A small sample from the finest selection of Holiday Cottages in Scotland - Scottish Country Cottages.

Located on the edge of Loch Awe, this beautiful detached house enjoys spectacular views over the loch and surrounding countryside. Spacious, comfortable and well furnished and fitted, it has a well maintained garden with a lovely play area for children, and provides a wonderful base for a peaceful family holiday. The area offers great walking and climbing, with salmon and trout fishing a short walk from the garden. Loch Awe itself is a sight to behold; over 25 miles long, it is the longest stretch of fresh water in Scotland and is alive with legend and folklore. Forest paths offer pleasant strolls nearby, and castle ruins to explore in the vicinity include Fraoch Eilean and Kilchurn. Local cycle hire provides a delightful way to explore the region at leisure, with all manner of wildlife to observe en route. Boat trips to the islands of Mull, Jura and Iona are also excellent ways to spend a day, and Oban is within a 30-mile drive for family days out; visit the Sea Life Centre, Rare Breeds Farm Park, Oban Pier and one of Argyll's only cinemas, as well as nearby Dunstaffnage Castle for a journey back in time. There are many Highland games locally throughout the summer. The area has many ancient sites and monuments with the Kilmartin Museum nearby. Pub 4 miles for cosy drinks after a busy day's sightseeing. Pub 3 miles.

"Where eagles soar above crags and creeks - where the sea shimmers like silk against the sunset..."

A handsome and lively Victorian town, Oban is the gateway to the highlands and its rugged landscape of wild heather moors and mountains tumbling into the sea. Beautifully situated on Oban's esplanade, these five apartments enjoy superb views over the bay and their name-sake islands of Kerrera, Mull and Lismore. Each has been decorated and furnished to a high standard with great attention to detail and provides spacious, airy and comfortable accommodation, within convenient walking distance of shops, restaurants and entertainment Highland style!

From Oban's bustling harbour, there are daily boat trips to the surrounding islands, where an abundance of birds and wildlife can be spotted. Iona in particular stands out from the rest; founded by St Columba in AD 563, following his banishment from Ireland, it is a tranquil, reflective island, with a rich history - no fewer than 60 kings lie buried in the graveyard of its abbey. Other interesting places to visit in the vicinity include the castles of Dunollie, Ardmaddy and Dunstaffnage, as well as Torosay and Duart across on Mull - the largest of the Inner Hebridean islands.

For families, there is a Sea Life Centre, World in Miniature and Rare Breeds Park close by, and the annual Argyllshire Gathering, featuring the Highland Games, is sure to be a highlight for young and old throughout the summer season. The Oban Distillery offers an interesting guided tour, with a welcome dram of whisky waiting at the end. Also a must see is McCaig's Folly; built as an imitation of Rome's Colosseum, it is well worth the ten-minute climb to admire the stunning panorama from this, one of the town's chief landmarks. For a day out, Glasgow has many attractions for all the family.

The many museums include the Gallery of Modern Art, the People's Palace and the Transport Museum. More unusual places to visit include the Piping Centre (a national centre for the promotion of the bagpipe), the aromatic and peaceful Garden of St Nicholas and The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour.

For those seeking an outdoor lifestyle, there can be no better choice than this stunning part of the Highlands. Wonderful walking, climbing, sailing and both lake and river fishing can all be enjoyed locally, with sea fishing on the doorstep, and riding, cycle hire and golf also available in the vicinity; and for those visiting during the winter months, there is even skiing from Fort William. All in all, this is an ideal base for enjoying the pleasures of the great outdoors or just savouring the spectacular scenery of the Western Highlands.

Spectacular views over the Firth of Lorne towards the islands of Lismore and Mull can be enjoyed whilst relaxing in this spacious detached house, and exploring the extensive landscaped garden. It lies just 2 miles from the busy harbour town of Oban - where ferries offer popular day trips to Mull and Iona, Islay, Colonsay, Tiree and Lismore. In town, time can be spent admiring the interesting boats and watching inquisitive seals in the bay. A pleasant evening walk can be made from Ganavan to the town centre past the rocky ruins of Dunollie Castle and along the Corran Esplanade. A 5-minute stroll leads to the sandy beach of Ganavan where spectacular sunsets can be seen. A further cliff-top walk to Dunstaffnage Castle, ancient seat of the Clan Campbell is a must. For children, the Rare Breeds Farm Park just outside Oban displays rare but indigenous species of deer, cattle and sheep. There are plenty of attractions in Oban including a good selection of shops and restaurants, as well as the Oban Distillery and McCaig's Tower, a replica of the Coliseum of Rome that overlooks the bay. Oban's Atlantis Leisure Centre is a great facility for the active. The Oban area hosts many events during the season with Highland Games, festivals and West Highland Yachting Week. The Isles of Lismore and Kerrera are not to be missed for walking and cycling enthusiasts. On Lismore, an abundance of wild flowers and birds can be seen, and visits can be made to the cathedral of St Moluag, Tirefour Broch, Castle Coeffin and Sailean - with its disused limekilns and cottages, the ruins of Castle Achadun and Barr Mor, the island's highest point. Take a boat trip to the seal islands or Duart and Torosay Castle on the Isle of Mull, the largest of the Inner Hebrides. On Mull, a pilgrimage to Iona or the fishing village of Tobermory - with its colourful waterfront setting is not to be missed. Enjoy the wonderful west coast of Mull with its stunning coastal scenery, the Cliffs of Burg, the leaf beds of Ardtun and the sandy beaches around Calgary. Ceol-na-Mara makes an excellent base from which to explore the southern Argyll coast, which is steeped in legend and tradition with many picturesque villages. Drive over the Atlantic Bridge to Seil Island and visit Easdale and Luing, with their historic slate quarrying villages. Take a Sea Safari from here to see dolphins, whales and eagles as well as the famous Whirlpool of Corryveckan or discover the ancient past at Kilmartin Glen and museum. Everywhere, visitors can enjoy the splendour of unspoilt countryside with its endless sea and wildlife.

