River View

River View is a three-bedroom cottage sleeping seven in the conservation village of Barr, with direct access to the riverbank from its enclosed garden. The ground floor holds a living and dining space with French doors onto decking, a kitchen equipped for proper cooking, a kingsize bedroom also opening to the deck, and a shower room. Upstairs, one bedroom contains a zip-and-link kingsize (or two singles), another a double bed. A hot tub for six sits on the decked garden area, with barbecue and furniture included. The essentials—heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and wifi—are covered, along with travel cot, highchair and stairgate if needed. One dog can stay free.

The location works for walkers: numerous trails of varying difficulty fan out across the countryside, and the wider Ayrshire Coastal Path runs 100 miles along the shoreline with views to Arran. Cyclists will find the Ayrshire Alps cycle route challenging and scenic. Girvan lies 15 minutes' drive away with leisure facilities including a swimming pool, boat trips to Ailsa Craig, and access to castles dotted across the area—Dunure, Turnberry and Greenan among them. The region has literary significance too, with connections to Robert Burns and locations from his work. No smoking indoors.