With breathtaking views, stylish rooms and numerous creature comforts, Tanzie House near Craigellachie is a gem of a home, writes Susan Welsh
Having reached an age when most people want to give up work, kick back and put their feet up, Fiona and Angus Ogilvie are doing the opposite. Instead of downsizing and stopping work, they’re leaving their much-loved Moray home to start a new and exciting life in Kentucky, US.
Angus, 65, is a seismic surveyor with Fugro, a Dutch-based firm which has offices in Aberdeen, and it’s his work which is taking them Stateside.
“I’ll be working in Louisiana but looking to live in Kentucky as our son lives there,” said Angus. “The firm are happy that I’m moving but have made me promise I won’t retire for a few years yet,” said Angus, with a twinkle in his eye.
“It’s going to be a great adventure which we’re really looking forward to,” said Fiona, 64, who previously worked for Scottish Enterprise in Aberdeen. “But we will be really sad to leave Tanzie House as it’s been our home for 32 years. It is a magical, special place and it will always have a place in my heart, wherever we go.”
Tanzie is a rare jewel of a family home that sits within a sparkling situation. Idyllically nestling on the slopes of Ben Aigen, it overlooks the Glen of Fiddich (valley of the deer) and is around three miles from Craigellachie, which was in the news recently after a host of A-list celebrities stayed in the four-star Craigellachie Hotel.
Supermodel Kate Moss, Britpop icon Noel Gallagher and actress and fashion designer Sadie Frost were among the celebrity guests who gathered at the Moray village to attend the 40th birthday party of nutritionist to the stars Rosemary Ferguson. They tried fishing, enjoyed a dram or two and rumour has it, attempted a few dance moves in the hotel’s bar. Should any of the celebs want a fab home in the area, then Tanzie would fit the bill perfectly as it’s a gorgeous home that enjoys magnificent views.
It was the location and views that tempted Fiona and Angus to buy Tanzie in the first place. Both Scottish, they’d been living in Suffolk when Angus’ job took him to Aberdeen. Rather than live in the Granite City, they moved to Moray.
“It’s easy to commute as I catch the train at Keith and in little more than an hour I’m in Aberdeen. Several of our neighbours also commute to Aberdeen,” said Angus.
“There’s been a home on this site for centuries, starting I believe with cottar houses,” said Fiona. “In 1905, a gamekeeper’s cottage, a But & Ben, was built here. It’s the heart of this house which was then extended in 1969, then we extended it.”
Great care and attention has been taken and the result is a home that’s been meticulously and sympathetically extended. The roof, for example, features original Victorian slates which they salvaged from a similarly aged property in Peterhead and re-used.
Inside, the house, which is on the market at offers over £390,000, is deceptively large, modern and stylish. All the walls have been painted a light stone colour which throws the natural light that floods into this home around making it exceptionally warm and welcoming.
The finishings and amenities are of an exceptionally high standard and include off-peak central hating (upgraded to Steibel Eltron units in 2012), under-tile heating in the bathrooms and kitchen, modern double glazing and wood-burning stoves.
On the ground floor, the accommodation includes a front vestibule which leads to both the family/dining room and lounge/reception room. The family room has a gorgeous Rayburn wood-burning stove/cooker and from here an archway leads into the well-appointed modern kitchen and utility room.
The lounge is really two lounges, linked via an archway. Each has a wood-burning stove as these rooms are south-facing, they enjoy spectacular views of the gardens and the valley and hills beyond. This floor also has a large double bedroom with patio doors leading directly on to a sandstone terrace overlooking the front garden. The perfect place, say the Ogilvies, to enjoy breakfast on fine mornings. This room also has a well appointed en-suite wetroom.
On the other side of the house, there’s an internal hall from giving access to a hotel-style bathroom, shower room and two large bedrooms. One of the bedrooms has french doors opening out into a superb covered decked veranda which runs along the rear of the building.
“The grandchildren love this room as it means they can escape out into the garden without anyone knowing,” said Fiona. “Angus built the verandah himself as having spent time in Africa he wanted to have a similar feature in this house. It’s a lovely sheltered spot and we’ve had lots of family barbecues and parties out here.”
Back in the house, an enclosed spiral staircase leads upstairs where there’s a fourth bedroom which gives access to a box room and fifth double bedroom. Both bedrooms are south-facing and again enjoy fantastic views.
Outside, the house is very nicely presented and entirely surrounded by broad Indian sandstone walkways and patio areas including two large south-facing terraces ideal for alfresco dining or simply soaking in the beauty and tranquillity of this highland gem.
There’s also a detached brick garage with double glazing, concrete floor and mains power. There are large lawns currently planted with snowdrops and with daffodils peeping through, and a former duck pond with feature arched bridge.
The house comes with around three and a half acres of land, divided into two recently fenced parcels of land. Approximately two acres are landscaped grounds surrounding the house itself with the remaining land left to nature.
And to help make garden maintenance easy, available by separate negotiation with the owners is a four-year-old Westwood 4×4 mini tractor/mower which comes with two trailers (one flat bed and one box/tipper), a separate set of chevron tyres for winter use, a removable grass cutting/mulching deck and a snow plough attachment.
“Anyone who is interested in viewing Tanzie House is welcome to come along to an open weekend we are hosting on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 when they can simply turn up, without an appointment, between 11am-3pm and see for themselves what a lovely house this is,” said Fiona.
Contact: Selling agent Stephen & Robb on 01542 887405 or Mrs Ogilvie on 07784 723 711.