Home for sale: Dream cottage with sea views to front & back marries tradition with contemporary living
Carefully combining the cosy charm of a beamed-ceiling cottage with contemporary living space thanks to a thoughtfully designed kitchen-diner extension and garden room this three bedroom home has oodles of charm.
Add to that a safe, enclosed garden – ideal for kids and dogs or simply relaxing with friends –its close proximity to the sea, spectacular sea views to front and back and dreamily quiet location on the Isle of Whithorn make it the perfect getaway.
Colebrook Cottage itself dates from the 1790s and has been in possession of the current owners for 21 years. They have tastefully refurbished the house as well as adding a walk-in shower room, the kitchen-diner extension and a garden bedroom, both of which have patio doors onto the garden.
Although they live in Edinburgh, they have enjoyed many happy stays with friends over the years, and especially love Hogmanay and Bonfire nights, and they have run it as an award-winning holiday rental.
It could be sold as a going concern (there are bookings up to September currently) or it could be a charming home or holiday house.
Location, location
The Isle of Whithorn is a Scottish hidden gem, a picture-postcard harbour town which has a thriving sailing and rowing community, The Steam Packet Inn, a hotel with bar and restaurant and also St Ninian's Tearoom.
The Isle of Whithorn has a proud association with St Ninian, Scotland’s first saint, who started his journey to spread Christianity through the country here, and died here in 431. Every year there is a pilgrimage to the nearby St Ninian’s Cave and you can find out more of the history in the Whithorn Priory and Visitors Centre.
The Isle of Whithorn is not a true island, but a headland attached by an isthmus (a narrow strip of land) to this part of the Galloway Machars. Beautifully painted houses line the road right along the seafront, and it is here that Colebrook Cottage, number 56, Main Street, can be found.
Links with history are to be found everywhere with Whithorn itself, just 5 minutes away in the car, retaining its street plan from the Middle Ages including an especially wide main street built to accommodate the annual visits and Parades of 5 consecutive Scottish Monarchs and their entourages.
The tearoom on the Isle sells basic foods as well as newspapers every day whilst Whithorn itself has a selection of shops for all the essentials including a small supermarket, chip shop, newsagents with ironmongery and chemist with petshop. Half an hour up the road is Newton Stewart where the larger shops are to be found such as Sainsburys and Aldi and grocery deliveries to the Isle are also available.
Stranraer and the ferries to Northern Ireland are just 45 minutes away and Carlisle lies about two hours East.
“We have so many happy memories here,” says the owner. “It’s gorgeous in the summer to be so close to the sea and the beach, and enjoying a glass of wine in the garden. But we love it in winter too, with dramatic seas and Hogmanay is a favourite time to visit, joining others in the village at the Steam Packet for celebrations and fireworks.”
The dining room and living room are in the old cottage part of the house – think real fires and cosying up in the evening. Whilst in the summer the kitchen diner and patio doors and that superb enclosed garden offer the perfect space for making the most of the sunshine.
The master bedroom is the ground-floor room with patio doors to the garden, and next door is a beautiful walk-in shower room. Upstairs are two generous sized bedrooms – again both with breathtaking views – and there’s a dressing area and bathroom. The attic offers plenty of scope for further bedroom space or would make an ideal office or workroom with light from the Velux windows.
And the price? With offers over £249K being invited it won’t hang around for long. See more details with estate agents Galloway and Ayrshire Properties here.