Gatehouse, Bridge of Balgie, Glenlyon

Our own mini castle for a few days

There is a lot of steps

This must be one of the most special holiday homes I've ever stayed in. Fortunately, I didn't look in so much detail at the photos when booking, so that the impact of arrival was maximised: it was just breathtaking to go through the main gate and suddenly see that the gatehouse is perched above a set of rapids. It took a little time to figure out how to access the secret door onto the rooftop terrace, but sitting there in the sun with a glass of wine after a day's walking was perfection. Character like this completely overcomes any tiny niggles, such as the need to go (carefully) down steep stairs to reach the toilet. Going to sleep every night to the sound of the river was bliss. And Glen Lyon is such a great setting: incredibly quiet and off the beaten track. You can walk from the Ben Lawers car park and see lots of people if you choose, but if you go up the glen to Loch an Daimh, you can climb fine Munros and hardly see anyone. The Meggernie estate has done a good job establishing paths with waymarks near to the gatehouse, so there are less demanding options if energy or poor weather dictate a shorter walk. And did I mention seeing red squirrels playing every day? The place is just a paradise, and we felt lucky to be there.

I wish I'd booked for longer.

Location, views, very comfortable home from home

Cold draft through the front door.

The location was really inspiring, situated high above the river, we were able to watch the birds and red squirrels through a large picture window.