Country Homes - A Borders’ Speciality!

THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE • WWW.BSPC.CO.UK

Country Homes A Borders’ Speciality!

Wayside Cottage, Paxton • See page 30

For lifestyle, location, and country living the Borders

is hard to beat writes Beverley Brown . . .

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WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERT Y . . . IT HAS TO BE BSPC

The Borders region does not cover a vast land mass compared to, for example, Highland region, but it does offer arguably Scotland’s most diverse landscape and some of its most spectacular scenery.

And with good road links and a new rail service to Edinburgh, the best part about living in the Borders is that it’s accessible, therefore all the region’s picturesque countryside, legendary outdoor opportunities and countless sports and leisure activities can be enjoyed to the max.

Borders people share a common history and culture – as well as a renowned passion for rugby – but its towns all have their own unique identity and amenities. Love mountain biking and adventure?

Peebles and the smaller nearby town of Innerleithen are the place to be for easy access to Glentress, now one of the UK’s top mountain biking venues, while nearby Cardrona Adventure Centre adds quad biking, kayaking, horse riding, climbing and abseiling to the list of thrill-seeking possibilities. Love to shop?

Galashiels offers 24-hour retail therapy and a thriving retail park, while Kelso is the only town to include a racecourse and ice rink in its mix of attractions.

Berwickshire only occupies a small corner of the region, but its 32 miles of coastline incorporating picture postcard villages, craggy cliffs, quiet sandy coves and quaint fishing harbours offers the best of both worlds; a genuinely rural lifestyle with good facilities and easy access to larger towns and cities north and south of the border.

In addition to obvious scenic attractions and close proximity to seaside towns and villages like Eyemouth and Coldingham, the Berwickshire area offers a superb variety of property styles, including rural steadings and conversions.

The property market here has something to suit all budgets and tastes, particularly in larger towns such as Eyemouth, as well as properties in picturesque locations like St Abbs and Burnmouth where price premiums reflect limited availability.

Berwickshire also has two new state-of-the-art secondary schools that further enhance this part of the Borders for families.

Nisbet Rhodes, Nisbet, Duns Guide Price £475,000

The most westerly of all Border towns, Peebles is at the edge of the Edinburgh commuter belt and has long been a favourite place for a day out with city folk who come to browse the town’s much admired high street shops, galleries, craft centres and round the day off with a meal in one of the many eateries.

The outdoor lifestyle on offer is one of Peeble’s main attractions – and you don’t have to be an angler to appreciate the world-famous River Tweed, which flows through the town like a silver ribbon, providing glorious river walks and trails for walkers and cyclists of all ages and abilities. Dawyck Botanic Garden and Kailzie Gardens provide a year-round kaleidoscope of colour, while nearby hills like Cademuir reward walkers with spectacular views of the area.

Galashiels lies right at the very heart of the Borders and while its prosperity was founded in the textile industry, nowadays its popularity has more to do with good schools, sports and leisure opportunities, shops and retail parks, restaurants and health services – all of which combine with a wide variety of property styles and scenic surroundings to make Galashiels a great place to live at any stage in life.

Kircal House, East Gordon Offers Around £440,000

History and character combine with a beautifully upgraded interior to make this C-listed 18th Century former coaching inn near Duns an outstanding family home set in three-and-a -half acres of garden grounds that include fishing rights - and a newly-built detached two bedroomed holiday home. The house has a contemporary interior with wood flooring and a neutral colour palette throughout, while the quirky layout includes three reception rooms, kitchen, galleried mezzanine, four bedrooms and bathroom. Viewing is a must to appreciate this character home. • See page 8 for full details.

Hartwoodburn Farm, Nr Selkirk Offers Around £450,000 Hartwoodburn is an 1830s Georgian farmhouse that has been carefully extended and upgraded to superb effect and benefits from a beautiful rural setting with enclosed garden grounds and views across the Ettrick countryside, while also being close to Selkirk. Space-wise, this is a substantial property with three reception rooms and five double bedrooms – a notable feature is the extension, which provides additional living space as well as a ground floor bedroom and spiral staircase to a work area and bedroom. • See page 8 for full details.

