self catering Perthshire

luxury cottage by the river in beautiful Glen Lyon, perfect for walking, shooting and fishing

Stunningly dramatic, Glen Lyon is aptly described as Scotland's longest and loveliest glen – it stretches for thirty four tranquil miles from Loch Lyon in the west to Fortingall in the east, enclosed by majestic, steep slopes with the river Lyon running through it.

A tiny, quiet road leads through this beautiful, hidden corner of Scotland to the door of lovely Craigeanie farmhouse, which sits just at the foot of one of the dramatic steep slopes, facing south across the glen and the river Lyon, which snakes gently along the valley. Traditionally built of stone in the Perthshire style, a pretty, uplifting touch of colour has recently been added which aptly gives the place a holiday feel, heightened by the frivolity of the brightly painted gypsy caravan which sits just outside.

The caravan has been the object of some discussion and part of the attraction of the already highly desirable venue. As well as my own two teen aged daughters, we have brought two of their friends with us on holiday this time. Predictably, the novel allure of the gypsy caravan has meant that all four girls would like to try it out, so two will sleep in the caravan and use the downstairs bathroom for the first half of the holiday, while two take the large twin room and the wonderful slipper bath upstairs. Half way through the week there will be a swap over, so we have the best of both worlds and everyone is happy.

It's such a treat to be here in this beautiful, peaceful spot and the house is perfect, with plenty of room for everyone to be together or to do their own thing – the large kitchen dining room is a lovely, bright area for cooking, eating and chatting, while both the living room and sun room are spacious and comfortable, with luxurious furniture, fantastic views and wood burning stoves to make cosy evenings. The south facing aspect means sunshine streaming in all day long – the sun room in particular with its large windows takes full advantage of this and I love to leave the door open through to the patio and relax while people come and go with drinks and snacks and just hang out and chill.

When we are at Craigeanie it is very easy to simply relax and enjoy the unspoilt beauty and tranquillity of the glen. We can head off on a walk straight from the front door and the river is right there, perfect for fly fishing. It's good to explore a little further afield though and here there's plenty of choice to suit everyone. Being a fan of the Arts and Crafts, Fortingall is one of my favourite places in the area, transformed from semi-dereliction into a unique story-book village beginning in the late 19th century. Beside the church with its distinctive windows and gables, beautiful arched ceiling and lovely wrought iron work, stands the Fortingall Yew, believed at 5,000 years old to be the oldest living thing on the planet, a humbling thought.

We are a family of water sports enthusiasts and while I'm enjoying my comparatively sedate day out, the youngsters are trying out the latest white water adrenalin thrill from guess where – New Zealand – river bugging, courtesy of Splash White Water Rafting in Aberfeldy. It sounds great and definitely thrilling and I'm looking forward to hearing about the thrills and spills later when we crack open a nice bottle of wine and watch the light deepen and then fade from our perfect viewpoint on the terrace.

Craigeanie Farmhouse self catering Perthshire sleeps 3