Printmakers Cottage Bellanoch

Printmakers Cottage is in Bellanoch, on the Crinan Canal. It's a converted stone barn attached to the main house, but you've got your own front door and garden. The building is old, Grade II listed. They think the engineers who built the canal lived here.

It sleeps six. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms. One double bedroom and a wet room are on the ground floor, which is good if stairs are a problem. The main living room is double height with beams. Upstairs there's another double, a bunk room, and a bathroom. There's also a little study area up there. It's got a 4 Star rating. The owner is an artist and did the interior, so it's done nicely.

The view is the main thing. It looks straight out over the canal basin, across to the River Add estuary and Loch Crinan. You can see Duntrune Castle on the other side. It's very quiet.

There's a pub and restaurant you can walk to, about a mile and a half along the canal path. The nearest shop is in Lochgilphead, about five miles away. You're right on the canal for walking or cycling. The canal itself is famous, they call it the most beautiful shortcut. You can watch the boats going through the lock.

For a day out, Crinan is at the other end of the canal, about nine miles. Oban is roughly a 30-minute drive. Kilmartin Glen, with all the standing stones and ancient sites, is about 20 minutes away.

Facilities: it has parking, a washing machine, dishwasher, WiFi, and a TV. The garden has patio furniture. Bedding and towels are included. You can bring one dog.

Useful links: National Trust for Scotland - Crinan Canal and Historic Environment Scotland - Kilmartin Glen.