Our inspector was reluctant to leave: so charming is the conversion and so stunning is the setting. Only the grey stone exterior belies its 19th-century laundry origins; inside all is light and airy in the spacious open-plan kitchen/diner/living room. The vaulted ceiling soars, original and new beams marry well, thick stone walls set off local artworks. This is a friendly comfy space: whip up meals in the modern kitchen, dine at the farmhouse table, unbend on squashy sofas in front of the wood-burner (first basket of logs free), drink in the hilly views. Bedrooms (all on the ground floor) are calm and uncluttered with deep windows framing more long views; contemporary bathrooms sparkle. Outside there’s a terrace for barbecues, a wildflower meadow, and a pond teeming with wildlife (watch small children). Delightful owners – who also let out the farmhouse next door, otherwise you have the place to yourself – leave cake and bubbles in the kitchen; Selkirk is close for supplies. You’re in border country so lovers of outdoor pursuits will be in clover: horse-riding, golf, fishing… biking and hiking from the door too.
What a beautiful cottage in an equally gorgeous setting. Everything about this stay has been perfect: the rooms are airy and light yet still very cosy; the patio is the best place to sit with a morning coffee. And we felt welcomed - Louisa shows how to get it right!