
Welcome to Midpark, here’s everything you need to know to enjoy your holiday.
Before you leave home
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We take pleasure in personally warmly welcoming each guest that comes to stay at Mayen Estate.
Check-in is between 4pm and 6pm. We are unable to accommodate earlier or later check-ins and we do not offer “self check-in”.
Please let us know your estimated arrival time. This is important so that we can make sure there is someone ready to welcome you and we have the property all cosy for your arrival!
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Should you need to contact us, the best way to get in touch with the team is via email, hello@mayenestate.com
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For finding us, our postcode will take you to the neighbouring farm and your phone might not have enough signal to use google maps. Please follow the below directions, to make sure you come down the right driveway and don't disturb our neighbours and other guests.
From the A96 towards Inverness, take the B9002 just North of Huntly towards Portsoy.
After 10 miles turn right, for Rothiemay, alongside the river.
Entering the village, turn left, past the church then turn right for Aberchirder, on the B9117.
After 2 miles along the valley, you will go round a sharp left corner and our gate lodge is on the right. It has navy iron gates and a signpost for "Mayen House, Private".
Turn down this drive and turn right to The Coachhouses, where you will be met by one of our hosts. Please ring the doorbell and wait, we may be checking-in other guests when you arrive.
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Matches, kindling, firelighters and logs for the wood burner and hot tub
Teabags, locally roasted ground coffee & sugar
Salt & pepper
Kitchen linens
Kitchen soap
White fluffy towels
Stripy pool towels for the hot tub
Bathroom soaps and hand moisturiser
Cleaning materials
Toilet roll
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Waterproof jacket and wellington boots! You must bring these things if you are taking part in any of our experiences, such as our shooting or fishing activities or you might not be able to participate.
It’s a great idea to pack layers of clothing to keep you warm, even in the summer time.
Your slippers, for wearing inside (as our historic properties do have uneven floors).
Flip flops for walking to the hot tub!
Cooking oil, herbs & spices, kitchen roll and tin foil are not provided, but we do offer these items for sale in our shoppe.
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We recommend that you bring your essential groceries with you when you arrive at Mayen Estate.
We offer our own seasonal produce, store cupboard essentials, pizza kits and more in our in our on-site shoppe which you can order in advance.
The nearest shop is a small coop in the village of Aberchirder, 6 miles away.
The nearest large supermarkets are in the town of Huntly, which you will drive through on your way to find us.
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Our local Asda, Tesco and Morrisons supermarkets can deliver groceries to your cottage and also offer a click-and-collect service.
Provide the following address for your delivery, and one of our team will direct your shopping to the correct property when it arrives. All deliveries must be scheduled during our team’s working hours of 9.30 to 18.00 and please do advise us if you are expecting a delivery.
You must be present at the time of your delivery, we are unable to accept grocery orders on your behalf in advance of your arrival.
The Coachhouses
Mayen Estate
Rothiemay
HUNTLY
AB54 7NL
Finding us
The Gate Lodge marks the entrance to the estate
Turn down this drive and turn right at the bottom, following the sign to The Coachhouses
Please ring the doorbell and wait for one of our hosts, (we may be checking-in other guests when you arrive)
Using the amenities
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Midpark has a 4G WiFi connection. The password is MayenEstate1790
If you have trouble connecting, try the following:Make sure the unit is switched on and plugged into the wall
If your computer doesn't recognise the network and you have a USB port, you can plug the device directly into your laptop
If connection disappears, switching it off and on again tends to do the trick, but sometimes it's due to a network issue out with our control. Try again in half an hour and hopefully the network is restored.
Let us know! We are more than happy to try to resolve connectivity issues, but please note that if your internet is down, the team's internet might be down too, so come and find us in the Coachhouses!
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EE signal can be found all around the estate. If you are with another provider, signal can be found at the top of the main drive at the Gate Lodge.
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The main source of heat in Midpark is the wood burning stove, which heats the whole home.
There is a supplementary electric heater in bathroom cupboard and an electric towel rail and underfloor heating in the bathroom.
