Crovie

Crovie is one of Europe's finest surviving fishing villages, a thin ribbon of stone cottages clinging to the clifftop above the sea. Crovie occupies a spot near the village's end, a former fisherman's home with character intact. The property sleeps four across two bedrooms—a double on the first floor and two singles downstairs—with one bathroom and a separate living space. From the rear garden, which is raised and tiered across two levels, you look out towards the headlands and occasionally spot dolphins offshore.

The kitchen handles proper cooking with an electric cooker, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. A wood burner in the living room provides extra warmth (fuel is in the shed on an honesty basis). Bed linen, towels, electricity and Wi-Fi are included. There's a freezer in the external shed if you need extra storage. A lawned garden with patio and seating faces the water, and a public car park sits 400 yards away.

Nearby: a pub and restaurant about a mile off, shops two miles distant. The coast here attracts swimmers, golfers and anglers; winter storms bring impressive swells. One dog stays free. Smoking is not permitted.