Oak Cottage

Oak Cottage sits on the Douglas Estate, a 33,000-acre spread of South Lanarkshire countryside. You walk in at ground level to find a living and dining room with a wood-burning stove, a kitchen fitted with the basics for cooking from scratch, and a double bedroom with its own shower room—useful if someone needs an early night or the bathroom upstairs is busy. Stairs lead to two further bedrooms, each with zip-and-link beds that convert to super-king size, and a family bathroom with a bath. Three bathrooms for six guests means mornings needn't be a scramble. Heating and hot water are electric, and the cottage comes with bed linen, towels and wi-fi; you'll find wood for the stove already there.

The setting suits walkers. The Southern Upland Way runs nearby, and paths lead directly from the cottage into woodland. Biggar is two miles away for pubs and food, with its Victorian puppet theatre, museums and sports facilities a short drive. Edinburgh and Glasgow are within reach for a day out. You have parking for two cars on site, and the courtyard garden is shared with other properties on the estate. The property has a natural water supply, and there's a small unfenced stream in the surrounding woodland. No smoking inside.