luxury holiday cottages Scotland

luxury holiday cottages Scotland - sleep 2, 4, 4, 4 and 8

Five luxury self catering cottages in Scotland, conveniently located fifteen minutes from Glasgow and Loch Lomond in the scenic Kilpatrick Hills, with stunning views overlooking the River Clyde.

Perched up in the hills in the heart of the countryside overlooking the broad River Clyde to the south and the Campsies to the north, these lovely cottages are in the perfect location for a Scottish self catering holiday. A pleasant fifteen minute drive west from Glasgow brings us up into the peace and quiet of the Kilpatrick Hills where sheep and Highland cattle graze on the farmland around the cottages. The beautifully maintained cottages sit high up facing south, so are bright and sunny and look over green fields and woodland down to the river and way beyond; the hills and moorland behind are a haven for interesting flora and fauna.

I'm impressed by the care that's been taken to make the accommodation just perfect for guests - no need to worry about what to bring as everything we could possibly need is here, even a lovely hamper full of food to start us off - including a mini bottle of malt! The sunny rooms have gorgeous views all round, plenty of space and are furnished in pleasant, neutral colours. A cosy woodstove sits below a lovely oak mantle, the kitchen is neat and smart and quality appliances throughout add a touch of luxury. The large flatscreen TV is excellent for watching films in the evening and the monsoon shower a real treat after a walk in the hills or day out in the city. Bedrooms are bright and attractive with very comfortable beds and great views to wake up to.

This is lovely walking country, with lochs, interesting rock formations and prehistoric sites scattered over the hills nearby. If you manage to exhaust these, it's only a fifteen minute drive to Loch Lomond where there are more lovely walks, a climb up Ben Lomond, or a boat trip - or the Campsie Fells are well worth exploring.

Aside from the high quality of the cottages themselves and the fantastic views, one of the best things about staying here is the variety of activities the location lends itself to. Glasgow is a wonderful city to explore and is so accessible - you can even leave the car here and jump on a train, spend the day enjoying the amazing architecture, shops and galleries and be back at the cottage in the evening to sit by the fire and watch the city lights twinkle on in the far distance.

There are some great cycleways too - along the Forth-Clyde Canal towpath (nice and flat), into Glasgow or up to Loch Lomond for starters - Sustrans produces a map of these routes for just £2. A day trip to Edinburgh is easy - just an hour from Glasgow by train and without stirring far you can visit two distilleries and try out the local lowland malts. Just a couple of miles away is Auchentoshan and a little further off in a lovely spot in the Campsie hills is Glengoyne, one of the distilleries featured in Ken Loach's wonderful film The Angels' Share.