Travel: Kirnan House, Argyll

This guest house with cottages stands in 26 acres of formal gardens, currently being restored following an overhaul of the house by owners Ross and Diana Appleyard. The three bedrooms in the house are charmingly and tastefully decorated with pieces of antique furniture carefully arranged with more modern amenities, such as Jacuzzis in the en-suite bathrooms. The estate is 500 acres, with forest in which deer, pine martens and red squirrels lurk, and there are six miles of river with 32 pools that can only be fished on by Kirnan guests at a unbelievably reasonable £20 per day.

WINING AND DINING? This is where Ross comes into his own. Guests have the opportunity to dine in the house with a meal for £30 (which includes an aperitif but as there is no license guests have to remember to stop in Lochgilphead to pick up some wine). The food is quite simply exquisite: four courses lovingly prepared using produce from the estate and the local area. Ross bakes his own bread and the egg I had for breakfast had been laid less than half an hour before I ate it. With a huge vegetable plot and various examples of farmlife, the Appleyards hope to soon be virtually self-sufficient. I also reckon there aren’t many places between the Ritz and Kirnan where the food is served on Royal Doulton plates.

ROOM SERVICE? The beds are so comfortable, that was the last thought I had before falling into a deep sleep, uninterrupted by the cock crowing outside. There is fresh coffee and tea provided in the rooms as well as a television and free wifi, although there is no phone signal – which is a plus when you want to escape from the rat race.

WORTH GETTING OUT OF BED FOR? As hard as it is to get out of these beds, it’s worth it to wander round the gardens and admire the views. On the way you will meet the hens, ducks, sheep, friendly pigs and even the llama. In salmon season there have been some bumper catches in the stretch of river on the estate, with fish averaging around 20lb. If lack of rain (which rarely happens up this way, to be honest) means the salmon are keeping their counsel, trips out to sea can be arranged and sea trout are aplenty. Ross can also arrange either deer stalking or watching trips on the hills.

LITTLE EXTRAS? The best entertainment I have seen for a while is the mad drake that attacks the five dogs. At regular intervals there are chickens and ducklings to coo over, and in spring the rhododendrons are  a riot of colour.

BUDGET OR BOUTIQUE? While you can probably find places to stay in this area that are cheaper, it is unlikely that they are so well presented. Sitting in front of the fire in the wood-panelled sitting room, nursing a Botanics (Ross’s favourite) gin and tonic before supper, it’s easy to dream of being a Highland laird.

GUESTBOOK COMMENTS? With a host who puts his heart and soul into ensuring you enjoy your stay and is fanatical about the surrounding area, this is the sort of break where you can forget the daily grind.

B&B from £80 per room per night, Kirnan House, Bridgend, Argyll

(01546 600320,  www.kirnancottages.com)