Kevin Costner's Aspen ranch is as perfect a place as you could imagine to bring up a child.
Nestled in the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, the estate is 165 acres of rolling countryside populated by elk, deer, and bear. “I’ve got the best view in the world,” says the actor. Pictures of the Dancing With Wolves star and his two–year-old son, one of two boys with second wife Christine Baumgartener, strolling hand-in-hand by the river certainly bare out his claim.
Toddler Cayden is in his element as he scrambles barefoot over rocks and throws twigs into the water. Hollywood heart-throb Kevin loves the estate so much he chose it as the location for his fairytale nuptials with the little boy's mother nearly five years ago. The ranch is also where the father of six indulges the other passion in his life apart from films and family – rock music.
Practice sessions with Modern West, the band he started five years ago, are held here and this weekend he played a packed-out gig at Aspen's Belly Up venue, the first concert of a nationwide tour, promoting their album Untold Truths. The 54-year-old plucked up the courage to share his musical talents with fans when Christine told him: "Look, this is when you're the happiest."
As he hits the road guitar in hand, there's no doubt that she was onto something.
