A grand Scottish paradise for sale, just along the coast from the Mull of Kintyre
The breathtaking Ronachan House is everything you could want in a Scottish home. Toby Keel is entranced.
A week or so ago, as the sun blazed in Italy, and the temperature displays outside the pharmacies headed into the 40s, I made a deal with myself. Next summer, we'll be holidaying in Scotland.
The only issue I imagined I'd have is deciding exactly where where to go — or so I thought. As it happened, immediately on my return I immediately came across the perfect Scottish home in which to take refuge from Europe's increasingly-brutal summers: Ronachan House.
It's a home that looks perfect for the climate change-era, a place from where I'll be able to enjoy the beauty of Scotland, bask in the perfectly temperate, not-too-hot and not-too-cold weather, and enjoy a sun that warms pleasantly without turning you lobster-red within 15 minutes.
It's even a perfect spot for dreamy sunsets: the house is on the west coast of the Kintyre Peninsula, about 40 miles directly north of the Mull of Kintyre, less than 20 minutes from Tarbert, and about a 35-minute drive from Campbeltown.
All that now separates me from my dream home in Scotland is the small matter of the £2.1 million I'll need to buy Ronachan House in Clachan, through the nice people at Strutt & Parker.
This Category B-listed in Clachan is as fine inside as it is outside. The place has been meticulously restored over the past 20 years, ensuring it offers luxury accommodation across three levels, retaining architectural grandeur together with chic decor.
The 13-bedroom house, dating from the Victorian era, is constructed from warm sandstone and features steeply pitched gables, tall clustered chimneys, finely detailed stonework, symmetrical bay windows and generous sashes from that time.
The agent refers to the three-storey Ronachan House as ‘a celebration of original period detailing’. The main house has seven bedrooms in total, with the principal suit sounding like a true joy, 'comprising a spacious bedroom, separate sitting area overlooking the bay and a beautifully appointed bathroom with roll-top bath and marble-tiled walk-in shower.'
The kitchen forms the heart of the ground floor, centred around a generous island and thoughtfully designed to lend itself to both entertaining and the daily rhythms of family life.
It barely needs pointing out, of course, but we'd be remiss not to add that the views from this 10½-acre property, set in a secluded position on the west coast’s Kintyre Peninsula, are exceptional. You can look out across the sea to the Inner Hebrides islands of Islay, Jura and Gigha.
There are also three dwellings beyond the main house: the Coach House, the Look Out and North Lodge, with three, one and two bedrooms respectively. A grand main house, and plenty of spots for guests? This really is a property that pretty much ticks every box.
There's a small chance (ok, quite a large chance) that I won' t quite get the required funds together in time to buy Ronachan House, so if it's if you who ends up buying it first, please feel free to pop me an invitation via Country Life. And I'll see you there next summer.
Ronachan House is for sale through Strutt & Parker — see more details.
