Capo Capers
The sun was shining. The car was loaded up with Bombay Sapphire, a golden labrador and far too many pairs of knickers. Aye 2.0 sat in the front, mostly because he was driving and couldn’t do that in the back. His driving time is my working time. And he drives a lot. If it was feasible, I’d live in the car because it’s not like I leave it much anyway. I spent the journey out to Capo Farmhouse, knee-deep in aye-phone work. When we arrived at Capo, I felt my eyes well up. All there was for miles was land. Green and yellow land. Apple trees. This place was the Wisteria Lane of farmhouses and the house itself looked like it has been drawn by a desperate farm-wife. It was painfully picturesque.
We brought Snoop Dog on this blog trip. As soon as she got out of the car, she decided this was her forever home, so she took off for a wander whilst we met with Caroline, the completely fabulous Capo Keeper. Then Snoop came back and pooped in the garden in front of Capo Caroline and I almost had a poop in the garden myself to distract from the fact that my dog has absolutely no manners. She even had the cheek to try to lick Caroline’s face afterwards. Dirty bugger.
Capo Cottages
If you didn’t know to expect complete nothingness, you’d think you were lost on the way to Capo Cottages. The plot is near Edzell and Laurencekirk and to be honest, it would probably be the perfect place for us to live as it is basically halfway between Faberdeen and Fundee. There are four rentals at Capo; The Farmhouse, The Cowshed, The Cart Shed and Rowan Cottage. Capo Caroline was good enough to give me a tour around the cottages whilst I left Aye 2.0 to unpack and entertain the two wacky friends who we’d invited along to spend the trip with us.
The Cart Shed
I fell in big love with The Cart Shed because it’s basically all window. The bedroom has floor to ceiling glass so you’d wake up in bed and look straight out across the vast and beautiful land. I’m trying to convince Aye 2.0 to take me here for a romancing the stone-esque Winter trip. The Cart Shed was one of these places that would be beyond epic and totally cosy during a storm, with a book and a wildly over-the-top, creamy hot chocolate. Capo often holds yoga in The Card Shed and I don’t think you could pick a more peaceful (zen AF) place for yoga.
The Farmhouse
Capo Farmhouse is completely gorgeous. Old-school beams add country drama to the large kitchen and dining area. The dining area leads out onto a beautiful patio with a fire pit and sitting area. There is a large lawn to run around in bare feet kicking a football if you are Aye 2.0’s pal Craig who thinks he’s Messi. But is actually just messy. Snoop lived her best life exploring the gardens whilst playing “best guard-dog in the North East.”
The farmhouse has two floors with four bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Although it is a large house, it feels well connected and I didn’t feel “wee” or lost and Aye 2.0 could still hear be bawling his name from the other end of the house. Which is convenient when you are hungover and need sustenance as a matter of urgency.
Wood-Fired Hot Tub
Aye 2.0 has fired up many a woodfired hot tub during our Aye Life, but this was the first hot tub that was also hooked up to the mains, and it made all the difference. Whilst the wood did a fantastic job of heating the water, that wonderful electricity powered the jacuzzi jets and lit the thing up like a Christmas tree. And this was beneficial as we hung around the tub all night as if it was the only source of light in a 1940’s village.
To begin with, we got it far too hot and ended up crawling out of it like steamed leeks. Thankfully Capo Caroline was on hand to explain to a Bombay Sapphire-infused Victoria that a wee hose and a cold blast could sort us right out. That it did, we ended up spending the best part of 4 hours in the hot-tub until a North East winker of a storm hit us and we got absolutely whacked in the face from a monumental rainfall.
We came in from the rain, clambered into jammies and cosied up in the living room beside the wood-burning stove and it was in that moment that I realised that Capo Cottages had a solution for everything.
Cooking Up A Storm
We arrived at Capo Cottages only 2 sleeps since our cooking masterclass with Bothies & Bannocks so we still had the remnants of cooking inspiration. Like civilised folk, we lit the candles and enjoyed a Sunday Roast on a Tuesday. Lisa and I then hit the stormy road, bound for Annie The Musical at His Majesty’s Theatre. If you hadn’t seen us the night we arrived, you’d think we were classy.
A Place In The Country
My better half grew up in a field, so he felt right at home. So much so that he had real-life Capo blues when we left. I was a wee bit blue myself to be honest, mostly because I never got a chance to have a dip in the North Esk river which is only 5 minutes from the farmhouse! I’m saving the river dip for our romancing the stone return trip at The Cart Shed. There will be candles and rose petals and Sauvignon Magnifique and I will do nothing but swim in the river with the fishes and eat cheese of firewood. Each to their own.
If what I’ve said has given you even once digestive crumb of inspiration, book a trip with Capo Cottages. This place is actually ridiculously reasonable and the experience will leave you mindful and grateful. Make your own Capo memories here.
Our trip to Capo Farmhouse was gifted but as always, all opinions are our own unless you catch me in a hot-tub at midnight, in which case they are the opinions of Bombay Sapphire. And I won’t be held responsible for those ones.
