Hilbre

Hilbre comes ready for a week without trips to the shops. The kitchen has everything for serious cooking—electric oven and hob, dishwasher, American fridge-freezer and microwave—while the living room centres on an open fire with a smart TV. Bed linen, towels, Wi-Fi and heating are included, so you arrive to a ready home. One ensuite has a walk-in shower; the main bathroom holds a spa bath. Three bedrooms sleep six: two doubles and a twin, all on the ground floor.

The property sits in Strachur, overlooking Loch Fyne, with a private hot tub on a patio that seats the whole group. A shop, post office and café are across the road; the local pub a short walk away. This part of Argyll—the Secret Coast—draws people for kayaking, paddleboarding, wild swimming and fishing straight from the shoreline, plus woodland walks and ruined castles inland. Nearby Ardkinglas, Crarae and Benmore Botanic Gardens are worth a day trip, as is the ferry to Bute and Mount Stuart House. One pet stays free; smoking is not permitted.