Dowle, Smith & Rutherford

Unique opportunity to acquire a delightful four bedroom traditional stone-built property with considerable character, a separate self-catering cottage and a range of outbuildings, in around 1.2 acre grounds in secluded picturesque location amongst mature trees at the end of a side road overlooking Sweening Voe. Lerwick approximately 25 miles.

In addition to the four bedrooms the accommodation in the fully double glazed main house includes a sittingroom with open fire, separate dining room, conservatory, attractively re-fitted farmhouse style kitchen / dining room with range cooker, superb well-appointed main bathroom with bath & separate shower, plus a further shower room & utility room. A new oil-fired central heating system was installed throughout the house a couple of years ago.

The VisitScotland three star rated two bedroom self-catering cottage is being sold fully furnished and provides a healthy rental income.

The house sits in its own mature garden plus there is a large integral garage, stone-built workshop, former stable, garden shed & store.

There are three further areas of ground adjacent to the house including a fenced paddock.

Price:	OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £315,000
Entry:	By arrangement.
Viewing:	Viewing essential - please telephone 01806 577 224.
Rooms:	North House - Front Porch, Hall, Sittingroom, Dining room, Conservatory, Kitchen / Dining Room, three Double Bedrooms, Single Bedroom, Bathroom, Shower room, Utility room, Boiler room & Rear Hall. Croft Cottage - Hall, Sittingroom, Dining Kitchen, two Double Bedrooms & Shower room. Outbuildings - Integral Garage, converted Stable, Workshop, Garden Shed & Store.

GENERAL

The property is situated close to the shore of Sweening Voe at the end of a side road just outside the village of Vidlin in the north mainland area of Shetland.

The main house (North House) has been extensively refurbished over the past three years including a new oil-fired central heating system with new boiler & hot water tank, 50mm ‘Kingspan’ insulation to the entire ground floor & main bedroom, and where necessary windows have been replaced with low E-glass double glazed units. The property is now therefore fully double glazed. There is also a new kitchen and main bathroom.

The detached three star rated (VisitScotland) cottage, which is handily situated next to the house, provides a healthy rental income being situated in an unspoilt rural area ideally situated for a ‘get-away-from-it-all’ holiday experience and for exploring the north mainland of Shetland with its dramatic cliff and hill scenery. There is a stony beach nearby and good walks in the immediate area. An area on the other side of the voe along the shore was the location for the filming of otters in a recent BBC Springwatch programme.

It is being sold complete with all furniture & furnishings and therefore offers an immediate revenue generator for the successful purchaser. Additional information and photographs can be found on the VisitScotland website by following links for self catering accommodation & Vidlin.

The business has been expanded in recent years by the current owners (who are moving abroad), and now provides an annual income of approximately £5,800. It is generally fully booked over the summer period from around mid-April to the end of September, but could also be used for permanent winter lets.

Alternatively it could be used as ancillary accommodation to the main house, as a ‘Granny’ annex, or perhaps as a home office, subject to any necessary consents. The adjoining former stable also offers potential for further development.

North House Accommodation

The accommodation extends to around 180 m² comprising:-

On the Ground Floor:-

FRONT PORCH

(Approx. 1.9m x 0.85m) (6’2” x 2’10”) With slate flooring & inner door to the hall.

HALL

(Approx. 2.3m x 1.65m) (7’6” x 5’5”) With stripped pine doors to the sittingroom & kitchen, stair to the first floor, space for coats etc. & radiator.

SITTINGROOM

(Approx. 3.9m x 3.85m) (12’10” x 12’7”) Inviting room with dual aspect and impressive stone fireplace housing a working open fire. Stripped & varnished floorboards, ‘v’-lining to the ceiling & two walls, two centre lights controlled by dimmer switches, satellite T.V connection, telephone point & radiator. Door to the conservatory & archway to the adjoining dining room.

CONSERVATORY

(Approx. 3.1m x 2.75m) (10’2” x 9’1”) South-facing double glazed conservatory with tiled floor & door to the garden.

DINING ROOM

(Approx. 4.95m x 3.95m) (16’4” x 13’) Large dining room with two windows facing south and looking out over the garden. Part of an original stone wall has been left exposed as a feature and room has part stripped & varnished floorboards. Wall lighting & radiator. Separate access from the rear hall.

REAR HALL

(Approx. 2.3m x 1.55m) (7’5” x 5’2”) Leading to the shower room, utility room & garage. Radiator.

SHOWER ROOM

(Approx. 2.1m x 1.9m) (6’10” x 6’3”) With W.C., wash hand basin & tiled shower enclosure. Radiator.

UTILITY ROOM

(Approx. 2.9m x 2.3m) (9’6” x 7’7”) With double sink & double drainer, plumbing for a washing machine & space for a tumble dryer / freezer, 'v'-lined ceiling, rear-facing window & radiator. Door to the kitchen.

KITCHEN / DINING ROOM

(Approx. 6.15m x 4.35m) (20’2” x 14’3”) Most attractive very spacious farmhouse style kitchen with space for a table & chairs. The kitchen was completely re-fitted a couple of years ago and now comprises cooking & washing areas on opposite walls with an island food preparation / storage area in-between, complete with integral fridge, solid oak worktop, inset circular sink bowl & mixer tap, power points and hanging utensil / pan rack over. The cooking area includes a ‘Rangemaster’ dual-fuel range cooker with five ring gas hob, warming plate & double electric oven, whilst on the opposite wall there is an inset 1½ bowl sink with plumbing for a dishwasher below and two glazed display cabinets and an integral plate rack over. Tiled flooring is laid throughout with electric under-floor heating. Also useful pantry cupboard, ‘v’-lining to the ceiling, pendant light fitting over the dining area & ceiling mounted spotlighting to the kitchen, & telephone point. Doors to the boiler room & front hall.

