Burmieston Farm and Steading
Perfect For
Burmieston is perfect for families, groups of friends, or anyone looking to come together in the middle of rural Scotland.
Why You’ll Love It
Burmieston Steading is a group accommodation space on the edge of the Scottish Highlands where nature is close, the air and water are crystal clean, and there is space to be….just be.
They offer 5 ensuite bedrooms sleeping 12-13 people with a spacious kitchen and great sitting room with a library wall and a projector. Co-owner Keesje Crawford-Avis can even cook for you! They have an Escape Barn, a sauna and rural Scotland is all around. They also sell their own lamb, wool and skins as well as jams and chutneys made from orchard produce.
What Makes It Special
They don’t have WiFi or TVs, so you can really get away from screens here if you choose to. Nature and climate change are at the core of their business. The building was renovated with many eco features (they even won the Historic Scotland RIBA award for climate change in 2018) and they run Burmieston conscious that they are part of an ecosystem. Keesje can entertain you for hours if you want to know more!
The If Lost Take
So many people live in cities and rarely have the opportunity to let their senses become alive again. It’s quiet here. It’s dark at night. The weather is always present and the beds are super comfy. Burmieston gives you the space to remember there is no wall between you and the natural world (without camping), and an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones and/or the fun ones and space to be on your own. In a moment that we are longing to be together, Burmieston is all about in-person reality.
Founders Story
Keesje and Olly Crawford-Avis: “We found Burmieston in the Guardian’s ‘Wreck of the Week’ column around 2015 and wanted to start farming on a very small scale. (Olly and I met at agricultural college a long time ago). We also wanted to share this amazing spot and we opened the renovated Steading in 2017, the weekend our second son was due. It’s a truly family affair — he’s our chief customer relations officer in charge of all things on the trampoline. We are passionate about our surroundings, about community and about food. Burmieston is the physical reality of that passion.”
Founder’s Go-To Wellbeing Advice
“Take a walk on a well worn path and look for things you have never noticed before. A plant you have always walked past, a bird song you have never noticed before. And then breathe.”
Some Practical Details
They are dog friendly but do have chickens, geese, ducks and sheep around so please keep your dog well controlled. They have their own dogs too.
The team also work with a number of wellness businesses to host their events, from meetings to retreats to catering. They focus on self catering groups at weekends and B&B for singles and couples during the week.
Coming up
They have a few weekend retreats coming up: willow basket making, a weekend of wet felting with yoga and sauna, and a weekend of drawing with a brilliant illustrator. They also have the next in their series of seasonal yoga and mindfulness day retreats. New adventures are being planned all the time. More info and book can be found here.
A special If Lost bonus
Anyone who finds them here will receive a guided walk around the smallholding. You can choose either a night walk with Keesje or an introduction to our farming set up with Olly.
