Me said, “Scotland.” He said, “What about it?”  Me said, “Well, we really should go.” He said, “When?  Me said, “I’m thinking soon.”  He said, “Okay. Let me know and I’ll book the air.”  Everything should be that easy.

We had a long holiday weekend coming up, so squeaking in a four night stay despite the prospect of  overseas connecting flights and few hours drive north and back from Edinburgh to Loch Awe didn’t seem out of the question.

It was time worth taking and money well spent. Despite jet lag and driving on the other side of the road, pulling into the gravel drive inspired happy smiles and relaxed sighs. “All things considered, you drove really well,” Me said. “I did, didn’t I?” He said. Hmmm. Peace restored, we went inside.

With grace, charm and the casual appeal of a family country estate, the broad high windows of the drawing room and deep comfy sofas were a welcome sight. Over the coming days, this would be our “nest” for drinks before delicious dinners, an afternoon tea, a tray lunch and lazy loch viewing.

Through higgly piggly corridors typical of a house this size and age,  we were shown to our very comfortable room with a view of Loch Awe and ample bathroom. The rooms vary in size and view www,ardanaiseig.com and we were very happy with ours.  Our meals were lovely, the staff unfailing attentive and helpful and the grounds were superb: rhodedendrons, daffodils, blue bells. We did a good bit of  walking (not by Scottish standards), particularly in what we named The Moss Forest.

As we would later find out on return trips, Loch Awe was a wonderful introduction to the grand lochs of Scotland. We walked where we could around the perimeter, enjoying an agreeable degree of mud and discovering patches of daredevil daffodils that had wandered down to the loch’s edge. It was a peaceful, satisfying visit worth repeating. Me said, “I knew we’d love it here.”  He said, “Me too.”  But it was time to go home.