brae

You could pick this cabin up, put it in the Rockies and it would look right at home. The big porch and Adirondack chairs have a real frontier feel to them, but there are a couple of less traditional touches too. First is the outdoor bath, covered by the porch but open to endless sea views. Then there’s the “backwards” chimney, which has the fireplace on the outside and makes a wonderful spot to end your day. Inside there’s a wood burner, kitchen with induction hobs, leather sofa and the king-sized bed on the mezzanine, with the sight of the sea following you everywhere you go. There’s no wi-fi and little phone signal, but for cosy nights in, there’s a dvd player and a selection of movies in the trunk. The en suite shower and loo are to the back of the cabin and out the back door there’s a path through the trees to where you’ll park. The parking area is shared with two other cabins, Baron and Bennan, but the thick forest makes each one perfectly secluded.  

When you’re not in the rocking chairs or the bath, the beauty of Ayrshire is yours to explore. There are ancient ruins down on the shore and the coastal path runs near the cabins to carry you off on stunningly scenic hikes. A slightly shorter walk down to the harbour at the foot of the hill takes you to The Anchorage, an old local that serves good pub food and a decent pint, although do remember that you need to get back up the hill. If you’d rather stop looking at the sea and get out on it, there are kayak tours and boat trips over to Arran for peaceful paddles, wildlife watching and distillery visits. The bath will still be there when you get back.