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Enjoying wonderful views over the Holy Loch, this detached, single-storey property with its own garden stands in the village of Strone within the Argyll Forest Park, which is part of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Set within its own grounds, it is beautifully furnished and makes a lovely relaxing holiday base. There is a 9-hole golf course in the village and fishing on the loch nearby. Dunoon (10miles) is a popular holiday resort with many amenities, good sea fishing and ferries to Greenock, from where it is just a short drive to Glasgow. The area boasts a magnificent diversity of scenery, with dramatic peaks, waterfalls, hidden caves and mysterious, forest-covered slopes. Sandy beach 5miles. Pub 10minutes walk.

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Lying just 6 miles from St Andrews and set amidst quiet countryside, this charming, mid 19th-century single-storey cottage enjoys its own garden. Tastefully furnished and equipped to a high standard, it stands alone, boasting views of wooded fields and a small stable yard. Benefiting from a wealth of golfing opportunities (17 courses in the vicinity), Stables Cottage makes an ideal base from which to tour the fishing villages, beaches and cliffs of the East Neuk of Fife. The Scottish Deer Centre and The British Golf Museum accessible. Fishing locally. Inns 2 miles at Ceres.

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Set within a complex of 42 properties in the heart of the Georgian New Town area of Edinburgh, these S.T.B. `4 Star' apartments offer stylish, well-equipped and ideally situated accommodation within a cosmopolitan city. Thoughtfully designed, they each have ample wardrobe space, electric central heating (individually controlled for each room), direct dial telephone with private number and secure parking, with handy extras such as trouser press, hairdryer and security entryphone. The apartments are just a few minutes' walk from Princes Street, the city's main shopping area, which is overlooked by the fairytale Edinburgh Castle. Princes Street Gardens, with the 200ft Scott Monument, roughly divides Edinburgh into two parts - the medieval Old Town, and the New Town, which was built later during the Age of Reason. The Old Town bears testimony to its role as a capital city, and includes the magnificent castle, which commands astounding views over the city from its vantage point atop a rocky mound of volcanic origin. Much history can be gleaned from a tour of the castle, and the Honours of Scotland are to be found in the Crown Room. On display are the sceptre, sword and jewel-encrusted crown, as well as the Stone of Destiny - used as the coronation throne on which all kings of Scotland were crowned.

As the setting for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the castle Esplanade enjoys fine views over the Pentland Hills, and leading down to the chateau-like Palace of Holyrood House, the Royal Mile is made up of four separate streets - Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate. Several places of interest line the route, including the Edinburgh Old Town Weaving Centre, Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, the Outlook Tower (with camera obscura) and the Assembly Hall, home of the Scottish Parliament. Other stopping-off points along the route include Gladstone's Land (where it is possible to take a glimpse back at Edinburgh in the 17th century), and the People's Story Museum. At the end of the Royal Mile, lies Holyrood, Edinburgh's royal quarter, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Park. The five miles or so comprising the Park contain a variety of landscapes - mountains, glens, lochs, moorland and marshes. The extinct volcano of Arthur's Seat is also situated here, and its ascent rewards walkers with views of the city as well as the Firth of Forth, and even as far as the southernmost mountains of the Highlands on a clear day. Standing in contrast to the Old Town, the New Town is laid out in orderly fashion, with crescents, squares, terraces and circuses. As the hub of the city's professional, commercial and business life, it also boasts the National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art. Within the suburbs of the city, the Royal Botanic Gardens (with its exotic Glasshouse Experience), the Zoo and the Royal Observatory are all major attractions, whilst within easy reach is fashionable Leith, the city's medieval port, with the best selection of restaurants, wine bars and coffee shops in Edinburgh. The Royal Yacht Britannia is permanently docked and can be boarded for an insight into how the Royal Family lived aboard this beautiful ship. There is easy access to the A1 and city by-pass, which enables the Borders, Fife coast and Perthshire all to be explored, and from Waverly Station, the city of Glasgow is just a train ride away.

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