An exemplary equestrian property set in beautiful Berwickshire countryside with good access to travel links, this detached villa includes a dining conservatory and attractive dining kitchen, sitting room, three/four bedrooms and two bath /shower rooms, plus gardens, sheds, five-box stable complex, extensive grazing and six acres of paddocks – outstanding equestrian facilities combined with a very desirable family home.

• See page 9 for full details.

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THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE • WWW.BSPC.CO.UK

Surrounded by historic sites and monuments and breath-taking scenery, switching off and unwinding has never been easier, with spectacular walks and hill treks, cycle routes (cyclists can join the 90-mile Tweed Cycle Way in Galashiels, while hikers can join the Southern Upland Way as it passes through), forest picnic sites, and of course the River Tweed, which winds its way through the landscape until it reaches the sea just over the border at Berwick -upon-Tweed.

A few miles east of Galashiels, situated at the foot of the landmark peaks of the Eildon Hills, Melrose is a genteel town with a tranquil vibe. The jewel in this picturesque town is the magnificent rose-red ruins of the 12th century abbey, its architecture reputed to be the best monastic example in Great Britain.

Melrose abbey is also the starting point for St Cuthbert’s Way, a 62-mile cross border walk that ends in Holy Island, off the northwest coast of Northumberland.

It’s one of the many leisure activities that bring people to the town.

The town also hosts the annual Book Festival, held at the National Trust for Scotland’s Harmony Garden, a tranquil setting surrounded by walls and screened by trees from which to hear thought-provoking words from many esteemed writers and performers who take part in this event.

The Lodge, Palace House, Crailing Offers Around £370,000 Situated within Palace House Estate and benefitting from beautiful views and walks, this modern detached house has a superbly well designed and finished contemporary interior that incorporates three reception rooms, dining room, stylish fitted kitchen, four bedrooms and bathroom. Immaculately presented in neutral shades throughout, this is a very desirable country house with large level gardens to match.

• See page 14 for full details.

11 West Nisbet Steading, Nisbet Offers Around £350,000 ‘Idyllic’ is an apt description for this L-shaped bungalow’s setting within a picturesque hamlet that benefits from easy access to both Kelso and Jedburgh.

The spacious four bedroomed home has a beautiful open-plan kitchen/dining /family room, separate lounge and formal dining room, en suite master bedroom, and fully enclosed landscaped gardens complete with summerhouse, deck and patio - all finished to an exceptionally high standard. • See page 16 for full details.

Walkers head to the Eildons to follow in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott and admire his favourite view of the Borders – appropriately known as Scott’s view.

For a small place, Melrose has a surprising number of annual events, including the Melrose Festival, which takes place every year in June and combines all of the typical elements of the traditional Border summer celebrations, with a Common Riding, Festival Queen, sports and fancy dress.

Wyaby Cottage, Bonjedward Guide Price £335,000

Location is key for this detached villa, which is set in sizeable level garden grounds close to Jedburgh with uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside. Inside over two levels the accommodation includes living room, dining room, well-equipped fitted kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, utility, shower room, four bedrooms, bathroom and integral garage. There is also has a graveled driveway and parking. • See page 16 for full details.

Old North House, Hawick Offers Around £325,000 This quintessential white country

cottage enjoys a beautiful setting with 360-degree views of the hills to the south of Hawick. Internally, the cottage has an entrance hall, living room with wood-burning stove, dining kitchen, family bathroom and two downstairs bedrooms, with two further double bedrooms. Old North House also has a detached double garage and lovely gardens, plus fruit trees, vegetable patch, patios and a greenhouse.

• See page 21 for full details.

Scottsville, Nether Blainslie, Galashiels Scottsville is a property of immense Offers Over £249,500 charm and character. The house, which has scope for further extension, comprises hall, living room, garden room with wood-burner and French doors to a sunken patio and fitted dining kitchen. There is also a utility with access into the attached stone -built garage and garden room.

Upstairs are three bedrooms and a bathroom, while outside, the colourful garden includes a summerhouse.

• See page 32 for full details.

