This Scottish holiday cottage is set in stunning west highland scenery on the Morvern side of Loch Sunart facing a mountain called Beinn Resipol. We rent it to holiday guests from April to the end of October, minimum seven nights and always starting on a Saturday. What it offers is unique: a place where time has stopped.
Sleeping arrangements are flexible. One’s lonely, nine’s a crowd but possible if some of you are small. The cottage is cosy, comfortable and well kept. There’s electricity, a fine bath and separate loo, but little has changed inside and out since the mid-18th century. Iron-coloured water comes from the burn and we drink it happily but we advise guests to use bottled water to be absolutely safe. There’s heat from the kitchen rayburn which is now run on electricity but there’s no central heating. The sitting room has a wood burner but there’s no television. If you want to watch a film, bring a laptop. You may bring a lap-dog or big dog too; also wellies, wet-weather gear, sun cream, midge repellent, bikes, binoculars, buckets and spades – even a light boat that you can carry to the water’s edge.

From 2018 - for guests that have booked after 29 November 2017 (when the regime changed) - guests are no longer required to do their own caretaking. That is to say that the price they pay for the week includes the work put in by Pat who will do the changeovers between guests - laundering the sheets, making beds and cleaning (although that is not a licence to leave the cottage dirty). Formerly, and continuing in 2018 for those who booked before 29 November 2017, the requirement was to bring one's own linen (sheets, pillow cases, duvet covers, towels). Now all you need worry about is your towels.

What else can we tell you? Mobile reception is not particularly good; sometimes you have to walk away from the house and a little up the road before you pick up a signal. However, there is a telephone which also carries fast broadband - a recent concession to modern life. We rent Keepers Cottage in weekly blocks, from Saturday to Saturday - therefore guests leave on the end Saturday usually no later than 10.30 am. One of the owners will normally phone you at least once during the week to see if you are happy and to address any problems you might have. It is a good idea to bring staple foods and provisions although there are two good general stores in Strontian which is about five miles away - useful for topping up. Petrol and diesel are also available in Strontian but the prices make motorway services look cheap! Best not to arrive with an empty tank.