Your Girls' Weekend Away Sorted: A Winter Wellness Itinerary in Aberdeenshire

As a former city-based career-driven woman and now a 40-something mum of a young child, I really know that desire to get away from urban life, for a girls' weekend away with all the chat, and the opportunity to step away and take a breath. 

Dinner and drinks are a regular go-to activity in Aberdeen, or a slightly longer commute to Inverness or Edinburgh for an overnight stay, if you’re local to the Aberdeenshire area, but increasingly here at Logie Newton Farm and Lodges we’re getting groups of friends booking one of our lodges (or both) for a slow weekend together out in the country. Team that with views galore, plenty of fresh air opportunities, luxury wellness options, and the chance to chill together, it certainly beats a meal and drinks, a dance, a taxi home, and the feeling like you’ve come away from the night out having only spoken to half the group and lightly touched half the topics you wanted to catch up on.

Wellness itinerary for you and the girls in the countryside

I’ve created exactly what would appeal to me for a weekend away right here in the heart of Aberdeenshire, inspired by recent lodge guests who have done something similar, and based on my intimate knowledge of all that rural Aberdeenshire has to offer. 

Treat this one-day unhurried Saturday itinerary as inspiration you can send straight into the girls’ chat, or replicate it in its entirety to take the stress out of organising that milestone birthday, your bestie’s small, quiet hen do, or the get-together with old friends “just because”. 

How to use this itinerary: 

• “plug and play” if you’re staying at Logie Newton Luxury Lodges – just let me (Louise – your host) know what you’d like to book. If you’d like suggestions for how to spend your other days and nights away, let us know!
• take this as inspiration to create your winter wellness weekend with your girl friends in rural Aberdeenshire visiting us on site for a sauna and cold plunge experience, and by contacting Logie Newton Lodge Partners to arrange a bespoke itinerary of activities using Logie Newton experiences and other amazing options available in the Huntly, Turriff and Inverurie areas

6.30am: Sunrise Sauna

A lie-in sounds appealing on a girls weekend away (especially if you’re a mum of young children), but you won’t regret this early morning experience. Bundle up in a robe from the lodge, slip on sandals, then take the (very!) short stroll to get cosy in our on-site traditional Finnish-style wood-fired sauna* to watch the sun rise over our spectacular farmland. 

It’s the most uplifting experience to see the land and sky “come alive” as I’ve said since I was a child, and it’s the perfect way to start your day. I’d go as far as to say the view and sunrise experience is therapy in itself, but the heat of the sauna and the jolt of the cold water give you an experience of feeling alive too, just like the Aberdeenshire countryside in front of you. 

Top tip: Not experienced sauna and cold plunge before? We really recommend reading our sauna tips before your first visit , so you know exactly what to expect and can make the most of every minute. 

*Our Wellness Weekends featuring our on-site Sauna and Cold Plunge Experience are spread over six weekends from October to March. For 2006/2007 these are: 2-4 October 2026, 6-8 November 2026, 4-6 December 2026, 8-10 January 2027, 5-7 February 2027, 5-7 March 2027. NB – Sunrise slot start times naturally vary throughout the months to reflect the changing seasons, so please note the time when booking.

8.30am: Breakfast Spread

Tuck into a spread of breakfast delights from Thorneybank Farm Shop. Think Aberdeenshire butteries, croissants, rolls, bacon, fruit, granola, yoghurt, and more. Just lay it all out on the table and everyone can tuck in.

You’ll love just how local all the produce is with the Stephen family (our lovely farming neighbours since the 1970s) selling produce they’ve grown themselves (like vegetables and tatties) and their own homemade fancy pieces. They work with a small group of local trusted vendors and distributors, so you can expect high quality with a very low food miles footprint.

Our Logie Newton insider tip: Pre-order from Thorneybank and pick it all up enroute to Logie Newton. I’ve got my eye on trying Rora’s Dairy Kefir Cinnamon and Apple flavour yoghurt soon, and you must sample Catherine’s custard creams (for your breakfast or for that mid-morning coffee – your choice!)

10am: A mindfulness walk

(*10am ish – no real need for a watch today)

Digest your bacon roll while you get some (more!) fresh air. If you’re in need of some social battery recharging, this is a perfect solo activity to do, or you can head out together (with dogs too – they are VERY welcome here at Logie Newton).