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WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERT Y . . . IT HAS TO BE BSPC

Set high above the largely undiscovered valleys of Ettrick and Yarrow, the Ancient and Royal Burgh of Selkirk combines spectacular scenery with a rich heritage that has inspired artists, writers and poets for centuries, among them Sir Walter Scott, who served as Sheriff of Selkirkshire for 33 years and whose courtroom in the town is now a museum.

The Ettrick Valley was also the birthplace of poet and writer James Hogg, otherwise known as the ‘Ettrick Shepherd’.

Less than 50 miles from Edinburgh, Kelso is arguably the most picturesque of all the Border towns, attracting holidaymakers and visitors as well as those looking to maximise their quality of life away from the stresses and pressures of work.

Originally a small hamlet, the town came into being when Kelso Abbey was built in 1128, the ruins of which remain a major tourist attraction today.

Situated in a fertile valley between the Lammermuir Hills and the Cheviots, only a few miles from the English border, Kelso is steeped in history, its many ancient monuments alluding to past centuries when, like many other towns in the region, it was involved in cross-border battles and skirmishes.

Jedburgh has a strong sense of identity and a history that spans many centuries and violent cross border battles, some of which are kept alive in cultural traditions like the Jedburgh Callant Festival, which takes place annually in June and commemorates the last of the Border skirmishes.

However, history is part of everyday life in a town so well endowed with ancient monuments, arguably the most notable of which is its 12th Century Augustinian Abbey.

Nearby Hawick also has all the essentials – good shops and restaurants, diverse property market, schools, a wide range of sports and leisure facilities – and things you can’t put a price on, like history, culture, and spectacular countryside. South of Hawick, almost on the border, Newcastleton Forest is a mecca for walkers and nature lovers. It also has mountain bike trails and pony trekking – and you can cross the border into Kielder Forest.

Country living in the Borders offers outstanding locations and a huge variety of property options with land and/or equestrian facilities. Best of all, you can be rural without being remote and enjoy all that this special corner of Scotland has to offer yet still be close to a village or town for the necessities in life. Can it get any better than that?

East Lodge, Swinton House, Duns Guide Price £220,000 This delightful mid 19th Century detached gate lodge has a south-facing rural setting within a third of an acre of garden grounds. Extended and refurbished, the accommodation extends to entrance vestibule, living room with exposed stone feature wall, fireplace and wood-burning stove, fitted kitchen, utility, two double bedrooms and bathroom. Level lawns, mature trees and a paved patio/seating area enhance this unique property’s appeal.

Sunnybank, Auchencrow Guide Price £190,000

Positioned on the edge of the village, this south facing detached bungalow has an adjoining two acre paddock with timber-built stable/hayshed and lovely open views over the surrounding countryside. Inside, the one-level accommodation includes an L-shaped hall, living room with open fireplace and sliding door to a dining room and beyond, kitchen and rear porch. Off on the other side of the hall are three double bedrooms (two with fitted wardrobes) and bathroom. The property also has an attached single garage, ample off -road parking and neat garden ground.

• See page 36 for full details.

3 Hyndsidehill Farm Cottages, Near Westruther Guide Price £160,000

• See page 34 for full details.

The Old Schoolhouse, Fountainhall Offers Around £210,000 Dating back to the 1830s and set back from a lane in beautiful garden grounds within easy reach of road and rail links, the Old Schoolhouse combines age and character within a pristine and spacious interior designed for easy living. Over two floors the accommodation includes a dining/living room with French doors to the garden and wood-burning stove, well-equipped fitted kitchen and bathroom, three double bedrooms and a boxroom/dressing room. It also has a monobloc parking area, vegetable garden, seating area and lawn.

• See page 35 for full details.

Two miles from the village of Westruther and 34 miles from Edinburgh, this semi-detached character cottage offers newly upgraded family-sized accommodation in an idyllic rural setting with a good range of nearby amenities. The layout includes hall, living room/dining room with French doors, rustic stone fireplace and multi-fuel stove, modern and well-equipped dining kitchen with external access, ground floor double bedroom – and two further bedrooms and attractive bathroom on the upper floor. Private landscaped garden and gated monobloc parking area complete this desirable property. • See page 38 for full details.