Top of the Lochs: This Scottish beauty was where Queen Victoria honeymooned, inspired an Ed Sheeran song… and there’s a joyous absence of noisy motorboats

Late afternoon on an early spring day, Loch Tay’s surface is like glass.

A blanket of snow blankets the nearby hills as the setting sun casts sharp reflections on the water. If you had one, you could actually hear a pin drop.

Loch Tay is tucked away in the Perthshire Highlands, about an hour north of Perth City.

You won’t find the noisy motorboats that plague Loch Lomond, nor the angry hordes of monster-hunting tourists that besiege Loch Ness.

Instead, there’s silence and privacy, not to mention scenery so spectacular it once seduced Queen Victoria and inspired an Ed Sheeran song.

There are four houseboats which form part of the larger portfolio of luxury holiday accommodation owned by Loch Tay Holiday Company. Our house, Dipper Lodge, stands on stilts on the water, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering unobstructed views of the lake. It feels wonderfully remote.

On the way to the woodshed, you will most likely meet another guest if you collect more logs.

The magnificent log burner is the only heating you need, even when the Highland mists roll in. Also, the only signs of life we ​​see during our stay are a pheasant outside our bathroom window and a heron flying over the lake, its wings so low that it grazes over the water.

This is an area that has become popular with celebrities, especially for its privacy. JK Rowling has a house near here. Actor Alan Cumming, who grew up in nearby Aberfeldy, returns regularly. Ed Sheeran is a regular visitor to the area, so much so that his upcoming album The Hills Of Aberfeldy is dedicated to the scenery.

Then there is the magnificent Taymouth Castle, which sits quietly at one end of the lake.

In 1843, Queen Victoria’s honeymoon took place here – one she loved so much that it sparked her love affair with Scotland and eventually led to Balmoral being gifted to her.

The magnificent Taymouth Castle, pictured, sits ‘quietly’ on one side of the lake

The lake’s scenery is “so spectacular” it inspired an Ed Sheeran song, Emma reveals. In 1843, Taymouth Castle in Loch Tay hosted Queen Victoria’s honeymoon

“Our house, Dipper Lodge (pictured), sits on the water, stands on stilts and has floor-to-ceiling windows with uninterrupted views of the lake,” writes Emma

Emma says Dipper Lodge ‘feels wonderfully secluded’

The castle is currently undergoing a £300 million renovation under the watchful eye of its new owner, American billionaire John Paul DeJoria, who founded Paul Mitchell’s hair care systems. In the 1990s, Madonna and Cher expressed interest in buying.

If you stay a few days there are many quiet delights to be discovered. The nearby town of Kenmore is stunningly beautiful, while the larger town of Aberfeldy is perfect for stocking up and a stroll to Dewar’s Distillery, which offers regular tastings and tours.

Hikes abound, while for the more adventurous Highland Safaris offer off-road tours to see wildlife including red hearted cattle, mountain hare and golden eagle for the more adventurous.

On colder nights, Dipper Lodge’s hot tub offers the ideal balm against the chilly temperatures

Bird’s eye view of the lake. “You won’t find here the noisy motorboats that plague Loch Lomond, nor the noisy hordes of monster-hunting tourists that besiege Loch Ness,” writes Emma

For those who base themselves at Dipper Lodge, there is no end to familiar amenities.

Built like a studio with a comfortable bed on a platform to one side, there’s also a well-equipped kitchen, a bathroom with underfloor heating and a balcony for those warm evenings when alfresco dining seems by far the most tempting option .

On colder nights, the hot tub offers the ideal balm against the harsh temperatures.

From there, overlooking the darkening lake, it’s easy to imagine that this vast, tranquil landscape is all to yourself.