Tired of modern life? Feeling the urge to take a step back in time to a land without cars or crowds, but with every amenity needed to live a modern life? This is exactly what No. 2 Doune offers as one of four private dwellings, overlooking Doune Bay on the Knoydart peninsula.
It's hard to put a price on this level of seclusion while still maintaining reasonable access to the mainland and a 4G data connection, but the agents have done just that – and very reasonable it is too. This little slice of paradise is up for sale with Galbraith via OnTheMarket.com at offers over £380,000.
(Sorry, dog not included. At least we don't think it is.)
The Knoydart peninsula sits on the West coast of the Scottish Highlands, only accessible by boat or foot. From the 12th century until the end of the 1990s, ownership of Knoydart changed hands numerous times as clans fought over the desirable territory. In 1999, the community bought out their land, finally taking control of their own livelihoods through the Knoydart Foundation.
You wouldn’t believe it now while looking at the wide, unpopulated hills of the peninsula, but prior to the Jacobite Rebellion it was home to almost a thousand inhabitants. In the infamous ‘Highland Clearances’, only eleven families refused to leave their homes as the rest of the newly evicted population travelled to Canada.
Continuing to struggle against powerful and often pitiless landlords, the remaining inhabitants’ fight for freedom came to a head with the Seven Men of Knoydart, who each claimed 65 acres of arable land and 10,000 acres of hill land for their own in order to rebuild their homes in November, 1948.
Although the Court of Session ruled against the villagers, this push for independence spurred on the community to their eventual buyout at the turn of the century.
No. 2 Doune, built in 1997, sits in a spectacular position, with many of its triple aspect rooms boasting breathtaking sea views and the rest looking out over the undulating hills of the stunning countryside.
The house is made of natural materials – including cobbles from a street in Glasgow – and is highly energy efficient, with solar powers and a battery bank generator in place to ward off cold Highland nights.
Access to the mainland is possible via a 20-minute boat ride to the town of Mallaig, where the owner will delight in a good selection of shops and schools up to secondary level.
The property comprises of two self-sustaining acres, complete with a pair of extremely productive poly tunnels providing vegetables and fruit all year round, a separate fruit and vegetable garden and a hen house.
The four bedrooms are all well proportioned, with stunning views of the Sound of Sleet and the property boasts three further sitting rooms. The kitchen is finished to a high standard, with a quaint breakfast bar leading to the triple aspect sun-room.
Natural wood reigns throughout No. 2 Doune, giving the property a cosy, rustic feel that stands in beautiful contrast with the vast, impenetrable scenery that surrounds the house on all sides. This house is the perfect escape for someone who wants to go their own way in the world, emulating the independence of Knoydart's previous, historic residents.
Credit: Galbraith
The untouched 'Island of Goats', a short boat ride from the Argyll coast, is looking for a new owner
Rich with areas of ancient woodland and extensive wildlife, this stunning island off Argyll’s secret coast provides the opportunity to
19 incredible Scottish castles and estates for sale, from £130,000 to £9.5 million
Whether you're after a crumbling ruin or a superb, 21st century-spec home bursting with character, you'll find something to suit
The devastatingly pretty home where Sir Walter Scott became a literary superstar
Within the splendid walls of Ashiestiel House, Sir Walter Scott enjoyed the happiest years of his life as he wrote
Credit: Jackson-Stops
The beautiful equestrian home of the famous Dutch philanthropist who championed Danish refugees during World War II
The Dower House has been returned to it’s original state as an elegant family home, perfectly designed for all manner
-
Omoda 9: Not a Range Rover, but it might be the next best thingOmoda, one of the host of Chinese-made cars now on offer in the UK, presents its flagship SUV. We found a car of no frills, and plenty of luxury, at an extremely reasonable price point.
-
Yorkshire’s bravest and most charming gentleman — the Airedale terrierBred on Yorkshire’s riverbanks to face otters, snakes and even enemy fire, the Airedale has gone from the trenches of war to the hearts and homes of presidents and movie stars.
-
18 grand country homes, from £600k to £6 million, as seen in Country LifeOur regular look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week include a house in a charming seaside village and a 17th century farmhouse.
-
Caveat renovator: The TV star, the writer and the salvation of a crumbling farmhouseThe actor, writer and comedian Robert Webb and his comedy writer wife Abigail Burdess embarked on a renovation project in 2019 which became far more than they imagined — and just as the job is at last complete, they've decided that it's the right time to put house on the market.
-
An Alpine hideaway on a Swiss mountaintop that's like something from the pages of a Gothic novelA wonderful Baroque castle set amid gardens and woodland is for sale in one of Switzerland's most beautiful areas.
-
The beautiful part of Britain where £1 million still buys a grand period house and a swathe of unspoilt landThe Scottish Borders might just be the best value spot in Britain today, as Arabella Youens reports.
-
A beautiful old farmhouse in 15 acres of breathtaking Scottish scenery, for sale at just £825,000A wonderful country home with almost 15 acres of land has come up for sale at a price which will make urban dwellers question their life choices.
-
A country house that was the set for one of the best-loved sitcoms of the 1980s is for sale, with 40,000sq ft of space, 39 bedrooms and almost endless potentialLynford Hall, a vast neo-Jacobean house that's been everything from a country hotel to an agricultural college, has come to the market. Toby Keel tells its story.
-
A sprawling castle set amid ancient woodland has come to the market for the first time in 150 yearsGyrn Castle, set amidst woodland on the outskirts of an ancient village, is now seeking new owners. Penny Churchill reports.
-
A Tudor Revival home built by a Victorian adventurer, with beauty, grandeur and its own putting greenFulford Hall is an idyllic country home, yet is situated less than a dozen miles from Birmingham. Penny Churchill tells more.