With over 10km of dedicated farm tracks weaving through our 750-acre farm land, look out for rabbits and deer darting across your path, and you might get lucky to see an osprey or pine marten. The ancient stone circles on our site are worth a visit too. There’s something pretty humbling to think you’re standing on the same site as Romans did around 2000 years ago, with the stones dating to 4000-5000 years ago.

Tip from your lodge host: You’re going to need those waterproof boots and a jacket. But don’t let potential wintry weather put you off. There’s so much mental clarity to be gained from a stretch of the legs, and there’s no place better to do this than right from your lodge doorstep. There’s an outside tap for cleaning those shoes (or mucky dogs) when you return, and there’s always the hot tub to warm up in afterwards!

12 noon: Yoga session

If you’re staying in our lodges, you’ve got special access to offers from our Logie Newton Lodge Partners including the option for a group yoga session led by Angela Smith right here at the lodges. Set up inside or wrap up and stretch out on the decking.

Insider knowledge: Yoga not your thing? There’s so much else on offer you can book such as a reiki or therapy session, or a massage. Head to our Lodge Partners page or check your electronic Guest Guide (available upon booking) for more details.

2pm: Light lunchtime nibbles and a soak in the hot tub

Is there anything better than a soak in the hot tub post group activity, perhaps with some bubbles in your glass too (yes, even mid-afternoon – it’s your time away after all!). Stock up with treats for lunch from Thorneybank again, or we can arrange a lunch platter for you. If a light refreshment is what you need, visit our on-site honesty shop if you fancy trying a mulled and fruity Winter Spice drink by Summerhouse (made at a family farm near Rosehearty, just 23 miles away) or have a hankering for some chocolate (we stock Mackie’s of Scotland, also a local farm based business near to Logie Newton).

Afternoon idea #1: If Reiki is of interest, you can arrange for Gillian Cruickshank (our onsite Logie Newton wellness practitioner) to visit the lodge for 1-1 sessions while the rest of you submerge yourselves in the hot tub (and then switch over) or you can book a group session at the yurt.

Afternoon idea #2: Order an afternoon tea and team it with a slideshow of photos taking you and the girls down memory lane. I’ve got all the details to share with you if this takes your fancy!

7pm: Dress up and dine (out or in)

Like the idea of a private cook so that nobody ends up lumbered with catering responsibilities? We recommend Fiona Menzies (we’ll share contact details upon request), who has cooked regularly for our lodge guests. She takes care of everything and is the perfect investment for a girls' weekend away. You’ll have no dinner shopping, no cooking, and no washing up. Just expect great food, served in the comfort of your own space. You can even wear PJs!

If getting out is what suits your group, or if you’re using this itinerary as inspiration for part of a group weekend with friends in the Huntly / Turriff / Inverurie area, we have a few recommendations for restaurants that will fit the bill for all taste buds, and, most importantly, the group kitty.

• The Fife Arms, Turriff, 9 miles / 15 mins drive

Not to be confused with the famous hotel of the same name in Braemar, and we think this is better! You HAVE to try the scallops for starter and a pina colada cocktail / mocktail.

• Rustic Grill, Turriff, 9 miles / 15 mins drive
• Fennel Restaurant, Inverurie, 15.4 miles / 23 mins drive

Our best piece of advice for you: Book some transport so you don’t have to have a dedicated driver on the soft drinks all evening. Suggestion for transport: Sandy’s Taxis Turriff. He knows Logie Newton Lodges, and us as a family, well.

10pm: Get cosy (and be prepared to marvel at the night sky)

The night skies over Logie Newton are spectacular in winter. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are often seen here in our almost entirely dark sky zone, and what better way to take it in than sitting on the decking around the fire pit, snug under a blanket with a hot chocolate in hand, or perhaps in the hot tub (again! – who is counting?)

Then get cosied up and ready for bed after a brilliant day with your girl friends, in the middle of practically nowhere, taking it slow, taking your time, and taking it all in. Snuggle under the duvet while listening to the soothing patter of raindrops or snowfall then do it all (or something similar) again tomorrow.

If this sounds just what your girl group needs for a winter weekend escape, go ahead and add it to the group chat. When you’re ready to book a stay or a sauna experience, and are inspired to add some of these other ideas to your weekend’s activities, we’ll be delighted to help you get it sorted.