There are late autumn days in Scotland that take your breath away. High cobalt blue skies, the leaves a riot of orange and reds, and a little warmth in the sun. It’s one of these precious crisp ‘bluebird’ days when I visit Newhall Mains for Sunday lunch. The beautiful high-ceiling dining room is flooded with light, and although it’s warm, the fire-pits in the courtyard are lit.

Two little sisters in their Sunday Best chase each other around the garden, and there’s a game of croquet going on. I’m half an hour north of Inverness , but it feels like I’ve briefly slipped into a different world, more Home Counties than the Black Isle.

Newhall Mains is set in a traditional farm ‘mains’ building, once the centre of farm operations, and now a hub for Highland hospitality. The building had been

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