Cottertonbeag

Step into Cottertonbeag and you're immediately in the living spaces: a sitting room with an open fire opens onto a garden via patio doors, while the kitchen-diner and utility room flow along the ground floor. All the bedrooms are also at ground level—one double with an ensuite shower, and three further bedrooms with two single beds each. A family bathroom with bath and shower completes the arrangement. The layout means no stairs to navigate, and everything you need for cooking and laundry is on hand.

The house sleeps eight and comes with bed linen and towels, plus heating and electricity. One well-behaved pet stays free. Parking is on site, and firewood for the open fire is available locally. The large garden gives children and dogs room to move about. A pub and shop are under a mile away on foot.

Nethy Bridge sits deep in Cairngorms National Park, surrounded by woodland and river walks. The area is serious about outdoor life: mountain biking trails, RSPB reserves, golf courses at Nethybridge and Grantown-on-Spey, and access to Loch Morlich for water sports and the ski centre. The funicular railway at the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort takes you up to a restaurant with far-reaching views across the park.