holiday house Portpatrick west coast of Scotland

holiday house Portpatrick Scotland - peaceful family holiday cottage in Galloway - sleeps 8

Spacious self catering cottage near the picturesque fishing village of Portpatrick.

As we travel further and further west, we feel as though we are driving to the edge of beyond and indeed we end up at just about the westernmost point of Galloway where Knockinaam, a splendid new holiday house, sits beside the woods and overlooks Port of Spittal Bay and the Irish Sea. Knockinaam promised to be peaceful (the nearest neighbour is half a mile away) and scenic, but with plenty to amuse the whole family - and it has delivered.

The house is modern and tastefully decorated and the rooms plentiful and spacious too. Four large bedrooms, two sitting rooms and three bathrooms mean that it's easy to cater for extended family of differing ages and the three acres of land surrounding the house and the extensive woodland, full of paths, mean that letting off steam and exploring can happen right on the doorstep while more sedate family members sit and watch the deer graze from the patio! Despite being large, we don't feel we're rattling around as there is a homely, cosy feel to the pace which is enhanced by lighting the fire of an evening.

We've brought bikes and this turns out to be a fantastic week weather-wise for cycling on these lovely, quiet roads. My main aim has been to reach Scotland's southernmost point, the Mull of Galloway which juts out into the sea in a dramatic fashion. Nine tides race around the Mull, stirred up by witches; on a clear day you can see across to Ireland and down to England and best of all, the RSPB reserve provides a home to some wonderful birds - guillemot, razorbill and the clown of all birds, the puffin! These are all in residence at this time of year and the binoculars were invaluable. It can be windy on the top and Gallie Craig Coffee House with its huge windows, is the perfect place to regroup and warm up over steaming hot chocolate while enjoying the amazing view.

Other highlights include the wonderful quiet beaches which are dotted all along the coast - bring a map or ask Elspeth - and seeing an otter, coat dripping as it padded up the road in front of my bike before diving into the undergrowth. There are great places to eat out in Portpatrick, which is only ten minutes away by car - we loved the seafood at Campbell's. Oh and definitely do not miss Logan Botanic Garden, full of exotic plants and blazing with colour.