The Black Isle is not an island but is, in fact, a peninsula, in the Scottish Highlands.

It is about 23 miles long by about 9 miles wide at its broadest point and is more or less oval in shape. Situated just to the north of Inverness with Dingwall to the west, it can be reached via the A9 from the south or north, or the A832 from the west.

It is attached to the mainland at the heads of the Cromarty and Beauly Firths, and the description 'Black' is no more correct than 'Isle'. The exact origin of its name is unknown, though there are at least six possible explanations of why it became the "Black" Isle, ranging from the most intriguing, through its association with witchcraft and the black arts in mediaeval times, to the more prosaic, that the soil here is very black, or that it has so many trees that it looks black when viewed from surrounding areas in Winter.

An excellent base for visiting all parts of the Highlands there are plenty activities in the area: walking, fishing, golf courses, pony trekking, sight seeing, bird watching, (red kites are often seen flying close to the cottage), visits to distilleries. Also within easy driving distance of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, Culloden Battlefield, historic Cromarty, the Black Isle Brewery and Strathpeffer Spa. For the children there is the Black Isle Wildlife Park and dolphin watching at North Kessock and Fortrose with boat trips from Cromarty and Avoch.

Dingwall, just 5 minutes away, has a good selection of local shops as well as a 24 hour store and a farmers market is held in the town on the first Saturday of every month.

Inverness, the Capital and gateway to the Highlands, is an excellent shopping centre with many fine restaurants to suit all tastes. It also has great facilities for all the family with the Aquadome, the Ice Rink, Vue Cinema, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness Castle and Museum, Fairways Driving Range and Rollerbowl - loads of choice if you have any wet days during your holiday!