Cuween Cottage is a 19th-century farm-worker's dwelling, which sits below Cuween Hill chambered cairn, looking out across the islands in the Bay of Firth. There are many holiday properties in Orkney which have been built and finished to modern standards: this is not one of them. The original cottage has been de-modernised, with all internal walls removed and fireplaces re-opened. At the seaward end is the wood-burning stove and sofa; at the other is a double bed. The building tells its own story, and is once more a bothy in the traditional sense (but with hot water, central heating and the full array of 21st century facilities and gadgets...)

The cottage has been extended, and this addition contains the kitchen, with Rayburn and the usual white-goods, and a bathroom with shower and a deep tub. Bedlinen and towels are provided and there are plenty of logs for the stove.

Dogs are most welcome, and will enjoy a sniff round the mature garden or a run on the open heather behind the cottage. Cuween Hill tomb is one of the best examples of its kind in Britain, and the view from the top of the hill is superb (it is also a good area for harrier spotting). You are at the centre of the Orkney Mainland, equidistant from Kirkwall and Stromness, and it is a short walk from the cottage to the village of Finstown, which has a good bus service. By car, the legendary trout lochs and major archaeological sites are 15 minutes away.