The Lint Mill sits in the upper Clyde valley, with the Pentland Hills to the north-east and the Borders to the south. That puts gardens, heritage sites and open hills within an easy drive.
Here are some of our favourite places to visit.
We've listed them roughly in order of distance from the farm. Miles and times are approximate and by car.
Little Sparta, Dunsyre
About 5 miles · 11 minutes
The garden the poet and artist Ian Hamilton Finlay made over forty years on a windswept hillside in the Pentlands. Poems carved in stone and wood are set among ponds, trees and wild moorland. It's a quiet, thoughtful place and one of our favourites. It opens only on certain afternoons in summer, so check before you go.
Biggar and Tinto Hill
About 8 miles · 15 minutes
Biggar is a friendly market town with a wide main street, independent shops and cafés, and the much-loved Biggar Bookshop. Nearby Tinto Hill is the landmark you'll see from all around here. A well-worn path takes you to the summit, with views on a clear day stretching from Arran to the Pentlands.
New Lanark World Heritage Site and the Falls of Clyde
About 10 miles · 20 minutes
A restored 18th-century cotton mill village in a deep gorge of the River Clyde, where Robert Owen tried out his ideas on education and fairer working lives. You can visit the mills, the school and the workers' homes. From the village, a woodland walk leads to the Falls of Clyde, where the river drops through a series of dramatic waterfalls. Allow most of a day if you want to do both.
Pentland Hills Regional Park
About 12 miles to the southern hills · 20 minutes
Over 100 square kilometres of open hill country, with walks for every level, from reservoir strolls to long ridge days. The quieter southern end, around West Linton and Carlops, is closest to us.
Dawyck Botanic Garden, near Stobo
About 18 miles · 30 minutes
Part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Dawyck is a woodland garden of remarkable trees, some planted over 300 years ago. Paths wind up a burn through towering conifers, rhododendrons and wildflower meadows. It's lovely at any season, but especially good for snowdrops in late winter and colour in autumn.
Jupiter Artland, Wilkieston
About 20 miles · 35 minutes
A sculpture park set in woods and meadows around Bonnington House, west of Edinburgh. Large works by artists including Charles Jencks, Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley are placed along paths and clearings, so the walk becomes part of the experience. There's a gallery, café and plenty for children. It usually opens from spring to autumn.
Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin
About 25 miles · 45 minutes
A 15th-century chapel famous for the extraordinary carving that covers almost every surface inside, from foliage and figures to the celebrated Apprentice Pillar. It's small but rewards slow looking. There are good walks down into Roslin Glen below.
Traquair House, Innerleithen
About 33 miles · 55 minutes
Often described as Scotland's oldest continuously inhabited house, Traquair has been home to the same family for centuries. Inside are rooms full of history, and outside are a hedge maze, woodland walks, craft workshops and a working brewery. The drive through the Tweed valley is part of the pleasure.
Before you set off
Several of these places open only seasonally or on certain days, so it's worth checking their websites before you travel. If you'd like more ideas, or suggestions for somewhere to eat along the way, just ask us.