Backharn, Nethy Bridge, Inverness-Shire, PH26

Backharn sits in a truly idyllic private and secluded rural setting between Grantown and Nethy Bridge. Accessed over a private track and sheltered by mature woodland, the house enjoys wonderful views over the surrounding National Park with barely a man made structure or other dwelling visible from the property. The house has been constructed on the site of a former croft and mill with some of the original stonework incorporated into what is a modern house predominantly built from harled block under a pitched slate and red corrugated roof. The red corrugated roof was constructed for the personal preference of the vendor and is understood to offer a higher specification in terms of sound and insulation than traditional slate. It has been sympathetically designed and built to sit quietly within its surroundings and in the layout of a traditional shaped steading. Spacious and very well appointed accommodation (extending to about 390m2) is provided over a single storey in addition to extensive loft space with scope for further development (subject to obtaining all required consents). The house is accessed through a brightly lit vestibule into the reception hall and passage which accesses the principal rooms. These include a well equipped kitchen / living room with a two way wood burning stove connecting with the most impressive drawing / dining room with its full height ceiling. A passage leads to 4 bedrooms, the largest of these being the wonderful triple aspect master bedroom. In addition to shower room and family bathroom, two of the bedrooms also have en suite facilities. A passage with excellent built in storage accesses stairs leading to a 5th bedroom. Also on the ground floor are a study / 6th bedroom, a drying room, second kitchen / utility room and a fully secured walk in gun room. Also on the ground floor are an open faced two berth garage, a garden store and kennelling with a prep room and two separate kennels with dog runs. Completing the accommodation is a first floor loft room that provides scope for extending the accommodation (subject to planning).
The house has been built and finished to a very high standard and has a wonderfully bright and airy feel with Pitch Pine doors, skirtings and timber facings; high quality timber double glazed windows and several French doors that flood the interior with natural light and access the garden grounds.

The open plan kitchen / family room and the drawing room which share a two way wood burning stove; a wonderful covered veranda and the master bedroom are particularly appealing. The house is connected to mains electricity whilst water and foul drainage are from private facilities. It is heated using oil central heating (under floor on the ground floor) with the houses split into three separate heating zones.
In general, Backharn provides the space, facilities and amenity of a large traditional country house but without the associated running costs.

POLICY GROUNDS
In total, the grounds at Backharn extend to about 87.1 acres and are divided between two separate parcels. The largest of these parcels is about 65.1 acres (26.38 ha) and sitting within this is the house and garden ground. The garden, which is essentially laid to lawn along with a superb sheltered stone slabbed seating area is laid out for ease of maintenance. Sitting adjacent to the house is the original mill built from stone under a tin roof. The mill has a power supply and offers great scope for development into an annexe or additional accommodation (subject to planning). In addition, there is a very useful timber built store / workshop (about 11m x 6m). Surrounding the house is an area of delightful heathland interspersed with naturally generating Scots Pine and other native tree species with a productive duck flighting pond whilst this larger parcel of ground also includes grazing land extending to about 23.1 acres (9.35 ha) which is suitable for horses or other livestock and parcels of mature coniferous woodland extending to some 31.7 acres (12.83 ha). Backharn is surrounded by mature woodland, much of which is managed by the RSPB and is home to a high population of red and roe deer (which have been fed at Backharn throughout the winter), pine marten as well a great variety of native flora and fauna.
The second parcel at the entrance to the public road (B970) is the Blairdow Woodland of about 21.9 acres (8.87 ha) comprising mature Scots Pine woodland and a further delightful lochan.

EPC Rating = C