Islands always have a special appeal - the only problem is that they can sometimes be quite complicated and expensive to reach. This is certainly not the case with Cumbrae, however. In the Firth Clyde, between Ayrshire and Bute, it is less than an hour from Glasgow and accessed by a ten minute ferry ride from Largs, with no booking necessary.
There is only one real settlement on Cumbrae, the 'capital', Millport, well known for its award winning sandy beaches and which has been described as a perfectly preserved Victorian town. The bus meets the ferry and takes you down to the village, so this is also somewhere which can easily be reached entirely by public transport.
If the idea of a traditional family seaside holiday appeals, then Millport is for you, and for ideal holiday accommodation, just a minute or so from the seafront, you cannot do better than Millhaven. Tucked away up a quiet lane, this newly built semi-detached house is light and airy and has been beautifully furnished and appointed by its proud owners, with an integral small garage for parking and for storing bikes, canoes and whatever sports equipment you feel like bringing with you.
Millhaven operates on the 'upside down' principal, with a bathroom and two good bedrooms downstairs, the double opening on to a tiny patio. Upstairs, there is a lovely open plan living area with wood burner and access to two further decking areas, so that you can follow the sun round through the day. On this level there is also an additional shower room.
While there is no garden as such, with the award-winning beach at the end of the lane and the decking areas round the house, this is hardly a problem. Millport has a good range of typical little shops, cafes, hotel and pubs. It does not have casinos, night clubs and kiss-me-quick funfairs. Some indeed may find it a trip down memory lane, bringing back reminiscences of idyllic bucket-and-spade holidays in their childhood.
A quiet little road runs the 10 miles round the island and as it is quite flat, the preferred mode of transport is the bicycle. There are several places to hire these, if you don't want to bring your own, and a favourite activity for visitors is to have a family bike ride round the island, perhaps stopping occasionally for a swim, or to watch the seals on the rocks. There is even a strategically placed tea room for refreshment. Bird watching is another popular pastime on the island.
Cumbrae has a sailing school, and an excellent golf course. However, if you do want to wander further afield, the ferry shuttles back and forth all day and you can soon be in Largs, sampling the legendary ice-cream at Nardini's, heading off to Turnberry, Troon or even island hopping to Arran.
Bed linen and towels, £10 of electricity and £15 of gas central heating and one basket of logs are INCLUDED. Sorry, pets are not accepted and smoking is not permitted in the property.
