holiday cottage by the beach Scotland

holiday cottage by the beach Scotland - sleeps 5

Owl Cote holiday cottage by the beach near Gatehouse of Fleet, with lovely sea view.

Owl Cote could not be better placed for a Scottish beach holiday - it sits only a stone's throw from Carrick shore, a quiet sandy beach with a view. Vicky set her heart on the cottage when she noticed the For Sale sign during a stroll along the shore and wasted no time in setting the wheels in motion to turn it into a very special holiday home. It really is a home too, since Vicky and her friends and family like to come and stay here when they can and little personal touches in the decor and furnishings make guests feel extra welcome.

The cottage has been converted with the view in mind, so the living rooms are upstairs and the gable end, facing the sea, has been opened up with full length windows, so that you can sit here (or on the balcony that opens off it) in comfort and drink it all in. The muted colours in the living room are relaxing, echoing the colours of the beach and sea beyond and the wood stove keeps the upstairs cosy all year round.

Facing the living room is the airy kitchen, also designed with the view in mind, with specially lowered windows and plenty of room for residents and extra guests to sit and look out over the hills. Interesting design quirks which make the best use of light and space and add to your comfort, greet you throughout as you explore the cottage.

If the weather is good, you can vary where you sit and relax outside – the balcony, the sheltered patio, the garden or the seashore...there's no need to venture very far to enjoy your time here. If you want to stay in, as well as the living room, there is comfortable seating in the bright, pretty entrance hall, which is more of a mini living room than a hall.

There is no shortage of places to visit if you can tear yourself away from the cottage and beach. For those interested in art, Kirkcudbright, Scotland's Artists' Town, is just a few miles down the road and in the other direction, Mill on the Fleet at Gatehouse of Fleet where there is a very good second hand bookshop.

Don't forget to sign the visitors' book when you leave – or rather to write on one of the lovely shells which Vicky has left out for you.

holiday cottage by the beach sleeps 5