To light the fire,
Create a valley of logs at the base of the stove
Place 2-3 firelighters in the valley and light them
Carefully build a Jenga of kindling across the valley of logs
Light the firelighters
Once the fire is burning yellow, add larger logs and close the stove door
Make sure that the vent is open to the maximum
Once the stove is hot and burning well, use the vent to control the temperature.
The vent should be left at about half-way, once the stove is lit, to avoid overheating.
If the stove is smoky when lighting, use the door to waft fresh air to the fire and encourage the smoke to go up the chimney.
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The water is heated by an immersion, the switch is in the bathroom cupboard and must be left on at all times.
Do not dispose of any rubbish in the toilet nor food or cooking fats down the drains, as we are on a septic tank system which will block.
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Midpark’s hot tub is wood-burning, chemical free and we empty, clean and refill the hot tub between guests.
Points to note:We will light the hot tub fire so that the water is heating up in advance of your arrival, but the hot tub does take 2 hours to heat from cold, topping up the fire every 15 minutes.
We recommend showering before using the hot tub each time, to keep the water pleasant for longer.
Do not introduce soaps, chemicals, dyes or oils to the water.
Keep the lid on the hot tub any time you are not in the tub
To light the fire:
Follow the same process as lighting the indoor stove.
Before lighting, open the ashtray a few inches to ensure good airflow. Keep the ashtray slightly open.
You need to stack the logs up the top of the wood burner and keep it topped up. It takes a lot of energy to heat the volume of water.
Whilst the hot water is heating inside the tub, you must stir the water at least every half hour using the wooden paddle, to prevent hot spots from forming, which can melt the liner.
Allow the fire to burn out once the desired temperature has been reached. The water will continue to get hotter while a fire is burning.
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Midpark’s BBQ is a top of the range kamado. It should be used with premium lump charcoal only.
Points to note:
We offer lump charcoal for sale in our on-site shoppe.
The BBQ takes time to heat up for cooking
To use the BBQRemove the BBQ cover
Open the top vent and bottom vent fully
Carefully remove and set aside the metal grates and stone
Pour in BBQ coals into the egg and place a few firefighters on top. Do not use lighter fluid as this damages the stone
Light the firefighters, add back in the stone and grate and close the lid
Once the fire has taken hold, close the bottom vent
Monitor the temperature of the BBQ and use the top vent to control the temperature
When the coals have turned grey, you can cook on the stone or grates with the lid closed
Wait until the BBQ has completely cooled before replacing the cover
For recipe ideas, check out Big Green Egg on Youtube
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The cottage’s pizza oven is gas powered. It’s quick and easy to use.
Points to note:
We offer pizza kits for sale in our shoppe
Do not attempt to cook anything other than a pizza in the pizza oven
To use the pizza oven
Remove the pizza oven cover
Locate the knob on the back of the pizza oven. and light the oven like you would a gas hob, by pushing in and twisting the knob.
Heat the oven on maximum heat for 10 minutes
Turn the knob to the lowest heat setting and use the paddle to pop your pizza in the oven
Rotate the pizza using the paddle. It will only take a few minutes to cook.
Wait until the pizza oven has completely cooled before replacing the cover
For pizza recipe inspiration, check out the Ooni website.
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When walking on the estate, you’ll be almost guaranteed to come across some of the beautiful, biodiverse nature that reside here at Mayen. This includes Roe Deer, Hares, Pine Martins, Red Squirrels, Pheasants, Barn Owls, Ospreys, Woodpeckers, Partridge, Foxes, Badgers and Wildcats to name just a few!
We recommend you use the OS maps app to navigate your way around Mayen.
When enjoying the beautiful nature, we ask you to please take only memories and leave only footprints behind. With this philosophy, we can protect the stunning habitats throughout Mayen which in turn will improve the biodiversity on the estate.
We are a working farm with free range livestock and field animals (including Sheep and Highland Coos). In the interest of Health and Safety, we do ask that you do not enter any fields which are fenced off and we kindly ask that you do not feed any of the animals.
