There are few places in the British Isles that are more beautiful than the West Coast of Scotland. I say that, because I have been to most places in the British Isles. It is one of those areas I keep an eye on, with a view towards retirement, should I ever A) be able to and B) have enough money to buy a nice house in the area.
Assuming I could retire today and had about £1.5 million lying around, I would be severely tempted by Raera Farm near Oban. It’s with Galbraith for £1.495 million and it has anything and everything a (theoretically) retired man of leisure could need.
At the centre of it all is the farmhouse, which features five bedrooms and has been tastefully modernised in recent years, by the family that have owned it since 1934. A particular highlight is the recently added sunroom and kitchen area, with modern fittings and glorious amounts of glass letting the light in.
The rest of the house is made of traditional stone and dates back to the early 1700s, and is situated a short distance from Euchar Glen and surrounded by open pasture and woodland.
Indeed, the property sits in some 355 acres of pasture, upland grazing and woodland. Despite the wilderness that surrounds it, the property is well connected, with Oban, the ‘Gateway to the Isles’, 9 miles to the north. Always important to know where your nearest pint of milk is in this part of the world.
But that wilderness has not just caught the eye of the family that owns it, but also various films and tv programmes. The waterfall scene from 1969’s Ring of Bright Water was filmed on Raera Farm, as were parts of the 1971 film Kidnapped. The ancient woodland also featured on BBC Autumnwatch, while filmmaker and photographer Simon King has visited to catch salmon jumping the waterfall that’s a short distance from the house.
Did I mention that there’s salmon fishing? How could I forget. The property comes with 1.74 miles of single-bank fishing on the River Euchar, and has the potential for other sporting opportunities, if that kind of thing is your cup of tea.
There are a range of farm buildings that could be converted for different purposes, with the necessary consents, while a two-storey cottage already exists on site that has been split into two holiday let apartments.
Basically, there is lots to do here and lots to see. A perfect spot to get away from it all.
Credit: Lillicrap Chilcott/Jefferys
A four bedroom house on the River Fowey that rose from the ruins of the English Civil War
Grade II-listed Stannary House offers peaceful Cornish living and plenty of historical provenance.
-
How to make Eton mess strawberry blondiesOur kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.
-
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 12, 2025A Rolling Stone and a familiar-sounding place find their way into Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
-
Lawns, glorious lawns at this Grade II-listed home in Hampshire where a sustainable future meets a storied pastThere are 'old rectorys', and then there's The Old Rectory.
-
'A monument to Edwardian excess' that was built by the millionaire industrialist who founded Pinewood StudiosBents House is a classic Peak District mansion which shows that good taste and deep pockets can coexist very happily.
