Cruary

Applecross sits on a remote peninsula where mountains meet the sea, and Cruary occupies one of the area's finest positions—directly overlooking two miles of sand with the Isle of Skye visible across the water. The cottage itself is an 18th-century shepherd's building that has been extended and renovated to provide comfortable modern accommodation while retaining its character. You get the whole place to yourselves, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, sleeping up to four people. There's a garden for sitting out, and both the bedrooms and conservatory face the bay.

The ground floor contains a living room with a wood burner, a second sitting room, a kitchen equipped for cooking proper meals, and the conservatory with its sea views. Upstairs, the first bedroom is a double; the second is a zip-and-link bed. Wifi, electricity, bed linen and towels are all provided. Applecross village itself has a couple of restaurants—one of them specialises in fresh seafood—plus a post office and shop. The surrounding landscape is dramatic: to the north lie the mountains Liathach and Beinn Eighe, managed by the National Trust, with visitor facilities at Torridon and Kinlochewe explaining the geology and wildlife. The area supports golden eagles, sea eagles, wildcats, pine martens and deer. Hill-walking, climbing, kayaking and cycling all start from your door, and fishing and golf are within reach by car. Dogs are welcome; smoking is not.