Cool Getaway in Appin

300 year old cottage renovated to blend 21st century luxuries with original features. Perfect for hiking or skiing the mountains, kayaking to the seal colony or cycling, walking or horse-riding along The Caledonia Way/National Cycle Network. The perfect base from which to explore Glencoe, Ben Nevis and Oban.

The cottage is over 300 years old and one of the oldest in the village. It has just been renovated to blend original features such as beams in the living room with modern luxuries such as a Bluetooth speaker for your MP3/iPhone/iPad music/radio, TV and DVD player.

The living room is perfect place to unwind after your day's activities. A large corner sofa sits in front of the log fire stove. Stoke up a roaring fire with the complementary logs and firelighters (there is enough for a couple of nights). The cottage is perfect for a couple but can accommodate up to four people, the corner sofa converting easily into a large double bed.

The Neptune kitchen includes a full sized larder with place settings for up to four people and the all important wine rack to store your wine for your stay. There is a Nespresso machine with some coffee capsules, with tea, coffee, milk and sugar left for you to use. There is a slimline dishwasher also installed with capsules left for you or washing up liquid available from the dispenser if you prefer to wash up by hand.

The bathroom features a walk-in slate tiled shower and Neptune sink unit while there is also a washing machine and small clothes airer should you need them. Towels are available and there are toiletries (body wash/shampoo, conditioner and hand soap) left for your use during your stay.

The bedroom is a cosy haven of tranquility. A large kingsize bed awaits with feather down duvets and pillows dressed in relaxed linen bed linen.

Extra bedding and towels are available to those who book in as more than two guests.

A travel cot and mattress are available on request. Bedding for the travel cot is not provided.

There is a welcome pack available through this listing around 48 hours before arrival - this provides you with all the useful information about the local area to make your stay in Rose Cottage as full as possible. In it you will find lots of information about what's on, when and where, places to eat and activities you can do as well as all the useful information such as banks, pharmacies and filling stations (important considering the cottage is in a very rural community!).

Please note that the cottage is in a rural community, not a remote one. This means that by day, you will hear the normal sounds of farm machine and general traffic. By night, though, the skies are dark (no street lights) and the place is quiet.

The whole cottage is for your sole use. There is parking available for one car by the west gable of the cottage.

I am not present on site or in the area but you may call me if you have any issues and I will co-ordinate with the local housekeeper should there be any issues that arise during your stay.

Steeped in the history of the Appin Stewarts and nearby Castle Stalker, Robert Louis Stevenson based his novels Catriona and Kidnapped on the story of the murder of The Red Fox of Glen Ure in the Appin area. Built in 1320 it sits in the loch watching over the local residents.

The cottage faces Loch Laich and just a five stroll from the front door will get you to the sea and to the Caledonia Way (part of the National Cycle Network) where you can walk or cycle to Campbeltown in one direction and Inverness in the other. Take a sea trip out of Oban to view whales, seals and dolphins (in season) or just enjoy a big bag of fresh, locally caught fish and chips in the harbour of Oban or sitting on the beach at Ganavan sands.

The charming Old Inn is open daily for food and drinks and is located just 800 meters from the cottage - a perfect place to unwind in front of the fire and chat away to the locals who are warm and welcoming to all.

If your aching body needs help after a full day - why not take advantage of the discount available to you for a local therapist to give you a massage in the comfort of the cottage.

Fort William with its skiing, mountain biking and hiking are a 45 minute drive from the cottage while Oban is accessed by car in 25 minutes. From here you can take ferries to all the other islands such as Jura or Mull.

Highland Games, hiking challenges, motor rally, the world cup stone skimming championships - these are just some of the local events on during 2016. More information on what's on, where and when is in the cottage welcome pack waiting for you on arrival (and can be emailed to you in advance if you wish to plan your trip in advance).

Having a car to get here and to get about is essential. The nearest shop for supplies is 3 miles away at Port Appin - it is open during daylight hours. Outside of this time the closest shop is 10 miles away at Benderloch (known as the pink shop) and is open late every evening. There is a large Tesco supermarket in Oban with regular Tesco hours during the week and at weekends.

It is always possible to ditch the car when you get there - there is a private electric bike hire company about 400 meters along the road from the cottage or else you can rent a normal bicycle in Port Appin.

The cottage is perfect for two but is fully equipped for four. The kitchen is small so if you are a party of four planning on an extended stay of more than a couple of days (and planning to do a lot of cooking at home) then the cottage may not be ideal for your needs.

There is a small outside space to the rear of the cottage that is hard landscaped and enclosed.

The cottage sits on the only road between Oban and Fort William and children should be supervised at all times if visiting with you as the road can get busy and there can be through traffic during working hours.