Blairhullichan & Eilean Gorm Island, Kinlochard, Stirlingshire, FK8

Exceptional country house in exquisite lochside setting with a private island and bothy, BBQ house, spacious outbuildings, stabling and 40 acres in all including 870m of loch frontage.

Description

Blairhullichan, or Hulli as it is affectionately known, is not simply an outstanding country house in a stunning location but also a much-loved and characterful family home. Situated on the elevated hillside above Loch Ard, this exceptionally pretty eight bedroom period property dates from the 1600s with various additions and iterations over the centuries. Today, Blairhullichan is a beautifully styled six bedroom house with fine reception rooms and breathtaking views over its own gardens and land to Loch Ard, where the owners can row out from the boathouse to a private island.

At present, the house includes an integrated two bedroom self-contained wing used successfully for multi-generational living, but which can be easily incorporated back into the main body of the house or used as a short-term holiday let (subject to licence approval).

The ground floor accommodation begins with a splendid dining hall; off here is the living room with wood burning stove and the drawing room with open fire and wonderful bay picture window looking out to the loch. The cosy country kitchen has a range cooker and good storage with lots of room for a table for informal family meals. French doors lead out to a stone terrace and the garden. Completing the ground floor of the main part of the house are the pantry, larder and utility room.

Upstairs there are five good sized double bedrooms, all with lovely views. The principal bedroom has a walk in wardrobe and en suite bathroom while the others are serviced by three further bathrooms, one with separate walk in shower.

The current configuration at Blairhullichan has the west wing of the house set up as a self contained but integrated annexe used successfully for multi-generational living. It could easily be incorporated back into the main body of the house or used as a short-term holiday let (subject to licence approval). On the ground floor there is a hallway, sitting room, dining room and galley kitchen. On the first floor are three spacious and sunny double bedrooms.

Outbuildings include an external office off the courtyard and a fantastic range of attractive outbuildings include stabling, garaging, barns and stores.

The mature gardens have been lovingly tended over the years and within them is the superb stone-built barbecue house with indoor grill and atmospheric space within that can seat up to 20 people. There is also a terrace in front, making this a fabulous entertaining place all year round.

The sale of Blairhullichan includes the rare benefit of 870 meters of loch frontage and a private island (1.75) along with around 38 acres of garden grounds, paddocks (currently home to ponies and donkeys) and woodland, all of which offer a range of scenic walks straight from the house.
Loch Ard itself is one of the jewels in the Trossachs crown, and ideal for rowing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, sailing and wild swimming.

Location

Blairhullichan sits in a spectacular elevated position overlooking Loch Ard, 4 miles west of Aberfoyle, within the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park which is part of The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The house has a secluded location yet does not feel isolated, being only minutes from Aberfoyle and around an hour’s drive, under normal driving conditions, from central Glasgow (28 miles), Glasgow Airport (45 mins) and Edinburgh Airport (1 hour).

Nearby Stirling (19 miles) is the major town of central Scotland. In the Middle Ages it was the seat of the Kings of Scotland and famous for the victories of William Wallace, at Stirling Bridge in 1297, and Robert the Bruce, at Bannockburn in 1314. The modern day town is now a thriving business hub and provides a full range of shops, schools and services including cinema and swimming pool.

The nearby community of Kinlochard offers excellent leisure facilities including a sailing club, the Go Country outdoor activity centre and the MacDonald Forest Hills Hotel and Spa. The wide range of activities in the area include mountain biking and walking, horse riding and pony trekking, canoeing and paddle boarding, wild swimming, shooting and fishing, and the UK’s longest zip wire is at the nearby Go Ape centre located at the David Marshall Lodge visitor centre. Aberfoyle provides a full range of facilities including a primary school, shops, post office, supermarket, petrol station and a variety of hotels and restaurants as well as an 18 hole golf course. Secondary schooling is at McLaren High School in Callander, and independent schools are available in Bridge of Allan, Glasgow and Dollar. The Lake Hotel and Nick Nairn’s Cook School and restaurant are nearby at Port of Menteith. The Trossachs is the heart of Rob Roy MacGregor’s Scotland and it was in this area with its delightful mix of lochs, burns, hills and glens that he lived his life and where some of his more famous exploits are said to have taken place. The Trossachs has a diversity of wildlife including magnificent golden eagles, osprey, peregrine falcons and red deer, which coexist with creatures like roe deer, wildcats, foxes, feral goats, badgers and red squirrels. Writers, poets and artists have all been drawn to the shores of its lochs, fascinated by the tales of Rob Roy and the mystery of the 'Children of the Mist', the clans who lived amidst these wild hills. William Wordsworth, John Ruskin and James Hogg all savoured its incomparable atmosphere. Nearby Loch Katrine was the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake. Several films including The 39 Steps (1959 version, starring Kenneth More) and Rob Roy (1953, starring Richard Todd) were filmed in the area. Loch Lomond can be reached from Blairhullichan at the end of the B829 at Inversnaid, opposite the Arrochar Alps and the famous Loch Lomond Golf Club.

Square Footage: 5,051 sq ft


Acreage: 40 Acres

Additional Info

Council Tax Band H