Country houses for sale

A sprawling, 10,000sq ft house in a Scottish nature reserve, with views to die for across the northern Highlands

If you're keen to get away from modern life — really away — then Forsinain Steading could be the answer. It's a huge property that sits in the heart of a nature reserve near the very north coast of Scotland close to Thurso and the village of Armadale.

Wild moors, sandy beaches and panoramic views are the draw at Forsinain Steading, a conversion set in the heart of a nature reserve that has been a 10-year labour of love for the vendors.

For sale at an asking price of £700,000, this is a huge property, spanning more than 10,000 sq ft.

Forsinain Steading

Painstakingly converted, it has six bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, and two dressing rooms. The four reception rooms, which include a double-height dining hall with exposed stone walls and Caithness flagstone floor, are roomy and light-filled.

Forsinain Steading

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There is also plenty of character with exposed beams, skylights and a mezzanine walkway that contains a library, complementing the characterful stone exterior, which has been freshly repointed and has its jaunty green window and door frames.

The garden room (where a log-fired boiler fuels the underfloor heating), kitchen and sitting room, with its reclaimed Caithness flagstones and log burner, all overlook the courtyard and, outside, there’s a garage, workshop, store and natural pond.

The village of Armadale is about 20 minutes away and Thurso town 45 minutes, so getting from this remote spot to the outside world isn’t too difficult.

One word of caution, however: the house is not yet finished. Potential buyers are told by the agents that Forsinain Steading is an ‘80% complete’ property, with a few remaining fixtures and fittings on site awaiting installation.

Forsinain Steading is for sale through Monster Moves at an asking price of £700,000 — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Armadale and Forsinain: What you need to know

  • Location: Forsinain is a tiny settlement just a few miles from the northern coast of Scotland. Armadale is the nearest spot, a village situated about 30 miles west of Thurso.
  • Things to do: The area offers plenty of river walks, hillwalking, on and off road cycling, motorcycling and fishing and the local beach is great for surfing or simply relaxing. Thurso, with all its shops, where there are a variety of shops, including three supermarkets is a little more than half an hour’s drive away.
  • Schools: Farr Primary School and Farr High are in nearby Bettyhill.
  • Find more properties in the area.

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