Elgin self catering Moray Scotland Elgin self catering Moray

Large 19th century sandstone house near Elgin with beautiful views, close to stunning beaches

Fruit trees sporting pretty white and pink blossoms and spring flowers emerging in lovingly tended gardens greet us as we pull into the driveway of the lovely sandstone family home that will be ours for the week. Easter Kintrae sits on a hill and we stop to admire the view before going in to explore the house, taking in long views in all directions, over a plain of chequered fields to deep woods and high hills in the distance. 'Kintrae' means 'edge of the tide' – these plains were once a sea loch – so we are close to Moray's dramatic coastline and stunning sandy beaches.

First impressions count and the Victorians knew this; we step through a neat, bright porch into a lovely hallway where the stairway with its beautifully turned banisters leads up to the bedrooms while solid wooden doors open into the downstairs rooms. Upstairs first and I can't believe my luck when I find that our room has the bed that I've always wanted, just like my grandmother's - a beautiful mahogany sleigh bed. I love everything about the room, from the lovely antique furniture to the beautiful swagged curtains which frame the large window, through which we have a fantastic view of ruined Duffus castle, standing proud its own hill.

The slamming of car doors announces the arrival of the rest of our party and soon the house is filled with the sound of voices, doors opening and closing and footsteps on the stairs. Eight of us gather in the kitchen and exchange stories of our journeys as we enjoy cups of tea in the warmth of the Aga, the first of many such occasions to be repeated during our holiday along with lengthy, animated dinners in the posh dining room (rich, earthy tones and warm, dark wood, a fine Persian carpet) and laid back evenings lounging with a glass or two by a crackling fire in the large living room. We're here to laze about and enjoy the beaches, play golf, shop, drink whisky and catch up on news.

There are so many lovely bays and beaches here that it's hard to pick a favourite but I especially loved the walk along Lossiemouth beach to Covesea lighthouse, exploring the Hopeman caves and wandering around the picturesque 17th century harbour at Portsoy, with its ancient maritime buildings which were originally connected with the flourishing herring trade. The golfers amongst us reported excellent games at Lossiemouth and Elgin and the shoppers returned from Elgin with a wealth of bargains from the many craft and gift shops, the Polish deli (!) and in particular Johnstones, the only remaining mill in Scotland which processes cashmere from raw fibre right the way through to the finished article. I don't think we'll need to do any shopping for Christmas!

I'm the only member of the family who enjoys whisky, which has its up side. This week, though, I'm in the company of friends who share my passion, so our grail has been to visit some distilleries and find something special. My treasured booty was Glen Moray's distillery manager's choice – my own vintage – and the cosy snug has been the setting for enjoying its rich, complex flavours of Christmas cake, dark chocolate, honey and cloves as we sink into our comfy chairs and the sun sets over the distant hills.