following in the footsteps of these aristocratic men, I’m taking a more personal approach, with a focus on female ownership of this tradition. My goal is to capture the flora and fauna of Britain through the art of flower casting, creating a visual record of the seasonal life of the landscapes I visit.
Join the Grand Tour
You can follow my other cabin adventures here on the blog, and if you own a cabin (or know someone who does) and would like to be part of my Grand Tour, I’d love to hear from you. I’ll even make a free artwork for your cabin as part of the exchange!
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