Lochranza Youth Hostel

This is one of our favourite Scottish youth hostels, for all sorts of reasons. First of all, it's exceedingly scenically located, in the tiny village of Lochranza on the banks of the beautiful loch of the same name, opposite a medieval castle, on the Cock of Arran trail and close to the Arran whisky distillery in case you fancy a wee dram. The rooms are simple but comfortable, split between shared multi-bedded dormitories and private rooms with en-suite facilities, including three rooms with double beds.

It's a green sort of place too: it's a few minutes' walk from a bus stop so you can leave the car at home; and it won a prestigious green award a few years back. It's also a fabulous place from which to spot wildlife, with deer and red squirrels in the woods, otters in the streams and falcons and even sometimes eagles in the skies around. It makes a great place for a budget family holiday, and is a lovely base for soaking up the best of the southernmost of the Scottish islands.