Lexie gets an unexpected and unwelcome surprise when her father shows up at Glenbogle. Father-daughter relations are strained between Golly and Jess as well, and Paul learns of a secret that Amanda's been hiding.

Now that Archie has left, Lexie has taken control over all estate affairs leaving Paul feeling left out. Golly is convinced that Andrew cannot be trusted and confronts Molly about his inclination.

Lexie is the first female laird of Glenbogle and the host of the annual clan gathering which is sure to start creating troubles in every area of the estate. Matters go from bad to worse when an ancient rival of the MacDonalds' sets foot on enemy land.

Young restaurant owner Archie MacDonald is called urgently from London back to his ailing fathers bedside in the ancestral home in Scotland, Glenbogle. He soon discovers that Hector has nothing worse than a cold and his sweet but dotty mother Molly has called him home on a pretext and has worked events so he can't easily escape back to London.

Archie's attempts to return to his life in London are stalled by the banks threat to foreclose on the huge loan the estate has taken out. Everyone on the estate works hard to change the bankers mind when he arrives at Glenbogle but it's Lexie, the young housekeeper who persuades him that there are more important things in life than money.

Jealousies run high when Archie's girlfriend and business partner, Justine travels up from London to see what's holding Archie up. It seems she feels he has developed too much of a soft spot for local girl Katrina. She also stumbles on a locked room at the estate which apparently belonged to Archie's brother who drowned when they were teenagers. The Glenbogle ball proves to be the scene of the Justine/Katrina showdown.

A visiting genealogist friend of Hectors discovers a diary which records Katrina's mother, a former servant in the house, as having an affair with someone called ‘H'. Molly is understandably upset by the implications until it is discovered that Katrina's father, the mysterious ‘H' is the genealogist himself.

Archie's wayward sister Lizzie turns up with her New Age boyfriend Gerald and it seems the pair have big plans to turn Glenbogle into a kind of hippy retreat. Archie and Gerald end up at loggerheads, however, when some of their New Age ideals seem to involve Hector rediscovering his lost youth and taking an ill advised swim in the lake.

As the Laird of Glenbogle Archie takes part in a traditional boat race across the loch. He is up against Laird Kilwillie, a neighbouring land-owner. Archie finds himself having to race to win back a MacDonald heirloom ring which has ended up in Kilwillie's possession.

Archie tries to juggle his life in London with his new role as Laird of Glenbogle. He and Lexie make a hectic journey down to London for a special Highland night in his restaurant and he dashes back north just in time to see Katrina beat Kilwillie in the local elections. Understandably Justine's patience is wearing very thin.

Inevitably, Justine gives Archie an ultimatum: come back to London, to the restaurant and her or give up both. Archie offers to sell out of the restaurant to help save Glenbogle, but is that what he really wants. Justine arrives at Glenbogle and Archie must decide where his loyalties and his heart lie, London or Glenbogle. Either way, Justine is determined not to lose her man.

Six months of Justine at Glenbogle has been too much for the other residents, Lexie is threatening to quit her job, Hector and Molly have already moved out and Katrina just won't come near the place. To add to the stress, the bank keeps sending representatives to keep an eye on things. Eventually, Archie and Justine have a big, public break up.

How will Golly and Duncan react to being passed over for the job of Head Ranger? Even Archie isn't sure that appointing dashing Irishman Fergal Mac Lure is a good idea. He has the right qualifications and determination but not only, will it upset the household, Katrina seems to have taken a real shine to the new guy and Archie can't help but worry.

While Hector has to go to an old flame for help with a rejected grant application, Golly and Fergal are locking horns in a power struggle over the estate. Poor Duncan finds himself stuck in the middle again as the two mean battle for his loyalty.

Hector decides to marry Archie off and invites a host of possible brides to the estate. Meanwhile Molly is organising Archie's surprise 30th birthday party. Archie has his own problems what with a cantankerous former tenant causing trouble and the revelation that Katrina and Fergal are more than just good friends.

While Archie attempts to turn a derelict Crofters cottage into a proper tourist attraction, Molly finds her gambling addiction has landed her in trouble with a Glasgow gangster who arrives on the estate expecting his I.O.U.'s to be paid in full.

Lexie's estranged mother Pamela appears on the scene wanting to wed her millionaire boyfriend on the estate in a lavish ceremony. Her plans of mother daughter reconciliation don't go quite to plan as Lexie makes it clear that the past is not so easily put behind them. Archie is stuck in the middle trying to please both sides while Katrina is told that the local education authority plan to close her school. But Fergal is planning to leave Glenbogle for a new job in new Zealand and asks her to go with him.

Lizzie arrives at Glenbogle, heavily pregnant and abandoned by the baby's married father. She wants comfort and support but finds her father disappointed and disapproving. Lizzie plants doubts in Katrina's mind about leaving with Fergal to start a new life and as Archie battles to reconcile Lizzie and Hector before the baby is born, Katrina has some serious thinking to do.

Just as Archie finally seems to have got Glenbogle back to it's feet as a fully functioning tourist attraction, a rich businessman from Atlanta USA, Joe MacDonald, makes a legitimate claim to the lands and title. Archie has to invoke the Chieftan's Challenge and battle Joe for the right to be Laird. Lexie has always had her eye on Archie and when Katrina leaves she plans her move. However Katrina returns to the estate, minus Fergal, and sees she has still got a fight on her hands if she really wants Archie back.

The bank sends a manager to oversee the daily running of the new business at Glenbogle and Archie soon discovers that Stella Moon is no push over. After everything they've been through Katrina announces her decision to take a job in London and she and Archie reluctantly agree to part. Meanwhile Hector and Kilwillie stand against each other to take over as new chairman of the golf club.

Stella implements a series of money saving cut backs which include laying off Golly, Duncan and Lexie until further notice, cutting back on amenities and even getting rid of Hectors dogs. Archie will only go along with her so far and eventually ends up going on strike with his friends until Stella agrees to an amicable compromise.

Stella puts a ban on anyone fishing in the Glenbogle river who doesn't pay. Hector and Killwillie are not impressed and defy her rule. They are arrested and find themselves in a cell next to Golly who Stella has reported fro poaching. Of coarse the whole thing is a huge misunderstanding and Molly defends the Glenbogle Three in court where the truth eventually comes out.

Building supplier Stuart McIntosh arrives to repair the bridge and immediately starts flirting with Lexie. He has some big ideas for some of the derelict cottages on the estate but Archie pulls out of a deal when he realises that Stuart is not very trustworthy. Stuart however manages to wrangle a deal out of Hector behind everyone's back much to Archie and Stella's chagrin. In the meantime Golly has made a painful reunion with his daughter Jessica. She believed he had abandoned her but discovers that he tried to maintain contact but all his gifts to her were returned by her mother unopened.

With the bridge repaired, Archie plans an elaborate opening ceremony. He is horrified to learn that the council have approved Stuart McIntosh's proposal to turn Ben Bogle into a holiday village. Molly enlists Duncan's help to prove that the proposed site is actually a place of historical interest but they must work against the clock if they are going to save the mountain. All Stuart's plans are scuppered when Duncan finds a secret passage full of artefacts and Lexie discovers that Stuart made a pass at Stella.

Archie invites a journalist to visit and write an article on Glenbogle. Graham, however turns out to be Stella's embittered ex and he writes a scathing review that will finish the estate for good. While Duncan kidnaps a coach load of tourists and brings them to Glenbogle , Lexie and Archie break into Grahams computer and emails a new and improved article to his editor. Duncan's tourists have a fantastic time fortunately and Glenbogle becomes an official stop off place on the tour.