Hillview Gateside

Hillview is on our farm just outside Gateside, me and my wife's place. It’s a single-storey place, all on one level, which is handy. We’ve done it up so it’s clean and straightforward, it’s got a 4 Star rating. You get your own bit of garden with a hot tub and a barbecue.

It sleeps four, with two bedrooms and one bathroom. You can bring two dogs. Being a farm, there’s a hose and a sink outside to wash dogs or boots.

The views are over fields, and you’ll see the sheep and the dairy cows. It’s quiet, but you can hear farm noises sometimes.

You’re about a mile from the nearest pub that does food. The shop is two miles away in Dalry. Lochwinnoch is also close, about five miles. They’ve got mountain bike hire there, and Castle Semple Loch is good for a walk or some water sports.

If you want to get to the coast, it’s about a twenty-minute drive. The Ayrshire Coastal Path starts up the coast near Skelmorlie. You’ve got Culzean Castle and its country park about half an hour away. It’s a big estate with beaches and woods. You can book ahead for the castle on the National Trust for Scotland site.

Further out, within about forty minutes, you can get ferries to the islands like Arran or Cumbrae from Ardrossan or Largs. Glasgow is maybe forty-five minutes by car if you fancy a city day.

In the cottage, you’ve got a woodburning stove for the colder nights. There’s a TV, wifi, a washing machine, and a dishwasher. Bedding and towels are included. We’ve put a cot and a highchair there if you need them. There’s also a games room with a pool table in the farm building next door.

For places to visit, VisitScotland's page for Ayrshire & Arran has good ideas.