Balcary Tower, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas, DG7

With spectacular sea views from every room, this is as close to island living as you will get, without having to leave the shore.  Balcary Tower is wonderfully situated and comprises a traditional C Listed tower house with integral garage, set within a very private location amongst mature and well-maintained grounds. The property boasts some of the most incredible coastal and mountain vistas in the UK and enjoys direct beach access, with a tidal swimming pool, private slipway and large, modern boathouse. In addition, there are lovely, mature wooded garden grounds, superb terraces for alfresco entertaining, and a 12 acre paddock. 

The property was originally built in 1860 by Colonel Johnstone, who was the Laird of Auchencairn House, and we understand it to have been built for his French governess and mistress. The Tower was extended in the 1960s and 70s and then completely overhauled and renovated in 2012.  During this recent renovation no stone was left unturned, and the house was also rewired, replumbed and had a new waste treatment plant installed, at the time. 

Balcary Tower is presently run as very successful luxury holiday let (winning a Gold ‘Gem’ award with Sykes in 2025) but would equally lend itself to being a fantastic family home.   

Rare to the market, with high quality fixtures and fittings throughout and stunning views from every room, this property really needs to be viewed in person to be truly appreciated.

Accommodation

Balcary Tower offers flexible and spacious accommodation, with 4 double bedrooms and 2-3 reception rooms. High quality fixtures and fittings are evident throughout.

The open plan kitchen/breakfast/family room is a wonderful entertaining space and enjoys sea views from two elevations.  The kitchen would appeal to any chef, with an abundance of storage, granite worksurfaces and a large central island.  Top of the range appliances include a Liebherr fridge freezer and Gaggenau steam oven, electric oven with warming drawer, and dishwasher and there is a bespoke dining bench and table.  The living area offers ample space for furniture, enjoys a modern wood burning stove and boasts fantastic views over the pool and out to sea, with direct access to a raised terrace via French doors. 

The drawing room and dining room are located at the opposite end of the house, and the two rooms are connected by a few shallow steps.  Naturally, both rooms offer unrivalled coastal views, and the drawing room also has a wood burning stove and French doors that lead out to a gravelled terrace.

Also on the ground floor is a bright double bedroom, with ‘Jack and Jill’ ensuite shower room, a useful utility room, cloakroom/WC and a storage cupboard.

On the first floor, two very attractive bedroom suites can be found. The principal bedroom suite boasts a triple aspect, with charming sash windows, working shutters and a generous walk-in wardrobe/dressing room. The ensuite bathroom has an incredible, large picture window overlooking the sea, with a central bath, generous shower, and fitted storage.   The second bedroom on the first floor also enjoys a triple aspect with sash windows and working shutters, a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite bathroom comprising shower over bath.

On the second floor another bright and well-proportioned double bedroom can be found, again which enjoys a triple aspect and incredible views, and there is an adjacent bathroom comprising shower over the bath. 

From the second floor there is a wooden staircase rising to an insulated and electronically operated roof hatch, giving access to the roof of the tower, and offering 360-degree views of the estuary, Hestan Island, the mountains, garden and surrounding countryside. 

Outside

The property is approached via Shore Road from Auchencairn, which is a quiet road that follows the shoreline to the private entrance to Balcary Tower.  A gated entrance and tarmac driveway winds through the wooded grounds, following the shoreline, to generous parking and turning areas by the house and boathouse. 

There are various areas from which to sit and enjoy the coastal views, including sheltered terraces, ideal for alfresco entertaining.  There is direct beach access, which is quite remarkable and really makes the beach an extension of the grounds.

The gardens are landscaped into the natural sloping topography of the land around and behind the house.  To the rear of the property a path leads up to a lovely, wooded garden, filled with specimen trees, rhododendrons and other mature shrubs and plants.  There is a pond, winding paths lead through the trees, and there is a lawned area housing raised vegetable beds and a greenhouse, and a separate fruit garden. An area of woodland, with rhododendrons and azaleas also flank the driveway and provide a high level of privacy.  

The rock-cut swimming pool fills naturally with sea water at high tide and has a sluice gate so that water can be changed if necessary.  This offers an infinity style pool setting and brings wild swimming to your doorstep!

Finally, the property enjoys haaf (half) netting fishing rights, which is a traditional method of catching fish.  It requires an angler to stand waist-deep with a large, handheld net, and by law the net cannot be fixed, stuck in the mud, or left unattended.  Dumfries & Galloway Council issue the annual haaf net permits. 

Boathouse

There is a large steel framed shed (15m x 8m) which was constructed in 2013 and serves as a boathouse and office/workshop space, located opposite to the slipway.  The boathouse has a concrete floor, steel stairs to a generous mezzanine area, power and light, hot and cold running water, an electric roller door, and separate pedestrian access.

Land

The paddock extends to just under 12 acres and would be ideal for grazing of small animals or perhaps for equestrian use.  There is ample space to erect buildings suitable for animals in the field, subject to consents. 

Access and Rights of Way

Balcary Tower is accessed via a half mile private driveway leading from the end of the public road at Balcary Bay. The owners of The Boat House further around the peninsula have a right of access over the first 100 yards of the driveway and over the track through the paddock. A public footpath passes through the paddock and skirts the southeastern woodland boundary of the title.

Services:  

Mains electricity, mains water, private waste treatment plant.  Oil fired central heating and wood burning stoves. Double glazed throughout.  Fibre broadband.

Local Authority: Dumfries & Galloway Council.  Council Tax Band G

Fixtures and Fittings: Contents of the house are available by separate negotiation.  

EPC: E

Viewings: Strictly by appointment with the sole selling agents, Fine & Country Scotland.

Offers: All offers should be made in Scottish Legal Form to the offices of the sole selling agents, Fine & Country Scotland by email to

Matters of Title: The property is sold subject to all existing easements, burdens, reservations and wayleaves, including rights of access and rights of way whether contained in the Title Deeds or informally constituted and whether referred to in the General Remarks and Stipulations or not. The Purchaser(s) will be held to have satisfied themselves as to the nature of such matters. Our land/boundary plan should be used for indicative purposes only.

Tenure and Possession: The Freehold title is offered for sale with vacant possession upon completion.

 Money Laundering Obligations: We are required by law to carry out Anti Money Laundering Checks once an offer is accepted. We use an external agency to conduct these checks. Once an offer has been agreed, Coadjute will contact you to complete the checks electronically. A fee of £45 + VAT per person will apply and will be processed by Coadjute. If you have any queries please contact the office.

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