The Old House - Self-catering in Argyll & Bute

An extremely comfortable home for a family holiday, or a secret hideaway for two. You feel miles from anywhere (and the night skies are gloriously unpolluted), yet the train from London chugs into the local village. The former sporting lodge has been renovated from top to toe with sensitivity and along green lines with solar panels and a micro hydro powerhouse. On the ground floor is a golden yellow sitting room with a wood-burning stove and a railway-sleeper mantelpiece, and the four-poster bedroom is next door – along with a utility room and a Belfast sink for washing the day's catch; the 'wet room' is so large the whole family could scrub up at once. Upstairs are two light and pleasingly simple twin rooms with valley views. Leave the car behind – delightful Erica or John can pick you up from the village station – and hike to your heart's content. You are spoilt for choice – walk up the hill on the other side of the river for magical woodlands, or climb 2,500 feet up Ben Udlaidh for views to the islands. The pretty garden slopes towards the river, and you can relax on the decking.