While the dream of owning your own castle in remote and beautiful countryside may for most of us never be realised, it is at least possible to live out the fantasy for a short while.

Myres Castle, just outside the small village of Auchtermuchty in Fife, Scotland is a privately-owned 16th century castle available for guests to occupy exclusively. While there guests are encouraged by the small team of dedicated and professional staff to treat the castle as their own home.

Arriving on the Friday afternoon, we were greeted to a generous afternoon tea containing scones and chocolate cake before embarking on a tour of the castle and its nine en suite bedrooms, each decorated individually. Mine looked like a marquee with blue and white striped walls (complete with creases carefully painted on for the true effect) and a huge, comfortable bed into which I quickly sank to recharge before dinner.

One of Myres' main selling points is its resident chef, Christopher Trotter, who wherever possible uses local produce and the finest ingredients around. One of the optional trips is to the nearby Fletchers deer farm for a cookery demonstration from Trotter and Nichola Fletcher.

All dietary requirements are met, and, despite being the only vegetarian present, I was treated to some wonderful dishes, including sea kale pastry with walnut oil and roast artichokes with smoked paprika tagliatelle, while the rest enjoyed pigeon breast and venison. The five-course evening meal was wrapped up with some well-sourced Scottish cheeses and oatcakes while the very attentive staff assured we had all we wanted.

As for leisure activities, Myres promotes a wide-range of options, benefiting from the castle's rural surroundings. The active can choose from tennis, table-tennis, volleyball and croquet, or grab one of the four mountain bikes available and explore the nearby scenery. Those looking for a lazier time can take advantage of the billiard table, Sky TV, the selection of CDs and DVDs or even the Nintendo games console.

Alternatively, you can get a flavour of the area through demonstrations. On Saturday morning, after the hearty Scottish breakfast, we received a falconry display. Archery and fly-fishing tuition as well as clay pigeon shooting are also available on request.

And of course, the area's close proximity to St Andrews means golf is available with 100 golf courses with an hour's drive.

If you'd rather just be pampered however, a visit from beauticians can be arranged to help you really escape into your dreams.