Log: Cottage that's the best by far

His is the most beautifully located holiday cottage anywhere in the world. Ever.

'I'm worried that when people see it for the first time as they turn the corner they'll go "Wow" and just drive off the road down a cliff. We should have a warning notice up there,' says Jill Farrow, local manager of The National Trust's holiday cottages.

It's only when you stand at the top of Worms Head in West Glamorgan and gaze over the massive sweep of Rhosili Beach that you realise just how spectacular is the view. And, when you catch sight of the Old Rectory, a whitewashed building clinging to the lower slope of the hill that rears up behind the beach, there is indeed just one word: 'Wow.'

It is the only building to be seen along this stretch of coastline - and, if you had been smart, it could have been your holiday home for a week.

You will have to have been very smart because the Old Rectory is the single most popular property on The National Trust's books, reserved for almost the next two years.

The queue to book a week there has grown even longer than normal because last year the property was closed for a number of months due to the foot-and-mouth crisis and a serious fire.

The blaze, set off by an electrical fault, went undetected because it occurred while the house was quarantined and empty last March and caused extensive damage.

It was only after the foot-and-mouth crisis ended that work on repairing the cottage could get under way. Holidaymakers holding a booking for 2001 were offered the same or similar dates in 2003 as 2002 was already fully booked. Finally, at the end of last month, the restoration was completed and the first holidaymakers were able to move in.

They were in for a treat. Not only is the house in a fabulous location, it has also been lavishly redecorated and, refurbished, with central heating now installed.

Far from the madding crowd, the good news is that mobile phone reception is patchy but the cottage has its own payphone. Its remoteness is highlighted by the fact that the rector served two parishes - Rhosili and Llangennith - and the Old Rectory was located midway between the two. The isolation of the house initially also appealed to Dylan Thomas, who is said to have toyed with the idea of moving in - until he contemplated the long walk to the pub (he chose instead the Boathouse in Laugharne).

Although some people claim it is haunted by the famous writer, locals will tell you that one of the former rectors still appears from time to time and, at the strike of midnight, a carriage with galloping horses can be glimpsed racing across the moonlit beach below.

How to book Determination and persistence are the main factors in securing a precious week at the Old Rectory. According to Judy Robson, The National Trust's Holiday Cottages and Travel Manager, the Trust allows bookings no more than two years ahead - with 2003 already fully booked. No reservations will be taken for 2004 until January next year. However, the booking department runs a waiting list and in the event of a cancellation, you may be notified and allowed to take over the reservation. Contact the booking department: The National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd, Holiday Bookings Office, PO Box 536, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8SX (0870 458 4411). A £2 donation is requested towards the cost of the 237-page brochure. There is also an excellent website at: www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk

What else can rival the Old Rectory?
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