Sitting high on a hilltop overlooking Lauderdale, this cottage escape is in the blissfully quiet lowland countryside. Stepping outside, you’ll hear is the faint bleat of sheep from the farm nearby and cheep of birds in the ancient trees surrounding the cottage. Once a shepherd’s cottage, the old stone walls whisper of history, but inside it’s been restored to cosy modernity. A living room in rich forest green invites you to leave your wellies by the door and put your feet up at the end of the day. The country-style kitchen has everything you need to cook yourself, and there’s a restaurant at Carfraemill Hotel, a three-minute drive or twenty-minute walk away. The idyllic village of Lauder is an eight-minute drive away where you’ll find local galleries, coffee shops and a village deli, or make the forty-minute drive to Edinburgh for a day in the city.

Home truths:
*You’ll want a car to explore further afield – there’s off-road parking provided
*The cottage next door shares a connecting door, and both can be rented together for larger groups
*This cottage is one of four on the farm, so you may see other guests on the tennis courts or walking around
*One to two dogs are welcome to join you with prior permission – dogs are not allowed upstairs or on the furniture
*Although this cottage is dog-friendly, the garden is not enclosed
*The hosts are happy to provide a travel cot, high chair, children's dinnerware or an additional camp bed on request
*The shower height is not very adjustable
*While there's no separate desk, you can work on a laptop at the dining table