For a bargain, look north

If you want your property pound to go further, head to the far north of Scotland. As Susan Welsh discovered, that’s where you can buy a magnificent mid-Victorian mansion for about the same price as a two-bedroom flat in Chelsea, London

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Oldhall House, Watten, is on the market at offers over £525,000

HALF-A-MILLION pounds may sound like a lot of money, but if you were flat hunting in London, you would be lucky to get a compact, two-bedroom, third-floor flat in a nice part of the city for that sort of sum.

However, take the same amount of hard-earned cash and head north to stunning Caithness and you will find your money goes much, much further.

A perfect example is Oldhall House, near the village of Watten, in Caithness. This magnificent mid-Victorian family house is set in wooded grounds – something of a rarity for the area – and comes with something you definitely wouldn’t get in a London flat: a boathouse from where the owner is entitled to launch a boat and fish for trout on nearby Loch Watten.

The loch is one of the most prolific trout lochs in this part of the world. Indeed, it’s so well known for its wild brown trout it is often referred to as The Leven of the North.

With Oldhall House comes a 99-year lease – 29 years still remain – on an area of ground on the edge of the loch where the boathouse sits.

The house dates from 1853 and was built using attractive local Caithness stone, with a slate roof and crowstep gables, in Scots baronial style.

Oldhall belonged, until at least 1918, to the Davidsons, a prominent farming family. It’s thought that the house was designed by William Davidson who, besides farming Oldhall, was an architect.

The house sits in mature, wooded grounds which provide privacy and shelter and boast some magnificent, mature specimen trees, including copper beeches, cherries, laburnums and limes.

The accommodation includes porch; cloakroom; drawing room; dining-room; sitting room; study; kitchen; secondary kitchen and utility room; larder; five bedrooms; two bathrooms; two former staff rooms; garage/workshop, and assorted buildings.

The drawing room and dining-room, in particular, have wonderful views over the gardens and grounds, while the family sitting room and study are great rooms to relax in.

The kitchen has an Aga and leads to a secondary kitchen and utility room. There is also excellent ancillary space with larders and store cupboards.

On the first floor, there are five bedrooms, four doubles and one single, and two bathrooms. The former maids’ quarters, accessed by a secondary staircase, are used for storage, but could provide an additional bedroom or a workroom.

Outside, the main garden has beautiful herbaceous borders and Caithness stone walls. From the formal upper garden, the land drops away to a walled former kitchen garden.

Malcolm Leslie, of selling agent Savills, said: “Although Caithness looks very remote on the map, it’s surprisingly accessible.

“Wick Airport has flights to Aberdeen and Edinburgh, with onward UK and international connections, and Inverness is about two hours away. “Some people say Caithness, with its big skies, is an acquired taste. I’d say it’s a taste worth acquiring.”

Oldhall House, Watten, Wick, is being sold through Savills Edinburgh office at offers over £525,000. For further details, call 0131 247 3717, or visit www.savills.co.uk