Two rottweilers woof happily at me, tails wagging, as I pull into the drive at Bellrigg. With a large garden and all the walks of the Angus countryside around them it’s little wonder they’ve got smiles on their faces.
Bellrigg sits on a country road a couple of miles inland from Arbroath, near the hamlet of Woodville.
Originally a modest country cottage it has been extended several times – most recently in 2004 – and is now a large family home.
For the past four years it’s been owned by Simon and Clare Robinson. Along with the two dogs, they share the property and its extensive grounds with their two children,three horses and a cat.
There’s plenty of room for all of them. Bellrigg is one of those homes that is deceptively spacious, with rooms hidden away in various wings of the house. All told, there’s more than 360 square metres of floor space.
Simon greets me at the front door and takes me through to an open plan kitchen/dining room that feels like the heart of the home. It’s equipped for even the most serious cooks, with a four-oven AGA, five-burner gas hob and a separate double-oven and grill. Off the kitchen is a family room with wood burning stove. Also in this part of the house are two bedrooms, one of which is used as an office.
Along the hall is a large arched window and a passageway leading to a family bathroom and a master bedroom with dressing room off it. Behind that is a store that has potential for conversion into an en suite.
Down another hall is the 2004 extension. There’s a large living room with a raised hearth and wood burning stove. Past this is a games room, which has a pool table, bar and glazed doors to the back garden.
At first floor level are two more bedrooms. “It’s a good layout for us because the kids are in another part of the house altogether so we all have plenty of privacy,” says Simon.
All together the house has six bedrooms, with one currently used as an office and another as a gym.
Outside there’s a garage and a large stable block for the horses. The grounds extend to just under four acres and include a paddock as well as a modern silica sand and rubber riding arena.
“There’s a hot shower and solarium for Clare’s horses,” Simon explains. “They get treated better than I do.”
With their children ready to leave home, offshore worker Simon, 49, and nurse Clare, 47, are looking to down-size and move back into a town.
“It’s great being in the countryside but I like being able to walk to the shops or out for a coffee,” Clare says.
“We’ll miss this place of course. We love the views and the space, and it’s a great house for hosting parties.”
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk
Bellrigg, Firthmuir of Boysack, by Arbroath is on sale with Savills for o/o £515,000.