A CROWD is gathering on the beach, pebbles crunching underfoot. Through the driving rain, the murky outline of Fort George is visible across the water from the narrow spit of land where we stand, but all eyes are fixed on the leaden waves of the Moray Firth.

A pair of dolphins appear out of the gloom and produce a thrilling show of acrobatics as they play and fish in the strong currents. A few seconds later, a trio leap into view, followed by a mother and her young calf. It is a magical sight.

Scotland's east coast is home to almost 200 bottlenose dolphins and here at Chanonry Point, between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, is a fantastic spot to watch them.

Said to be the largest bottlenose dolphins in the world, measuring up to four metres, their beefy size is partly down to the fact they have adapted to living in cold waters with layers of blubber keeping them warm.

The pod comes close to shore, particularly during the summer when salmon are running up the Moray Firth. Other fauna, including porpoises and seals, can regularly be spotted, with otters an occasional visitor too.

Today, though, it's all about the dolphins. They breach from the waves, soaring high into the air, sometimes performing somersaults and side-flops.

Close to an hour passes as we watch mesmerised from the shore. Finally the biting cold of the rain begins to seep into our bones and, admitting defeat, we jump in the car and head for the cosy confines of a nearby cafe for steaming bowls of soup and freshly baked scones.

Our base for the weekend is Eagle Brae, a luxurious log cabin village nestled on a tranquil hillside between Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar. The nearest village is Struy, around a 40-minute drive from Inverness.

We're staying in Buteo, which sleeps six and offers commanding views across Strathglass. Below, the River Glass lives up to its name. Still and calm, its silvery mirror-like surface reflects a smattering of trees along the banks with pinpoint sharpness.

The cabin itself is sublime. There are 10 in total at Eagle Brae, each built from sustainably sourced western red cedar logs from British Columbia. The grass-topped roofs have a few pretty wildflowers and to the rear lies a vast deck area.

Inside is a wonderful open-plan kitchen, dining and living area – complete with a wood-burning stove – beneath high cathedral ceilings. The sleeping accommodation comprises two double bedrooms and two built-into-the-wall beds, the latter on a grand mezzanine.

Wood features prominently throughout the interior and there is a series of beautiful wildlife carvings: my favourite is a badger in the upstairs master suite.

Eagle Brae is owned and run by Mike and Pawana Spencer-Nairn. Mike, whose family is originally from Scotland, was raised in Jersey in the Channel Islands. He met Pawana while travelling through the Himalayan regions of India.

Pawana hails from Himachal Pradesh state – between Kashmir and Nepal – where her family ran a guesthouse. After getting married and starting a family in Jersey, the couple moved to Scotland in 2005 to begin building the first cabins here.

The Spencer-Nairn family has owned land near Struy since the 1930s, but it is Mike and Pawana's vision that has turned it into a haven for wildlife lovers and those seeking a sumptuous retreat.

The eco credentials are impressive, including a micro-hydro turbine to generate electricity and biomass wood pellet boilers for underfloor heating. The turfed cabin roofs provide insulation to help conserve energy. Guests can also contribute to a tree-planting scheme on the site.

Buteo – our cabin name – means buzzard in Latin and that's not the only ornithological-themed delight to be found. Outside hangs a collection of bird feeders that attract a colourful array of species such as siskin, yellowhammers and a great spotted woodpecker.

As I stand watching them, I have the uncanny feeling of someone – or something – watching me. A little way down the hill, a fox is standing stock still gazing up at me. We lock eyes for several seconds until finally it turns on its heel and trots off, disappearing into the bracken.

There are other visitors too. A sweet-toothed pine marten is regularly seen around the cabins (it has a penchant for bread and jam, apparently) and, as dusk falls, deer can be seen grazing.

A herd of cheeky goats reside in a paddock next to reception and there's a duck pond where it isn't just feathered creatures that hang out: the occasional doe or stag is known to rock up to enjoy the water too.

It is easy to while away an afternoon ensconced in one of the cabin's comfy leather armchairs or sofas, enjoying a good book in front of the wood burner. Certainly, every need is catered for, with a concierge service available for groceries and meals delivered to your door.

We order sausage casserole and Himalayan venison curry (vegetarian options are also available) which are a doddle to heat up in the oven.

The generous welcome basket includes shortbread, oatcakes, table, Highland crackers, jars of chutney and jam, Eagle Brae branded whisky miniatures, Black Isle Brewery beers and Pawana's homemade elderflower cordial.

A guest handbook on the coffee table is packed with suggestions for things to do and in the reception there's a large map on the wall with local points of interest marked. There's everything from fishing, pony-trekking and sled-dog rides to Munro-bagging opportunities and awe-inspiring champion trees on your doorstep.

On Sunday morning we decide to visit Plodda Falls, around five miles (8km) south-west of the village of Tomich, near Glen Affric. As well as the cascading waterfall that the name suggests, the area boasts towering Douglas firs.

These majestic trees are the legacy of Lord Tweedmouth, a wealthy brewer and MP, who bought nearby Guisachan House in 1855 and turned the estate into parkland.

Douglas fir is not native to Scotland – the species was introduced from western North America by the great plant hunter David Douglas in 1827 – and in most parts of the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve, Forestry Commission Scotland is taking non-native trees away.

Interestingly, however, around Plodda Falls the giant trees are registered and protected while new seedlings grow beneath them.

There's a choice of two trail walks. The shorter option is a 0.4 mile (0.6km) loop with gentle slopes which takes you to a dramatic viewpoint at the top of the waterfall. A 1.5-mile (2.3km) circuit drops down to the river through the forest and returns by the waterfall.

Don't be misled by the small set of falls you'll see on the path down from the car park if following the shorter route. Up ahead lies a wooden walkway that leads to a bird's-eye view of the spectacular waterfall as it thunders onto the rocks below, sending up mist and spray.

As Sunday afternoon strolls go, it certainly blew away the cobwebs and left us feeling refreshed as we prepared to amble back towards home and the hubbub of daily life.

TRAVEL NOTES

Prices start from £683 for two nights in a one-bedroom cabin in off season, from November to February, with a week costing £1,366.

For more information, visit eaglebrae.co.uk or call 01463 761301.