Many people dream of owning a Highland cottage where they can escape the daily grind of the rat race, kick back and just soak up the views. In which case, Tigh na Clach could be just the home they’re looking for.
It’s an attractive south-facing cottage, set above the village of Aultbea in Wester Ross, an area regarded as one of the most beautiful locations in Scotland.
As the cottage, which is on the market at offers of more than £220,000, sits on an elevated site it enjoys marvellous views stretching over open croft land to Loch Ewe, the Melvaig peninsula and the Torridon mountains. A pretty impressive combination of things to admire.
The site was formerly occupied by a traditional croft house and the cottage, a new building, has been thoughtfully designed to reflect the character of the old house using a careful combination of modern building materials together with the stone reclaimed from the original dwelling.
As well as dry stone exterior walls, the cottage has a slate roof, timber double-glazed windows, double chimneys (one mock) and Caithness slab windowsills.
Inside, the theme continues via a stylish vaulted wood ceiling with exposed beams and interior dry stone gable wall. The accommodation comprises an entrance porch which leads into the dual-aspect, spacious open-plan kitchen and sitting room.
The kitchen area has fitted floor and wall units, and comes complete with an integral electric oven and hob, extractor hood, integral washer dryer, integral fridge. The exposed stone wall and wood-burning stove at the sitting room end help create a warm and welcoming area.
The cottage has two bedrooms including a master bedroom with en-suite shower room, and a family bathroom with overbath shower. At various points throughout the house there’s access to loft space. Outside, the house sits in grounds which stretch to around 0.45 of an acre and which are laid to rough grass and enclosed by deer fencing.
The cottage has been a second home and successful holiday let, but the recently-upgraded road makes the journey to Inverness an easy daily commute through some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery.
Aultbea lies strung out along the west shore of Loch Ewe and has a shop, butcher’s, post office, doctor’s surgery and garage. There is a primary school at Bualnaluib, one mile from Aultbea, and secondary schooling is available in Gairloch about 12 miles away with a free bus service for children to and from school.
Further shops and amenities are available in Ullapool and Dingwall, and Inverness, just over an hour away, has all the facilities of a major city. But it’s the unspoilt countryside and traditional communities that help make this area popular with those seeking a change of lifestyle or a second home and Tigh na Clach is an excellent base from which to enjoy this region.
The coast is famous for its sailing, while inland, mountains and moorlands offer spectacular scenery, hill walking, climbing and trout fishing on the hill lochs. While the garden at Tigh Na Clach is natural and unspoilt, should you wish to feast your eyes on a truly magnificent garden then the 50-acre Inverewe Gardens, in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and packed with beautiful specimen plans, is within easy reach.
Contact: CKD Galbraith on 01463 224343.