Bynach a one-off
Unique is a term often misused to describe something slightly different when really it refers only to one-off items. But, as Susan Welsh discovered, unique is precisely the right word to describe Bynach, a superb family home at Inchmarlo, near Banchory
Published:
FAMILY holidays and fishing on the River Dee were what first brought Geoffrey Lock from his home in Warwickshire to Inchmarlo, near Banchory, but it was his love of the area which kept him there.
Geoffrey and wife Isobel have recently put their unique home on the market – unique because it sits in the middle of picturesque Inchmarlo golf course, on the outskirts of the town.
But the addition of a golf course on your doorstep is not the only change that’s taken place here over the years.
“I first came here around 1968 after my parents bought an old blacksmith’s cottage and workshop as a holiday home,” explained Geoffrey, a retired company director.
“Although it was a long haul from Warwickshire, we would come up here as often as we could for holidays, spending lots of time fishing on the River Dee.
“The cottage was called Bynach, which is Gaelic for by the well, so called because there is a fresh water well in the garden, which is where we originally got all our water from.
“In the late-1970s, we moved to the cottage permanently and decided to convert the nearby blacksmith’s workshop into a family home. Other than a cobbled floor, it had no telltale signs that it had been a smithy.”
It took several attempts before they gained the required planning permission, so with tongue planted firmly in their cheeks, the couple named the new home Trynach.
In 1999, Geoffrey’s mum passed away and they set about creating a new home, demolishing the existing cottage and building a superb five-bedroom house in its place.
“The planners stated that the house had to look like a cottage from the front, but it could be different at the back. Together with an architect friend of mine, Frank Martin, from Edinburgh, we designed this five-bedroom family home,” explained Geoffrey.
“Frank Burnett, a local builder, constructed the house, which took around a year to complete from start to finish, and did a wonderful job.”
He certainly did – Bynach is a superb family home with ample living space on two floors, with plenty of room for anyone with a growing family and ideal for those who enjoy entertaining at home.
The ground-floor accommodation begins with an entrance vestibule which leads to a large hallway which, in turn, gives access to most of the ground floor.
It comprises an elegant formal lounge with patio doors to the south-facing rear garden; spacious family/TV room; modern, fully fitted kitchen with a host of built-in appliances and separate utility room; large formal dining-room with patio doors to a bright and airy conservatory; two bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a study, and shower-room with a modern white suite.
A solid hardwood staircase leads upstairs to a spacious galleried landing area which gives access to all upper rooms and a large airing cupboard.
The master bedroom has built-in wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom; there are two further double bedrooms and a family bathroom, but behind one door lies something you don’t normally expect to find upstairs – a family games room housing a full-size snooker table.
The house is beautifully finished and has full double-glazing and oil-fired central heating throughout, including underfloor heating on the ground floor.
Outside, Bynach sits in a large plot of land comprising lovely lawns, mature gardens and a large patio area – an ideal place to enjoy barbecues while taking in the tranquil scenery.
The garden has a summer house from where superb views of the golf course and hills beyond can be enjoyed. A tarred driveway provides parking for up to six cars, but this is screened by a raised wall enclosing an area well stocked with mature shrubs.
“When I first came to Inchmarlo, the cottage was surrounded by farmland largely, whereas now, this house sits in the middle of a lovely golf course,” said Geoffrey.
“To the north is the 16th green and to the south what was the original fourth tee. There are also superb views to the west and east – it’s really a gorgeous location.”
Although he has a first-class golf course on his doorstep and easy access to the River Dee, Geoffrey no longer takes advantage of them because, he jokingly says, he feels that, at 76, he is past his sell-by date.
“There are lots of pluses to living here. It’s a tremendous area. Banchory is close by, yet we aren’t far from Aberdeen which, despite the current economic troubles, remains a vibrant, interesting city.
“The only reason we are selling Bynach is that the house has outgrown us. Our two children are both away at university and the house is simply too big for us now.
“Ideally, what I’d like to find now is a wealthy homeless golfer to buy it from me – as this would be the ideal home for him,” said Geoffrey, with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek once more.
Selling agent Aberdein Considine & Co is seeking offers over £575,000 for Bynach, Inchmarlo. For further details or to arrange a viewing, call 01330 824854.
