After a busy working week, what could be more relaxing than spending a weekend chilling out in your own private cottage, complete with hot tub, deep in the beautiful Perthshire countryside?
If you’re struggling for an answer, I don’t blame you. As relaxing breaks go, our visit to Oak Cottage, on the banks of Loch Tay, would take some beating.
We arrived in the dead of night – well, OK, it was just after 8pm – but the darkness had well and truly descended by the time my wife and I reached our weekend retreat, the inky blackness hiding the stunning views that would greet us the next morning. By the light of our mobile phones, we crept into the cottage, feeling a bit like a pair of rather inept burglars, before finally finding the light switch.
Oak Cottage is a newly refurbished log cabin, with a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining area and two spacious and modern double en suite bedrooms: just as well, as we were joined for our weekend break by my brother-in-law, his wife and their young daughter.
In no time at all, we had kicked off our shoes, stowed our weekend provisions away and were relaxing on the comfy sofas, as the wee one busied herself with a giant box of toys that had kindly been left for visitors.
A guest-book on the coffee table proved a fascinating insight into the sort of people who had stayed there before us, families from as far afield as Germany and France, and even a couple on honeymoon from Australia. All had left glowing reviews, commenting on the tranquil setting and stunning views.
The next morning, after a peaceful sleep in our luxurious rooms, those stunning views were finally revealed. Loch Tay and the surrounding meadows stretched out before us, an idyllic scene of which you could never tire.
After breakfast, we all headed out to explore nearby Kenmore, a pretty village we had driven through the previous night and felt deserved a much closer look.
Situated at the northern end of Loch Tay, Kenmore is a bit of a hotspot for activities on and around the loch, from canoeing and waterski-ing to sailing and fishing.
A leisurely wander around the village soon had my wife convinced that we should sell up immediately and move there. I had to agree, although I fear my daily commute to the P&J’s Aberdeen offices could soon become ruinously expensive.
My brother-in-law and I decided it was high time for some liquid refreshment, so, as the sun had come out, the girls went for a wander down to the loch while we made a beeline for the large pub in the main square. We weren’t a moment too soon: as we sat down in the sun with our pints, there was a thunderous roar as a steady stream of petrolheads descended on the quiet village.
Luckily, rather than being a bunch of teenagers in badly modified hatchbacks, the petrolheads in question turned out to be an affable bunch of Germans driving mainly Austin Healeys, although one pair did rock up in a fantastic old Ford Escort van, exhaust barking and brakes smoking: “We found a short cut,” laughed the driver with a twinkle in his eye.
It seems the drivers were taking part in some sort of organised around-Scotland tour, and the village square was soon full of rumbling engines and jovial banter. It was quite a sight, and certainly not something we expected to see in a scenic Perthshire village, but I had to admire their choice of route.
Back at the cottage, we did a bit of exploring before the temptation to try out the hot tub got the better of us.
Despite being blessed with an uncanny ability to sink like a stone in anything deeper than a paddling pool, even I couldn’t deny that the hot tub took the relaxation factor to a whole new level.
There is something very calming about lounging in the warm, gently bubbling water, while dark clouds creep menacingly over the distant mountains and spots of cold rain begin to fall on your head. Hot-tubbing Scottish style – it’s certainly not an experience you forget in a hurry.
And that’s something that can be said of the whole weekend. Yes, there are myriad walks, activities and places of interest to visit in the surrounding area, but if all you want to do is relax and unwind, I can think of no better place to do it than in accommodation of the standard of Oak Cottage amid the awe-inspiring scenery of Loch Tay.