We take pride in our Estate and strive to continuously work to ensure that we are able to maintain a beautiful place for our guests to explore. From time to time, have contractors working on our Estate who help to manage our restorations and our livestock, and in the interest of health and safety, we kindly ask that you do not enter any construction areas which will be visibly marked.
Between November and February, we also host Driven Bird Shoot Days for external guests only. On these days, we kindly advise that walking around the grounds of Estate is prohibited in the interest of Health and Safety.
Please do also make sure to leave gates as you find them.
The Gardens
Mayen Estate is a private home and our gardens and grounds are strictly open to resident guests only.
We have a team of gardeners who are dedicated to making our gardens and grounds beautiful, productive and a haven for insects and wildlife.
The walled garden opening times are Monday to Saturday, 8.30am until 4.30pm.
The walled gardens are closed to guests on Sundays and from November to February.
Please respect the family’s privacy and do not attempt to visit the gardens outside of opening times.
Safety information & rules
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Emergency Services - 999
Huntly Accident & Emergency - 03454566000
Huntly Doctors - 01466792116
Huntly Vets - 01466792627
Huntly Dentist - 01466792787
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In the event of fire, immediately evacuate the property and dial 999 for the fire brigade.
Things to note:
A fire blanket can be found in the kitchen, please familiarise yourselves with its location.
Electrical appliances have PAT certification, our stoves are tested and certified
The property is fitted with carbon monoxide and fire alarms.
The carbon monoxide alarms, like fire alarms, can be sensitive to smoke from the stove and cooking. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, please open the windows to ventilate the property and then try the reset button.
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The property has been lovingly furnished with beautiful (and valuable) antiques and high quality furniture. Always protect surfaces by using heat proof mats and coasters and not leaving anything hot or wet on the worktops. Any damage outside of normal wear and tear will be charged for.
All of our properties are strictly non-smoking and non-vaping.
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Parties are not permitted and non-resident guests are only permitted to visit by request. We require the names of all visitors for security monitoring and our insurance requirements.
Our gardens and grounds are not open to the general public.
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A speed limit of 15MPH applies on Mayen Estate roads at all times, in respect of children at play, dogs, our precious wildlife and the tranquillity of the estate.
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Our Coach Houses buildings are at the heart of our working estate activities. Please be aware that farm vehicles are in use on the estate. Children should not be allowed to go exploring in and around the Coach Houses.
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Your cottage has been thoroughly cleaned and all frequent touch surfaces have been sanitised ahead of your arrival for your safety.
Should you require additional housekeeping, bedding or towels during your stay, please contact us to arrange this. Please do not launder our sheets or towels.
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The water in your property comes from a private supply of delicious spring water. The water is filtered to ensure it's safe to drink by removing sediment, kill bacteria and balance pH. The system is serviced, tested and inspected annually by ourselves and by our local council.
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Dogs must always be kept under control. Respect must be paid to all those on the estate, including staff, wildlife, livestock, other guests along with their children and dogs.
In Scotland, it is now the law that dogs must be kept on a lead whilst in a field of livestock, regardless on the dogs behaviour towards livestock.
Livestock worrying is an offence and will be treated as such.
All dog waste must be bagged and disposed of in a general waste bin.
Dogs are not permitted on the lawns surrounding Mayen House or inside The Walled Garden.
Dogs are not permitted to be left in the cottage alone.
Ball games are only permitted in the arboretum to prevent broken windows.
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In the interests of guest health and safety, we are proud to hold a Short Term Let Licence for each of our properties and comply with all health and safety frameworks set out by the government.
In addition to this, we conduct regular testing and risk assessments and conduct regular maintenance to ensure that our properties are above the standards expected.
For any queries relating to health and safety, and to view a copy of our EICR and PAT Testing Certifications, please email hello@mayenestate.com
Short Term Lets Licence Number MO-00580-F
Checking-out
Check-out is any time before 10am on the day of your departure.
We’ll send you a reminder over email and ask that you let us know when you’re leaving so that we can pop round to say goodbye and collect the keys from you.
We always appreciate kind reviews on google, Facebook and TripAdvisor.