Staying here you really are in the heart of the countryside. We often wake up to find three roe deer enjoying our sloping lawn (which you look at also from Druim Buidhe). There are breathtaking views. A stream runs down the side of the property, and there is an old bench in a shady spot to sit down next to it or enjoy a paddle in summer. Behind the property you can walk straight onto heather moors with scattered juniper and gorse, and it's a short walk to a small loch nestled in the hills, with views of Loch Ness and of the higher mountains to the West and South-East. Because we are high up and we face south, we also get a surprising amount of sunshine.

If you choose to leave the hillside (you may not want to...), it's only two miles down the hill to the village of Drumnadrochit, with all its amenities, including places to eat and museums where you can find out all you need to know about Loch Ness and its history (including, of course, the monster). Castle Urquhart is a mile further on down the road. The majestic Loch Ness itself is well worth exploring. We are also a wonderful base for hillwalking - it's not far to Glen Affric, Glen Cannich and Glen Strathfarrar, where some of Scotland's most extensive wilderness can be found. And, if you want to escape the countryside for a day, it's only a 25-minute drive into Inverness.