Cook the Farm Scotland
DURATION
DATES
COHORT
June 6-15, 2027
10 days
12 max.
In 2026, we brought Cook the Farm to Scotland for the first time. We fell in love with Galloway and its rural landscape, food, and especially the people who welcomed us in and shared their knowledge with us. So we're coming back for more.
In 2027, we’ll spend a week at Galloway House Estate, going deeper into the land, food traditions, and communities of southwest Scotland. Then we’ll head to Edinburgh for two days, shifting our perspective from the farm to the city and exploring the layers of food history and culture that have shaped Edinburgh over generations.
Scotland is often imagined through whisky and golf, castles and kilts. But beyond these familiar images lies another story.
The Scotland we know and experience is one rooted in the land, the sea, and the communities that have long depended on both. A story of resilience and resourcefulness, of fields and shorelines, of food traditions shaped by what could be grown, gathered, caught, preserved, and shared. Cook the Farm is the opportunity to see beyond glossy guides and into real Scotland.
Our home in Galloway is Galloway House Estate, a 600-acre coastal estate of woodlands, gardens, farmland, and sea views. Hosted by Marjorie Lotfi and Finn McCreath, the estate gives us a place to slow down and pay attention to the rhythms of the land, the people who care for it, and the food that comes from it.
Over the course of our week, we’ll meet farmers, cheesemakers, foragers, fishermen, butchers, brewers, and other local food protagonists. We’ll make things with our hands, walk the land, taste what is around us, and learn how traditional knowledge continues to evolve.
Our days will move through some of the essential elements of Scottish food culture: dairy, seafood, wild foods, meat, grains, fermentation, and drink. But the ingredients are really a starting point. We’re interested in the relationships behind them: between land and people, tradition and innovation, food and community.
We’ll take what we’ve learned from the farm into the city.
In Edinburgh, we’ll explore a food culture built in layers, shaped by migration, trade, industry, immigration, and the many communities that have made the city their home. We’ll taste our way through its streets led by Cook the Farm’s taste and sensory expert Nikki Welch. We will meet the people carrying its food traditions forward, and consider how the story of a place continues to change.
Cook the Farm Scotland
Dates: June 6-15, 2027 (10 days)
Cohort: 12 people, maximum
Single Occupancy: $11,000
Double Occupancy: $10,100
Over ten days, we’ll meet farmers, cheesemakers, foragers, and distillers who carry forward Scotland’s traditions while shaping its future. We’ll explore how food connects people to land and community.
-
Day 01 — Arrival in Galloway
Arrive in Scotland and travel together to Galloway, stopping at Drumlanrig Castle for lunch and an introduction to Scotland, its food, and its stories. Settle into Galloway House Estate and gather for our first dinner together.
-
Begin with an orientation and walk through Galloway House Estate, getting to know its history, gardens, and landscape. In the afternoon, Nikki Welch leads us into the world of taste, smell, and terroir, with a little help from local whisky.
-
A hands-on dairy cookery session exploring butter, labneh, ricotta, and more, followed by lunch at the estate. Spend the afternoon exploring farming and dairy at Galloway House.
-
Visit a local smokehouse to explore the traditions of smoking and preserving seafood, followed by lunch in Kirkcudbright, a seaside artists' town. The afternoon is free to explore the town and coastline.
-
Begin with a short cookery session before heading out to forage the landscape (by sea and by land) with an expert forager.
-
A morning with the cutest cows around, the Belted Galloways and one of Scotland’s pre-eminent breeders, followed by lunch at Galloway House. In the afternoon, visit a local butcher for a demonstration before spending time exploring Wigtown.
-
Begin with a short cookery session before visiting a local brewery for a tour and tasting. After lunch, visit a nearby farm to compare farming practices, followed by tea at a farmhouse.
-
Leave Galloway for Edinburgh, stopping at The Ethical Dairy along the way. Arrive in the city and begin exploring a very different kind of food landscape, with an evening whisky tasting.
-
Walk through Edinburgh exploring the influence of immigration, trade, and different communities on the city's food culture, with tastings along the way. Lunch at Valvona & Crolla is followed by a visit to the Port of Leith Distillery, connecting whisky with the history of the port.
-
A final facilitated conversation brings together what we've learned from the farm, the land, the people, and the city. After breakfast and check-out, we say our farewells and depart.
Projected schedule. Activities and presenters are subject to change without notice and dates of events may be adjusted to suit venue and/or producer needs. The program is an idea of themes, activities, and topics that may be covered.
Life at Galloway House: Your home for the majority of the program is Galloway House Estate, a 600-acre coastal estate of woodlands, gardens, and sea views built in the 18th century. Sandy beaches are just a short walk away, trails wind through ancient trees, and the lodgings balance comfort with a deep sense of place. The estate offers the perfect setting for gathering, learning, and connecting. Some cottages are about seven minutes' walk to the main gathering area, others are up steep stairs. Single rooms have bathrooms shared with one other participant. Double rooms have a dedicated bathroom. Bathrooms are not en suite. Access to the swimming pool and tennis courts is included, along with one linen and towel change. In Edinburgh, we will stay in a modern and convenient hotel with walking access to most activities.
Language: All programming is in English.
How to get there: Fly into Edinburgh Airport (EDI). On the arrival day, CTF will provide a group transfer from Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh City Center to Galloway House Estate at a designated time. Exact transfer times will be confirmed before the program. Galloway House Estate is approximately 2.5 hours southwest of Edinburgh by car. After our week in Galloway, we’ll travel together to Edinburgh for two nights. The program ends in Edinburgh on June 15, from where you are free to make your own onward travel arrangements to the airport, staying on in Edinburgh, or continuing across Scotland.
A friendly note: This is an active trip that includes frequent walking, time spent standing, stairs, uneven terrain, and being on the move throughout the day (often on rural roads). Participants should be comfortable walking at a moderate pace for at least a mile daily and standing for at least an hour without sitting. We may encounter inclement weather, crowded or confined spaces, and destinations where comfort and accessibility are not always prioritized. If you have mobility concerns or accessibility needs, please reach out before booking so we can discuss whether this experience is the right fit.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Transfer to and from Edinburgh city center at set times on arrival and departure dates
Lodging in comfortable cottages with living areas at Galloway House Estate. Rooms are in various apartments/cottages just minutes' walking from the main Stables where we gather for meals. Single rooms share bathrooms with one other participant. Double rooms have a dedicated bathroom. Bathrooms are not ensuite.
Access to the swimming pool and tennis courts at Galloway House Estate
Cleaning and changing of linens/towels once during the stay at Galloway House Estate
Two nights in Edinburgh city center at a 4-star hotel
All meals (including wine or other beverages with dinner) and activities outlined in the program, and transfers to all activities.
NOT INCLUDED
Flights to and from Edinburgh
Travel insurance (mandatory)
Laundry is available at a small fee per wash
Gifts and/or extra provisions you’d like for yourself on outings
One dinner in Edinburgh is not included in the pricing