Knockinaam Lodge

The Lodge looks rather lost - gloriously so, you might think - at its perch on the wild Galloway coast. Approached along a single-track road, it exerts a powerful attraction to those in need of a retreat, especially when it turns out that it has its own private bit of beach, quite as if it were a Caribbean getaway. Inside is all period style, with tapestry curtains, well-upholstered seating and a warmly inviting feel. Adjust your settings: Knockinaam works to its own beguilingly sedate pace, not least for the set menus, which change every day. Dinner is a four-course affair, perhaps beginning in spring with a perfectly judged grilled fillet of cod in featherlight dill hollandaise, a flawless exercise in balance. That may be followed by seared Skye scallops with a complex supporting cast of orange, fennel and beetroot, the citrus perhaps a little too dominant. Speyside Angus beef is a favoured main, slow-roasted and classically presented with a crisp potato rösti, shallot purée and a resonant port-based jus. The final course is the only moment at which you'll need to take on the responsibility of choice. Will it be British and French cheeses with walnut bread, or something like a pistachio soufflé with warm chocolate sauce, airily light but packing a great big punch of flavour? A serious wine list includes a decent choice by the glass.