A country home has helped put Sutherland on the map after being chosen as the wildcard on a hit BBC show.
Kayleigh and Jamie Macleod were shocked when BBC producers reached out eager to feature their four-bedroom luxury home on Escape to the Country.
The couple, who have four children, bought Hill Cottage five years ago; fulfilling their dreams of escaping city life in Aberdeen for the tranquillity of rural Kirkton near Golspie.
However, the family’s dream may be coming to an end after they decided to put their country retreat on the market.
The £367,000 listing has garnered great attention, including from staff of the BBC show Escape to the Country.
Last week, producers chose to feature the house as their mystery property for an upcoming episode of the show.
The family of six vacated the premises as the presenter Alistair Appleton showed the prospective buyers around their home.
‘It felt like having friends in your house’
Speaking to the Press and Journal, the couple recalled the surreal experience, particularly showing the BBC presenter around their home.
Nurse Kayleigh said: “They are so nice and so respectful.
“The most surreal experience was having Alistair Appleton sitting on your furniture chilling out in the sunshine. He is super nice and super suave.
“They had been down filming at Golspie beach, so he had his walking shoes on and his fancy shoes for the camera. He said to me, “Right, Kayleigh if you don’t mind, you just take me around the house and show me around.” I talk that much but I was genuinely speechless.”
The producers visited the home just seven days after it went on the market, before returning the following day to begin shooting.
The prospective buyers toured the house before getting the chance to meet Kayleigh and Jamie in person.
Escape to the Country crew a delight in Sutherland home
The mother-of-four praised the camera crew for being so respectful, saying: “They were so lovely. It felt like having friends in your house. It didn’t feel like they were invading our space.”
The couple says the last few weeks have been a whirlwind, including their decision to walk away from a home they both adore.
Setting their sights on nearby Dornoch, they are hoping the move would provide better structure and reduce the daily commutes to the nearby town as their children grow up.
Jamie, 40, says having this experience will be a great memory for the kids to treasure, however, he says giving up their home is “bittersweet.”
He said: “Even if nothing comes from any of it, just having it on TV and kids having that legacy is great.
“They were touring around the area and looking at all the different sights they could record as part of the show.
“I’m sure they were in Golspie at the beach, Dornoch, Tain and Alness seeing a couple of houses there.
“The show will be good because it will be on Sutherland and will tell you all about the area. The house is part of that.
“It’s a bittersweet thing, it’s kind of sad. We don’t really want to sell it but, it is what it is.”
Hill Cottage in Sutherland on the open market
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom home offers stunning views overlooking Loch Fleet.
Constructed in 1854, the hillside property has benefitted from two additional extensions, with planning permission granted for a third.
Located just off the A9 Inverness to Thurso road, the property is accessed by a long private driveway, which gives way to a gated garden.
The countryside property opens into a hall with a mix of exposed stone walls and white panelling.
To the right of the stairs is a large living room complete with a wood-burning stove. Natural light warms the room from the south-facing conservatory, which overlooks the Fearn Peninsula.
Completing the downstairs floorplan is a beautifully spacious kitchen dining room, with an adjoining utility room and pantry and a spacious bathroom, featuring a mosaic-tiled archway leading to the bath.
Family features at Sutherland home
At the top of the staircase, you’ll find four spacious bedrooms and a family shower room.
Outside, you can bask in the tranquillity of the extensive grounds, featuring gravelled utility areas, lawns and patio areas for entertaining.
A small white outbuilding sits at the edge of the garden, perfect to store garden furniture or tools or form a wendy house.
The property would make the perfect family home, nestled in the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands, complete with scenic views of the Sutherland area.
Kayleigh said being able to showcase their home on TV, has been the icing on the cake.
She added: “It’s been a wonderful end to a magical stay, staying at Hill Cottage.
“Lots of people sell houses and it’s a very cut-and-dry experience. One minute you are living in it and the next you are not.
“Whereas we have got a bit of an advantage in that, there is a bit of the house coming with us in terms of the TV show. We can always watch that back and reminisce.”