BOILER ROOM

(Approx. 2.25m x 1.2m) (7’5” x 3’11”) Housing the oil-fired boiler which supplies the central heating radiators throughout the house, and the stainless steel water tank.

On the First Floor:-

LANDING

Carpeted stair to galleried landing with window to the front of the house, doors to the two front bedrooms & passage with two north-facing dormer windows leading to the remaining accommodation. Four wall lights & radiator.

BEDROOM 1

(Approx. 4.35m x 3.9m (floor area)) (14’3” x 12’9”) Principal bedroom with dormer window to the front of the house, two built-in cupboards, access to storage space in the eaves, telephone point & radiator.

BEDROOM 2

(Approx. 4m x 2.85m (floor area)) (13’1” x 9’4”) 2nd double room, again with front-facing dormer window, telephone point & radiator. Currently used as an office.

BATHROOM

(Approx. 4.6m x 2.85m extending to 3.2m at widest point (floor area)) (15’ x 9’4” / 10’7”) Superb well-appointed family bathroom with extensive use of tiling to the floor, walls and around the bath & shower creating a particularly luxurious feel. Includes fashionable double ended bath with centrally mounted mixed tap, separate shower with contemporary glass block screen & built-in glazed shelving, W.C. with concealed cistern, & inset wash hand basin. Built-in shelved linen cupboard & separate store cupboard, side window & Velux roof light, recessed ceiling lighting & radiator.

BEDROOM 3

(Approx. 3.15m x 2.25m extending to 2.6m at widest point (floor area)) (10’5” x 7’5” / 8’7”) Single room with south-facing dormer window, built-in wardrobe with shelf & hanging rail, & radiator.

BEDROOM 4

(Approx. 4.25m x 3m including wardrobe (floor area)) (13’11” x 9’10”) 3rd double bedroom with dormer windows to either side, extensive built-in wardrobe space plus separate built-in cupboard, fitted dressing table with light over, & radiator.

Croft Cottage Accommodation

The cottage is understood to have been originally built around 1900 and still retains some original features, however it has been upgraded in the past couple of years with more modern, comfortable furnishings. The accommodation comprises a large double bedroom, a smaller twin bedded room and bathroom upstairs, with an attractive sittingroom, large dining kitchen & toilet / cloakroom downstairs. Most rooms have a whitewashed stone wall which adds character. Heating is provided by electric panel heaters throughout supplemented by a solid-fuel stove in the sittingroom.

On the Ground Floor:-

HALL

 

SITTINGROOM

(Approx. 4.6m x 3.8m) (15’ x 12’6”) Recently renovated room with ‘v’-lining throughout to a dado rail, stone fireplace with cast iron solid-fuel stove, wood laminate flooring & telephone point. Complete with sofa etc., satellite T.V., CD player, books & games etc.

DINING KITCHEN

(Approx. 4.8m x 3.7m) (15’8” x 12’3”) Large fully equipped kitchen with space for a table & chairs, and modern fitted units, gas cooker, fridge / freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer & microwave.

TOILET

With W.C., wash hand basin & heated towel rail, plus storage area for wet clothing, boots etc.

On the First Floor:-

LANDING

 

BATHROOM

(Approx. 3.6m x 2.7m (floor area)) (11’10” x 9’) Comprising shower with glazed screen / door, W.C. & wash hand basin.

BEDROOM 1

(Approx. 3.7m x 2.65m (floor area)) (12’2” x 8’9”) Twin bedroom with two single beds, wardrobe, chest of drawers, etc.

BEDROOM 2

(Approx. 3.85m x 3.85m (floor area)) (12’8” x 12’8”) Double bedroom with king-sized bed, wardrobe & chests of drawers etc.

External

As noted the property sits in grounds estimated to extend to around 1.2 acres or thereby in total. Access is by way of a tarred tree-lined driveway which leads up to the house and around past the cottage to the integral garage at the rear. To the left of the driveway the stone walls of a former cottage provide a sheltered garden area. The house itself sits in a delightful mature walled garden to the south & east sides, which includes a number of mature trees including Sitka spruces, white beams, rowans, sycamores etc. which attract a large number of local and migratory birds throughout the year, and a large patio area outside the conservatory.

The site includes several outbuildings:-

INTEGRAL GARAGE

(Approx. 5.15m x 5.15m) (17’ x 17’) With wide garage door, power & lighting and access to the house via the rear hall.

STORE / WORKSHOP

(Approx. 3.5m x 3.5m) (11’6” x 11’6”) Solid stone-built workshop behind the garage, with profile metal sheet roof, power & lighting.

GARDEN SHED

(Approx. 3.8m x 3.4m) (12’6” x 11’2”) Block-built shed, again with profile metal sheet roof, power & lighting.

FORMER STABLE

(Approx. 7m x 3.6m) (20’3 ” x 11’10”) Converted stone-built former stable with new roof with four Velux windows, power & lighting, & cold water supply. As it adjoins the cottage it offers the possible potential for extending the cottage, or could perhaps be converted for use as a home office / studio, all subject to the usual consents.

SHED

(Approx. 5.4m x 3.55m) (17’8” x 11’9”) Large metal clad lean-to former garage on the east side of the cottage.

In addition to the main garden area, the grounds also include three further areas adjacent to the house including a large walled area behind the cottage which includes a large vegetable plot, a fenced paddock in front of the house, plus a further larger area on the hill to the rear accessed by a gate at the end of the driveway. The adjoining crofter has a right of access to the croft behind the cottage.