Beach House
This characterful, 2 story villa offers a good standard of accommodation and facilities while still retaining many of the original Victorian features.
Just yards from your front door you are on the shores of this scenic, tidal sea loch. Perfect for fishing, exploring the waters between the rocks with nets and strolling along the quiet loch side road. With views north towards Lochgoilhead, south to the entrance from Loch Long and mountains all around, this is a scenic and peaceful place to stay.
Ground floor
Entry from the roomy, off-road parking area to the rear of the house with space for 3 or 4 cars, is via the back door, leading into a porch area. Carry on into the house to the spacious hallway where you will find a WC cloakroom and a broad, dramatic staircase. The drawing room is at the front of the house with a magnificent bay window giving you a full sweep of the ever changing panorama. This is the place to relax and socialise – with a baby grand piano, you can even enjoy live music if anyone in the party plays!
At the rear of the ground floor is a TV/games room with a 32″ TV, DVD, iPod docking station as well as a selection of board games, plus mountain and loch views for added distraction. There is a single bed in the room to sleep a 9th guest. Please be aware that if you are a larger party the TV room has limited seating. It is ideal for some of your party to have a quiet room to watch TV. There is no TV in the main lounge.
Across the hall is a separate dining room with a table for up to 8 guests, who can also feast their eyes on the view of the loch and the 14th century castle through another huge window.
The modern kitchen is behind the dining room and is fitted with all the appliances, crockery and utensils you will need for a self-catering holiday – it also has views across fields to the farmstead behind and up onto the mountainside rising beyond to distract you from the washing up!
First floor
Large landing and four spacious bedrooms to sleep 8 (9th guest is in the ground floor TV room)
Bedroom 1: 4-poster bed, loch view, en-suite shower and WC.
Bedroom 2: double bed, loch view, en-suite bath with shower over bath and WC.
Bedroom 3: sleigh style double bed plus single bed, mountain and loch views.
Bedroom 4: twin bedroom
Family bathroom with shower over the bath and WC.
Facilities
WiFi
Central heating throughout
Freesat TV, Hi-Fi and Docking Station
Fridge, freezer, microwave, 4 hob cooker, oven, dishwasher, cafetière x 2, washer/dryer
Linen and towels included – beds made up for your arrival
Piano in the lounge
Iron and ironing board
Cot and highchair available
No smoking property
Off road hard standing to park 3-4 cars
Games & books
Starter pack of tea bags, coffee and sugar sachets. A toilet roll in each bathroom, hand soap, washing up liquid, sponge and 5 dishwasher tablets
Pet
One well behaved dog is welcome. Please be aware that your dog is not allowed upstairs in the house. £30 per stay.
Outside space
Beach House has a raised patio area at the front of the house with a viewing bench and steps down to a lower lawn, which finishes just yards from the bank across the lane with further steps down to the high tide mark. There is a grassy area to the rear beyond the parking area, with extensive open views to the surrounding mountains, in the middle of which the house nestles as if in a bowl of green and purple peaks.
Straight out of the front door, there are low level coastal walks along the side of the loch round to the next villages in each direction; mid level forest walks across the face of the mountains; and high level peak walks over the tops – not for the unprepared or the inexperienced at this level though.
And bring your binoculars! Depending on the time of year the gannets put on a marvelous display diving for fish, and you can look out for seals, which are common. The oyster catchers are great fun running frantically around on the foreshore, stopping to thrust their long, bright red beaks into the ground; the hooded crows are fascinating as they fly up with shellfish and drop them onto the road and the rocks to break them open; deer are regular visitors to the shoreline in search of seaweed; and a rare red squirrel has recently been seen scampering along a bridge parapet barely 50 yards from the house.
Porpoises are also regular visitors to the bay and in the last two years there have even been sightings of what are believed to have been minke whale. No matter what, you're in a perfect spot to look out for all of them with easy access to the shoreline, the woods and the mountains.
We have to admit that the beach is not golden, tropical sand but primarily pebble and shingle, although there are sizeable areas of sand exposed as the tide retreats. However, the nooks and crannies among the rocks and the clarity of the water make for fascinating exploration territory as you paddle along the waterline, following
