The Cottage At Cauldcoats Blackness

The Cottage at Cauldcoats is in Blackness, in West Lothian. It used to be a stable. It sleeps four, with two bedrooms and one bathroom. It’s got a 3 Star rating. It is what it is: clean and comfortable, not luxurious.

You drive down a farm track to get there. It feels very quiet, like you're in the middle of nowhere. The weird thing is you can see the M9 from the kitchen window. You're less than a mile from the motorway junction, which is handy for getting about. Linlithgow is two miles away for shops.

The front door opens straight into a small hallway. Watch your step: there are three shallow steps down into the main living area. The ceiling is high with skylights, so it's bright. The main doors are those half stable doors. You can open the top half on a nice day.

There's a patio area outside with a table and chairs. You sit there with a drink and just hear fields.

Blackness Castle is about a mile down the road, right on the Firth of Forth. It's a proper fort on the water. There's a bit of a beach there for a walk. The local pub is about a mile away in that direction too.

For a bigger day out, you're well placed. Linlithgow Palace is close. Edinburgh is about a 25 minute drive without traffic. The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel are about 20 minutes away. Stirling Castle is maybe 40 minutes.

Facilities: It has a washing machine, WiFi, a TV. Bedding and towels are included. There's a cot and a highchair if you need them. Parking is right outside. No pets.

Useful links: Historic Environment Scotland for the castles, and Visit Scotland for general ideas.