LARGE towns and cities can be coldly impersonal places that confer a feeling of anonymity but for those who would prefer to be part of a supportive closely-knit community, villages come up trumps every time, particularly with families. Scotland has hundreds of villages – with Aberdeenshire, Scottish Borders and Perth and Kinross notably ahead of all the other regions. Here are three properties that could warrant joining the village people…
GARTOCHARN is a picturesque village within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park but also within easy reach of Dumbarton and commutable to Glasgow. Set in an acre of gardens and orchard is Rowantree, a distinctive blue-painted traditional stone-built property with a modern specification and a layout that could lend itself to a bed and breakfast – the property currently has a self-catering apartment.
Configured mainly over one level, it has a spacious living room, dining room (patio doors) and adjoining dining kitchen with garden access, three bedrooms (one with en-suite shower room and French doors to the garden, presently used as a family room), contemporary family bathroom. Upstairs is an impressive 26ft dormer bedroom with three additional Velux windows highlighting views of Ben Lomond. The living room is particularly striking, with oak flooring and a wood-burning stove; the dining room has green oak ceiling beams and an open fire – and the country-style fitted kitchen has a wood floor, exposed stone feature wall – and views from windows on three sides.
A key attraction is the garden, orchard and paved patio. Drawings are available for a plot within the garden, for which planning consent has still to be granted. Rowantree is a beautiful home in a sought after spot – for sale with Clyde Property’s Bearsden office at offers over £369,000.
CORUM is marketing an unusual C-listed terraced villa in the popular Renfrewshire conservation village of Kilbarchan, close to the historic weavers cottage now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
Upgraded using traditional materials and building techniques to preserve the period property’s character – such as oak and slate – it demonstrates quality and an eye for detail. Three floors are linked by a tower staircase, which on the top floor becomes a quirky room adjoining the master bedroom.
On the ground level is a sizeable living room with open fire, window seating and rear garden access as well as a utility and cloakroom – housed within the stair tower – and a superb dining kitchen and conservatory with 36ft from the kitchen to the conservatory’s French doors.
On the first floor are three bedrooms and main bathroom, with the 20ft master bedroom, study and fifth bedroom on the floor above. Complementing this home is a rear garden enclosed by stone walls. Offers over £299,000 are invited by Corum in Bridge of Weir by tomorrow at noon.
MOONZIE Cottage is the property for anyone hankering after a fairytale home. Located within the village of Arncroach near Pittenweem on the east coast of Fife, this detached character home is small in stature but a giant in every other respect and is beautifully presented. It has a hall, shower room, delightful fitted kitchen opening into a dining conservatory, and 20ft living room with wood-burning stove and spiral staircase to a double bedroom that benefits from extensive eaves storage. But that’s not all. Moonzie occupies a magical setting amidst an extensive garden that includes sunken seating, fruit orchard, stream, pond and a bridge leading to a sizeable timber summerhouse with power and water that offers ideal guest accommodation. The cottage also has under-floor heating, garage and driveway. It is utterly enchanting – for sale with Pagan Osborne at offers over £175,000.
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