In earlier days Beatrix Potter loved to stay at Ashieburn (the home of her brother) because there she could watch Peter Rabbit and his friends frolicking in the pretty garden and Jemima Puddleduck enjoying the nearby stream.

The countryside has changed little since her day. The 'burn' still flows into the Ale Water and eventually the River Teviot (where fishing is available). The safe, fenced garden is still a place of delight and enchantment, where you can sit on the raised terrace looking out over the sloping lawns to the spacious green landscape beyond. The sun-porch on the front of this south-facing cottage provides the opportunity to enjoy the lovely surroundings, even in colder weather.

A private woodland walk takes you from the cottage down to a lochan and the owners can offer free ad-hoc trout fishing on their stretch of the river. In addition to Peter and Jemima, the garden is visited by a wealth of other birds and you may also see badgers and even otters while you are here.

In fact, in its lovely setting the cottage itself could have come right out of a storybook, and this impression is by no means diminished when you go inside, for it really is the dearest little place. The south-facing sitting room is bright and welcoming, with the choice of either an open fire or instant heat from a smart electric stove. The dining table is next to the window so you needn’t miss a single winged or four-legged visitor.

Everything is fresh, bright, comfortable, spotless and beautifully presented. The modern and well-equipped kitchen faces the back of the house, which is screened from the drive by a hedge, and is neat and practical, with the back door opening right into it.

There are two bedrooms, a double and a twin, both of which are a good size, prettily decorated, and charmingly furnished. The light and airy bathroom has a shower over the bath and having all the accommodation on one level (with very few external steps), makes the cottage an excellent choice for guests who have limited mobility.