The cottage’s garden backs onto Tarbert Golf Course, right by the 1st hole, with friendly local players who greet you as they pass. You can try the 9-hole course out for yourself as there is a ‘pay and play’ system for visitors and even if you don’t play you can always enjoy a scenic walk around the picturesque course.

The West Loch Hotel is in easy walking distance and serves excellent meals, a particular favourite being its locally renowned traditional Sunday lunches. A bit further afield, but very much worth the journey, is the award winning Kilberry Inn (13 miles) that offers a fine dining experience and the unusual ‘Wee Bar’ outside, a converted red telephone box that is said to be the smallest bar in Scotland!

There are a couple of small supermarkets and grocery shops in Tarbert just over a mile away, but Lochgilphead (13.5 miles) is the best place to stock up on supermarket supplies. Tarbert also has a range of different restaurants and lots of little shops that line the harbour, where fresh seafood is available. Ferries run from the harbour over to Portavadie on the Cowal peninsula where there are indoor swimming pools and an amazing outdoor heated infinity pool that looks out over beautiful Loch Fyne.

During the summer months you can take a day trip by ferry from Claonaig (10 miles) over to Lochranza on the Isle of Arran (crossing takes 30 mins), or in winter the service runs from Tarbert (crossing takes about 1 ½ hours). Arran has lots of beautiful sandy beaches and is a mecca for watersports with canoeing, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing to try out. There is plenty to keep walkers and climbers happy with Corbetts to tackle and the chance to try to conquer Goatfell, the highest peak on the island at over 2,800 feet.

Just along the road from Claonaig is Skipness Castle (12.5 miles) where there is a lovely walk that leads out to the castle and then on to the long sandy beach at Skipness Point beyond.