WHEN deer wander up to your log cabin, and your morning view is of waddling ducks, you know you are in one special place.

Peace, perfect peace, abounds at Eagle Brae, a quality resort of log cabins, just a short drive from Inverness.

We had spent an enjoyable foodie evening in a lodge at five-star Achnagairn Castle, at Kirkhill, Inverness, the night before, being royally looked after by award-winning and young chef Euan Walker and the team at the new restaurant on the estate, Table Manors.

From there we embarked on a frenzied hunt for Nessie at Loch Ness, before making our way to Eagle Brae, which is set among some of the wildest glens, highest mountains and largest lochs of the northern Scottish Highlands.

And from the moment we started winding our car up the mountain approach, we knew we were not going to be disappointed.

Tranquillity and the famous Highland hospitality welcomed us in bucketfuls.

The six log cabins, with their wildflower roofs, have taken self-catering to a whole new level of wilderness luxury. There are log burners (what else?), underfloor heating, a washing machine and dishwasher, even engraved wine and whisky glasses. I defy you to find anything missing.

The massive logs for the hand-crafted homes were shipped all the way from Canada, and no two cedar logs are the same. Every cabin is a unique work of art – with interiors finished with hand-carved wooden panels depicting Scottish wildlife, Celtic knotwork and tribal motifs.

In fact, amazingly, everything at Eagle Brae is hand-made – from the hand-woven tweed curtains and woven rugs to the hardwood furniture and kitchen units. And the resort is entirely powered by renewables.

My husband is a carpenter by trade and he was blown away by the quality of the wood-work. It kept him occupied for ages while I sampled the Scottish beer and shortbread in our complimentary hamper.

You can order meals home-made by the family, including venison curry, and there is a wine list.

It is the ultimate Highland hideaway, where you can only soak up, in awe, the vision of Eagle Brae’s hosts, Mike and Pawana Spencer-Nairn.

There is salmon fishing on Eagle Brae’s own private beats. Also on offer are bird-watching, kayaking, hunting, a black grouse safari, and even sled dog rides, or you can simply enjoy the stunning views of roaming hills and wandering wildlife from the privacy of the log cabin.

One night at Eagle Brae definitely wasn’t enough and it is certainly on our list for a repeat visit.

Just 12 miles away, on the Achnagairn estate, the night before, we also woke to beautiful beams, in our lodge in the grounds of the castle.

Husband and wife team Gillian and Michael Lacey-Solymar have been carrying out a multi-million pound expansion at Achnagairn, which is part of the family-owned group, Perfect Manors.

Achnagairn Castle was acquired in 2007 and two years have been spent rescuing the historical gem from the “At Risk” register of architecturally important properties.

Then nine neighbouring properties were purchased in 2013, and these have been turned into upmarket lodges, which can be rented for groups, or just by the room. So now there are 61 bedrooms in total at the estate.

A new restaurant – Table Manors – has been opened near the lodges, and in the space of a few hours we made firm, new friends amongst the attentive and caring staff.

The food was some of the best we have tasted and looked almost too good to eat, such was the beauty of the culinary art . I enjoyed haggis, neeps and tatties veloute for starter and a Rib-eye mains, while my other half scoffed scallops with bellypork to start and then venison with poached pear. We were sadly too full to partake of dessert or cheese, even though we coveted the sweet dishes passing us, heading for other tables.

The décor is a delight, with art from Singapore, chairs from Paris and the birch trees adorning the walls taken from the estate itself.

Their bar has a jaw-dropping selection of Scottish whiskies, which my other half tried to work his way through, despite being still stuffed from dinner.

Achnagairn is just 13 miles from Loch Ness and we couldn’t miss a chance to join the search for the famed monster of the deep.

A monk was the first person who claimed to have seen Nessie in the seventh century. The first photograph was taken in 1933. The monster is described as being large, with a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water, although the scientific community has never confirmed the Loch Ness monster’s existence. But that didn’t daunt us – oh no.

Loch Ness was certainly eerie, with the swirling mists, At two and a half miles long and over a mile wide, with a depth of 754 feet, the loch apparently has 263 thousand million cubic feet of water. That’s a lot of water, so it’s not surprising we didn’t spot Nessie on this occasion.

While at the loch, don’t miss the chance to visit Urquhart Castle’s iconic remains, which stand on the north shore.

You can go on Loch Ness cruises and there is also a Loch Ness shop and exhibition centre nearby, plus a café to sustain you after your hunt.

The Highlands are enjoying a surge in tourism, with British Airways commencing a new daily service to Inverness Airport in April 2016. Easyjet will also be increasing its daily flights from March 2017 and the Caledonian Sleeper service from London Euston to Inverness is being relaunched in 2018.

With memorable scenery, great bolt-holes and a host of attractions, there’s no excuse…

It's all in the detail: Eagle Brae, at Struy, (www.eaglebrae.co.uk) lies just 23 miles from Inverness train station and 30 miles from Inverness Airport. The closest village is Beauly (13 miles away), where there is a railway station.

Their Scottish Highlands Holiday Package, which starts at £1,150, includes a five or seven-night stay in a log cabin, dinner for two on the first night of your stay, a bottle of wine and a Highland hamper packed with local produce.

Achnagairn Estate, near Kirkhill, Inverness (www.perfect-manors.com/achnagairn-estate/achnagairn-hotel/) has both a castle with luxury bedrooms and large luxury lodges in the grounds, which can be rented by room or by whole lodge. Lodge rooms start from £90 per night, including continental breakfast. Table Manors restaurant offers fine dining, with an exquisite wine list and a bar boasting a large selection of Scottish whiskies.