Spanning Dundee, Fife, Angus and Perthshire, Courier Country has some beautiful scenery.
It also has some equally beautiful houses. Having been this newspaper’s property writer for past decade I’m in the lucky position of getting to look around a stunning property every week.
This year has seen me travel from the wilds of Highland Perthshire to remote corners of Angus and the beaches of the East Neuk in search of our area’s most special properties.
Want to find out which were my favourites? Then read on.
10. Milltown Cottage, Loch Tay
This outstanding new home sits near the shores of Loch Tay and enjoys amazing views.
It’s built on the site of an old cottage that was ruined beyond repair. Stone from the old house was reclaimed and used in the new build.
An upside down layout puts the bedrooms on the ground floor and the living spaces on the upper level, where they enjoy an even more commanding view over the landscape.
On sale for offers over £895,000, Milltown Cottage was quickly snapped up.
More pictures and our original feature on Milltown Cottage.
9. Outfield Farm, Carse of Gowrie
High in the Carse of Gowrie hills, nestled in woodland and with beautiful views towards the Tay are three unique and special holiday cabins.
Individually designed by Newport architect Kirsty Maguire, the three cabins each sit in their own spread of wilderness.
They are owned by Tim and Suki Stobbs, who have 40 acres of land in the Carse of Gowrie. Named Whin, Bothan Dubh and the Sheiling, each of the three cabins have their own personality.
The cabins are holiday lets and have been virtually fully booked since the couple began operating them. With wood burnings stoves inside and out, as well as wood-fired hot tubs, they’re the perfect place to relax and escape from the stresses of life.
More pictures and our original feature on Outfield Farm.
8. Mount Stewart Road, Wormit
When Rob and Susan Whiteford sold their draughty farmhouse they decided to go for a striking new build home.
Number 6 Mount Stewart Road was designed by Dundee-based architect Jon Frullani. Walls clad with stone and zinc, along with a zinc roof help the house makes a real statement.
Meanwhile, huge windows frame panoramic views over the Tay to Dundee.
The upper levels contain the living room, kitchen and a master bedroom. Vaulted ceilings make the already large spaces feel even bigger.
Downstairs are more bedrooms, a second living room and a kitchenette. The home is designed so the lower level can be self contained.
A covered patio and a first floor balcony give plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy the views from.
More pictures and our original feature on Number 6 Mount Stewart Road.
7. Lintrathen House Main Lodge
This stunning turreted baronial mansion sits on the shores of Loch of Lintrathen.
Remarkably, it was originally built as the headquarters for the local waterboard. The Water Commissioners of Dundee acquired Lintrathen Loch in 1872 and wanted a prestigious building to hold meetings in.
Today, Lintrathen House Main Lodge is an outstanding country house in a wonderful setting.
The interior has been modernised while retaining its original features. High ceilings, twin-aspect bay windows, ornate cornicing and hardwood panelling are kept, while a high end kitchen and bathrooms have been added.
There’s even a secret turret room that no one knows how to get to.
More images and our original feature on Lintrathen House Main Lodge.
6. Slievemore, Loch Tummel
If you like seclusion, tranquillity and breath-taking views then look no further.
Slievemore sits right on the shores of Loch Tummel and has 30 metres of loch frontage along with its own jetty to launch a boat from.
Surrounded by woodland, the house has no near neighbours and enjoys complete seclusion.
With four double bedrooms and two living rooms it has plenty of space. Slievemore has been used as a high end holiday let and is in perfect condition.
It’s hard to think of a more magical setting to enjoy a holiday.
More images and our original feature on Slievemore at Loch Tummel.
5. The Seed, Liff
It was cold and dark when I visited The Seed. Coming from my chilly, draughty 1930s house I immediately appreciated the benefits of building to Passivhaus standard.
The Seed is super insulated and virtually airtight, meaning it requires very little heating. What makes the home even more remarkable is that it’s designed for co-living and is shared by two households.
Located in a wooded setting near Liff, the timber clad home is surrounded by mature woodland.
Designed by Kirsty Maguire, it was a very worthy winner of the Supreme Award at the Dundee Institute of Architects’ annual awards.
More images and our original feature on The Seed.
4. The Passhouse, Callander
As a child I loved reading the Famous Five. The Passhouse is exactly the sort of place you can imagine Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy getting up to all sorts of adventures.
For a start there’s an enormous Victorian house with a turret and rooftop terrace. But perhaps most special of all is the bridge to the home’s own secret island.
Located in the hamlet of Kilmahog, just outside Callander, the Passhouse sits on the banks of the Garbh Uisge river.
The house’s two acres of gardens stretch more than quarter of a mile along the riverfront. They were formerly part of Scotland’s Garden Scheme and hosted hordes of visitors every summer.
More images and our original feature on the Passhouse.
3. Dreel Lodge, Anstruther
Most people dream of having a beachfront house. But what about a house that has a beach on not one but two sides AND its own castle in the garden?
Welcome to Dreel Lodge. Sat on a promontory on Anstruther’s waterfront, it has golden sands to the front and to the side. With the windows open you can hear the waves lapping on the beach just a few yards away.
Meanwhile, the Dreel Burn flows serenely along one side of the house.
As well as a beautiful main house, Dreel Lodge also comes with its own castle.
Dreel Castle dates from the at least the 16th Century and possibly much earlier, making it one of the most historic buildings in Anstruther. Plans have been drawn up to ransform it into a unique and special home.
More images and our original feature on Dreel Lodge.
2. Tulchan House, Glenalmond
This handsome and huge Victorian house sits in 22 acres of its own grounds on the banks of the River Almond.
A track descends from the country lane a little beyond Glenalmond College, dropping into mature woodland and depositing you in a magical little corner of Perthshire.
Tulchan House was built in the 19th Century then substantially extended at the turn of the 20th Century, when it was also given an Arts & Crafts style remodel.
For more than 25 years it was home to Allan Proctor and his wife Elaine, who ran the A. Proctor Group, a building supplies company based in Blairgowrie that trades all over the world.
When the couple passed away their daughters put the house on the market with a price tag of £1.2 million.
With grand reception rooms, high ceilings and huge windows it is a spectacular country house. At more than 1,000 square metres it’s 10 times larger than the average family home.
Its grounds feature a long path that meanders along the riverbank until it reaches a pool that is a perfect spot for swimming in the summer months.
More images and our original feature on Tulcan House.
1. Horsey Reach, Stanley
Many of the properties in my top 10 of 2023 have featured waterside settings. And with good reason – Tayside and Fife has no shortage of beautiful coastline, rivers and lochs.
But one property offered a waterfront setting that managed to eclipse all the others.
Built on a clifftop, Horsey Reach offers spellbinding views up and down the River Tay. In my original feature I said it has perhaps the best river view of any house in Scotland, and I stand by that.
Built in 2010, it’s spread over three levels and has curved walls, huge expanses of glazing and exposed beams and metalwork. It is an absolutely beautiful house.
Built to take full advantage of its setting, every room faces out over the river and benefits from the captivating views.
There are no fewer than three levels of decking to enjoy riverside living from. The lowest level is an incredible expanse of timber that cantilevers out over the cliff edge.
Horsey Reach was on sale for offers over £599,000 but – hardly surprisingly – was snapped up within a few days of going on the market.
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