Emerald Cottage Burghead

Emerald Cottage is in Burghead, on the Moray Firth coast. It's a three bedroom place that sleeps six. The main thing is the view. You look right out over the bay from the front.

It's got a 4 Star rating. It's nicely done, comfortable, and well equipped. There are two bathrooms, which is handy with six people. One is on the ground floor next to a double bedroom.

The stairs are fine, nothing unusual. Upstairs, the main bedroom and the twin room both have those views over the water. You can sometimes see dolphins from the bathroom window.

The garden is enclosed, which is good if you bring a dog. We take one pet. There's a garage out the back with space for bikes or wetsuits, and a washing machine and a freezer in there.

Burghead itself is a fishing village. You can walk to the harbour in a couple of minutes. There's a coastal path to Hopeman one way, and miles of sand towards Findhorn the other. The site of an old Pictish fort is just up the hill.

Within about half an hour's drive you've got Elgin, which has shops and the cathedral ruins. For whisky, the Speyside distilleries like Glenfiddich and The Macallan aren't far. There are a lot of golf courses around here, like Lossiemouth and Moray.

If you want to go further, the Cairngorms National Park is about an hour south. Aviemore is there for walking or cycling.

Facilities: everything in the list is there and works. Wood burner, dishwasher, WiFi, washing machine, cot and highchair. Bedding and towels are included.

Useful links for planning: Cairngorms National Park and Historic Environment Scotland.