Strathkinnes High Road, as the name suggests, sweeps into the ancient Fife town from the nearby village.
Part way down the road a pair of gates opens into a long drive that leads to The Haining, an arts and crafts style house built in the 1920s.
The six bedroom house is owned by Alan and Christine Bowie, who’ve lived there since 2012.
Farmer Alan (56) and Christine (52) a counsellor, love the house for it’s blend of town and country living.
“It’s not exactly in the centre of St Andrews – it takes half an hour to walk in,” Alan admits. “But it’s a lovely walk along the Lade Braes and it’s great being so close to the countryside.”
A network of country paths near the house lead to everywhere from Balgove Larder to Craigtoun Country Park
The impressive main entrance has pillars supporting a porch and double doors that frame the staircase on the ground floor landing.
The kitchen has an Aga, Belfast sink and a dining area. The next door dining room is used for more formal occasions.
There’s a large living room and a smaller TV room. Both have French doors leading into a sunroom that looks out onto the back garden. A generous patio outside has plenty of seating for summer evening dining and wine drinking.
The garage has been converted into a downstairs guest bedroom that has a shower room next door, its own glazed doors out into the garden where there’s a small, sheltered patio.
On the first floor there’s a master bedroom with en suite, three further double bedrooms and a large family bathroom.
Alan and his wife Christine bought the house in 2012. With two of their three children now in London and the third helping Alan run his farm near Tilicoutry, the house is now much bigger than they need it to be.
While the house is in move-in condition there’s also plenty of scope for a new owner to stamp their mark on it – and potentially increase the value.
“We’ve had engineering drawings done for removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room,” Christine explains. “Creating an open plan living area would really transform the house.
“We always thought we’d do it ourselves but it looks like we’ll leave it for the next owners.”
“We’ve also got planning permission for a garage with office accommodation above to the rear of the house where the drying area is,” Alan adds. “And we’ve got permission to build a house in the grounds.”
Fife Council granted planning permission for a two-storey house in a corner of the garden in 2010.
The Bowies applied to renew the application earlier this year and received approval last week.
“It would sit well to the side of our house and be properly screened so you wouldn’t feel overlooked,” Alan continues.
“The grounds are easily big enough to accommodate another house and still have plenty of garden space left over.”
The Haining, Strathkinnes High Road, St Andrews is on sale through Thorntons.