Our Story: How Nether Glenny Farm became the place it is today
A change of direction
In 2012, we left our careers in teaching and the military and bought a 100-acre hillside farm in the Menteith Hills. Alison grew up in Ayrshire and Matt in North Yorkshire, and after years spent living and working elsewhere, we both felt a strong pull back to a quieter, more grounded way of life in the north.
We arrived at Nether Glenny Farm with three young children, two Australian cattle dogs, a great deal of enthusiasm, and very little practical knowledge of farming or running a business. What we did have was a shared determination to build something meaningful and lasting.
From Virginia to the Menteith Hills
Before returning to Scotland, we spent several years living in Virginia, USA, where Matt was stationed in the military. It was during that time, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, that we began to imagine a different future.
We wanted a life where we could work for ourselves, raise our children close to nature, and be challenged in ways that felt purposeful rather than prescribed. That idea stayed with us when we returned to the UK.
Soon after, we discovered that Nether Glenny Farm was for sale.
Taking on the stewardship of Nether Glenny
Nether Glenny was not entirely unfamiliar to us. Alison had made a close friend at university whose parents, Jim and Eleanor Forbes, owned the farm. When they left, a part of them remained here, quite literally, with their ashes scattered across the hills they loved.
Much of what still shapes the farm today was planted and cared for by them: fruit trees, bushes, and spring flowers that continue to flourish and provide fruit for our jams, chutneys, and baking. When the Forbes family passed Nether Glenny into our care, we felt a strong sense of responsibility to honour what had come before while shaping the farm’s next chapter.
In the early days, we often wondered if we had taken on more than we could manage.
Restoring the buildings and the farm
When we arrived, the cottages — then only Kestrel and Buzzard — were in urgent need of modernisation. There was no central heating, no showers, and much of the infrastructure required complete renewal. At the same time, the farmhouse itself was difficult to heat, with gas costs proving unsustainable.
In response, we installed a 60kW biomass boiler in 2011, marking the first major step in our sustainability journey. Today, it provides heating and hot water to four properties across the farm.
Learning to farm
Initially, we rented the fields to an experienced Blackface sheep farmer while we began learning about farming ourselves. Over time, we realised that we wanted to raise native Highland cattle, suited to the land and aligned with our low-impact approach.
In 2016, after extensive research and guidance from experienced farmers, we brought home our first Highland heifers: Big Red, Storm, Caramel and Blondie. Since then, we have cared for a small fold of pure Highland cattle, typically numbering between seven and fifteen animals, allowing them to live and grow at a natural pace.
Creating places for people to stay
Hospitality grew naturally alongside farming. In 2016, we converted the old tool room between the cottages into Merlin Studio, which quickly became popular with walkers, road trippers, and guests seeking a quiet overnight escape from city life.
A deeper ambition followed. We wanted to create a place where guests could truly immerse themselves in the peace and beauty of the landscape. That vision led to The Bothy.
Built on the site of an old sheep fank, 300 metres from the farmhouse and cottages, The Bothy was inspired by our cabin stays in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In January 2019, a skilled local craftsman began work, building through rain, snow and shine. The Bothy welcomed its first guests in spring that year.
Shortly after opening, the world changed. Like everyone else, we closed the gate during the pandemic. When travel resumed, guests returned in large numbers, seeking quiet, space, and reconnection with nature — exactly what The Bothy was created to offer.
Where we are now
Our children are grown and have moved on to pursue their own paths. We still share the farm with one of our beloved Blue Heelers, and in 2026, we’ll welcome Ted, our Collie, into his working life as our small Cheviot sheep flock arrives.
Today, Nether Glenny Farm is a working upland farm offering self-catering accommodation, farm experiences, and a slower, more thoughtful way to spend time in the landscape. We continue to learn every day — about farming, nature, land stewardship and hospitality — and we remain grateful for the life we are building here.
Many of our guests return year after year, and some have become lifelong friends. We look forward to welcoming new visitors and sharing this place with those who value peace, care for the land, and time well spent.