My husband and I moved from England to this area of Scotland in 2002 and have never looked back. The area is quiet - but still has plenty to do. The scenery is just stunning and we love being by the sea! My time is split fairly evenly between my family and 2 black labs, my 4 holiday cottages and coastal rowing in a skiff I helped to build in 2013 (tho' my twins might say rowing is my all consuming hobby!!)

Driftwood Cottage is, unashamedly, a seaside cottage. It has a lovely feel to it, so much so that I was reluctant to leaveafter our test stay! There are lighthouses and driftwood decorations, lobster pots and hemp rope banisters, but it is practical and well equipped and has fibre optic broadband. The rooms upstairs, a twin room and tv snug, have low ceilings and are most appropriate for younger children. The garden is steep, with terraces on the way up to the summer house, offering a chance to stop and admire the view over the higgledy-piggledy roofs of the conservation area - as well as to catch your breath. However there is a gate if you want to keep young children to a more manageable lower patio!

Portsoy is a sleepy little town. With it's picturesque 17th century Old Harbour, merchant's houses and fishermen's homes, you can really feel you are going back in time! Which is why Portsoy was used as the setting for the remake of 'Whisky Galore'. From the summer house at the top of the garden, you have a lovely view over the rooftops of the conservation area, down to the sea. National Geographic describes this as "one of the world's top-rated coastlines" with its rugged cliffs and sandy bays and a string of seaside towns and fishing villages, just asking to be explored. There is abundant wildlife, including the ever popular seals, dolphins and puffins, but there is also a strong sense of community, you will hear the Doric widely spoken. Large scale fishing here has largely moved on, but the old harbours give testament to the Baltic trade and herring fleets. The oldest houses are built gable-end on to the weather and waves. This being Scotland, there are several championship golf courses within a short drive, castles aplenty, (whether you prefer them ruined or lived in!) and of course the odd distillery or two! It's an often overlooked area, just waiting to be discovered!