THERE is a corny old joke Highlanders like to drop into conversations as they look across Inverness towards the hills.
“I see the ben is still with us,” they’ll say, referring to spectacular Ben Wyvis.
For the owners of 1 East Tore, a superb bungalow in Culbokie, on the Black Isle, it is not so much a running joke as a daily statement of fact.
The bungalow enjoys spectacular panoramic views spanning the Cromarty Firth, Glen Orrin, Strathconnon and the aforementioned Ben Wyvis, a landmark Munro to the west which looks equally nice in summer or in winter when it’s covered in snow.
The four-bedroom bungalow was built by the current owners about 20 years ago and designed to take full advantage of the views.
A great deal of thought was also put into the internal design of the house and the result is a lay-out which suits family life down to a tee.
With plenty of large rooms, the accommodation comprises entrance porch, reception hall, lounge, dining-room, kitchen/diner family room, utility room, four bedrooms, bathroom, shower-room and WC.
The bright entrance porch leads to the hallway, which gives access to the lounge, an inner hallway and bedroom hallway.
The lounge is a lovely bright room thanks to a very large picture window to the front which lets in lots of light and offers fantastic views across the firth. Another attractive feature of the room is the open fire, which has a stylish green marble surround and wooden mantel.
From here, there are double doors leading to the dining-room, which is nicely placed between the lounge and the kitchen – very handy when it comes to entertaining guests. It’s also a nice bright room thanks to a floor-to-ceiling window to the side.
The well appointed kitchen has a good, practical lay-out for anyone with youngsters as it naturally divides into three areas. The kitchen area has plenty of base and wall-mounted wooden units with worktops and tiled splashbacks and comes with a selection of appliances, including a hob, oven, cooker hood and integral fridge.
For informal dining, there is a breakfast-bar area and, next to it, a family area large enough to accommodate a couple of sofas and with a pleasant outlook to the side and back of the home.
An inner hallway leading to a cloakroom with WC and wash-hand basin, and a utility room housing the boiler, and with an airing cupboard and plumbing for a washing machine, completes this wing of the bungalow.
A second hallway offers access to all four bedrooms, each of which is a double room. The master bedroom and bedroom four have a nice range of fitted furniture and doors leading to a shared Jack-and-Jill en-suite shower-room. Bedrooms two and three also come with fitted furniture.
The family bathroom comprises WC, wash-hand basin, bath and separate shower cubicle, with complementary tiling, a heated towel rail and a wall-mounted heater.
The bungalow has double-glazing and oil-fired central heating, supplemented by the open fire in the lounge.
The property sits in large grounds, which extend around the property. There are sweeping lawns to the front and large gardens, bordered by fencing and hedges, to the rear, along with a slabbed patio area.
A generous driveway provides ample space for turning and off-road parking for several cars and leads to a detached garage.
Although, from the photographs, one might assume the bungalow is in an isolated country spot miles from anywhere, that’s not the case. Local amenities in the community-spirited village of Culbokie include a general store, post office, pub, community hall and primary school.
Secondary schooling is available at Fortrose and there are further shopping, leisure and educational facilities at Dingwall. Inverness is about 14 miles away via the A9.
For anyone looking to commute to the Highland capital but who wants a home large enough to accommodate a growing family, 1 East Tore ticks all the boxes, and as a result, is expected to generate quite a bit of interest.
Selling agent Munro and Noble is seeking offers over £350,000 for 1 East Tore, Culbokie. Fur further information, call 01463 225533.