9 bedroom house

CLOSING DATE: Noon on 7th September 2021

Lot 1 (of 9) – Ardhuncart Estate
(about 902.95 acres)

Comprising the majority of the overall estate in terms of extent, this is a residential, agricultural and sporting estate in its own right encompassing a rich and varied landscape including open heather moorland, native and mixed species woodland, gently sloping pastoral land and productive arable farmland.

The component assets are described as follows:

Ardhuncart Lodge
Dating from 1901 and built of dressed ashlar beneath pitched slate roofs, Ardhuncart Lodge occupies an exceptionally peaceful position amid extensive mature gardens, grounds and policies on the north bank of the River Don. Access to the lodge is via a private drive which leads from the end of the minor public road which terminates at Gardener’s Cottage. Built in the Arts and Crafts style which was popular at the turn of last century, the house has a fine south-westerly outlook up Strathdon towards the Grampian foothills. Built as a traditional sporting lodge, the house has a six-bay principal façade with architectural features including an extending central gable with date stone, lugged architrave and single paned bay window on the ground floor. There are pedimented dormer windows on the first floor with 12 and 18-pane astragalled windows and a three-bay conservatory partially encloses the terrace in front of the house.

As shown on the floor plans within the brochure, the internal accommodation is well laid out for contemporary family living with 501 square metres (5,400 square feet) of gross internal accommodation over two floors including three/four reception rooms, nine bedrooms and five bath/shower rooms. Original features including parquet flooring and timber panelling in the reception hall and an Adam-style fireplace flanked by Ionic columns in the drawing room are complemented by contemporary fixtures and fittings including double glazing throughout the majority of the house and a bespoke fitted kitchen installed in recent years. All open fireplaces on the ground floor are operational and there is a wood-burning stove in the breakfast room.

Adjacent to but detached from the house is a useful range of stores and there is an externally accessed boiler room at the rear of the house. A feature is the former gun room building which features panelled walls, original gun rack and wall units with Belfast sink.

Within the garden, a short distance from the house, is an annexe building which provides supplementary self-contained living accommodation. Dating from the 1980s and of stone and slate construction, this includes an additional three bedrooms, kitchen/sitting room and two bathrooms.

Ardhuncart Lodge sits amid extensive formal gardens and policies extending to several acres across a gentle slope which drops down to the left (north) bank of the River Don which is in itself a particular feature of the setting of the property.

Maintained to a high standard by the full-time gardener/handyman, the gardens include lawns bounded by beds of herbaceous plants and shrubs, a rockery, pony paddocks, a walled garden with greenhouse and cold frames and an enclosed tennis court.

Within the grounds is the original garage building of harled stone and slate construction with the former Chauffeur’s Flat above. Whilst no longer habitable, this has potential for conversion as additional living accommodation or as home office/ studio or similar. A pair of garden machinery and equipment storage sheds complete the extent of outbuildings.

Having been occupied by a residential tenant under a lease until 2019, Ardhuncart Lodge is available with vacant possession.

Gardener’s Cottage
Situated beside the end of the minor public road on approach to Ardhuncart Lodge, this is an attractive traditional cottage built on a T-shaped plan of harled stone construction beneath a slate roof.

The internal accommodation includes three bedrooms and has been subject to modernisation and improvement in recent years including the installation of double glazing and two wood-burning stoves. With a south-easterly aspect, the cottage sits within a spacious enclosed garden inclusive of car parking space.

The cottage is occupied by the estate gardener/handyman under a Service Occupancy.

Situated in the middle course of the valley of the River Don with outstanding views towards the foothills of the Grampian mountains, Ardhuncart Estate enjoys a peaceful and bucolic setting in one of the less well-known parts of the Scottish Highland fringe.

Following an exaggeratedly meandering course through interlocking and rounded hills clad with a combination of heather moorland, woodland and pastoral farmland, the middle and upper valley of the River Don – ‘Strathdon’ as it’s known – is one of the most attractive parts of the British countryside. Perhaps due to the proximity of its neighbour, the more celebrated ‘Royal Deeside’, Donside is much less frequented by visitors to the northeast of Scotland and the particular stretch of the river straddled by Ardhuncart Estate can be regarded as one of rural Scotland’s hidden gems.

Situated just off the A944 public road connecting the towns of Alford and Huntly in an area sparsely populated and within the top 30 most remote zones of mainland Scotland – Ardhuncart Estate is secluded yet accessible, being 34 and 31 miles distant respectively from Aberdeen – the Granite City and oil capital of Europe – and its international airport.

The closest settlement of note is the small town of Alford, home of Aberdeen Angus cattle, which provides a range of basic services, amenities and facilities including post office, bank, petrol station and convenience stores, primary and secondary schooling and GP medical practice.

The nearest railway station is in Huntly (16 miles) which runs services both north to Inverness and south to Aberdeen and beyond. The closest airport with both domestic and international flights is at Aberdeen (31 miles) which can be reached in under an hour by car under normal traffic conditions.

Comprehensive services are available in the city of Aberdeen which provides a range of administrative, retail, recreational, educational and cultural facilities. Private education in Aberdeen includes Albyn School, Robert Gordon’s College and St Margaret’s School for Girls. In addition, the well-known Gordonstoun School near Elgin is 40 miles to the north.

Aberdeenshire offers a wealth of activities, including fishing, sporting, whisky tasting, golf, winter sports, walking, climbing and cycling.

Though less well known than the neighbouring River Dee, the River Don is one of Britain’s best regarded wild brown trout fisheries alongside a well-established reputation as a productive salmon and sea trout river. In addition to the double and single bank fishing which lies within Ardhuncart Estate, there is extensive additional fishing to be enjoyed either by renting fishing on a day permit basis or by joining the local Angling Association.

The River Dee is one of Scotland’s big four salmon rivers with picturesque and productive fishing for salmon and sea trout. It is available to rent on either a weekly and/or daily basis on the majority of beats throughout the river’s course.

There are a number of renowned golf courses on the North Sea coast at Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and the Trump International Golf Links. More locally, there are enjoyable 18-hole parkland courses at Alford, Huntly and Dufftown.

For winter sports enthusiasts, the Lecht Ski Centre is situated 30 miles west, Glenshee slightly further at 45 miles distant and Cairngorm Mountain Ski centre is 60 miles away.

The Cairngorm Mountains lie to the west and provide climbing, walking and cycling opportunities amongst some of the most spectacular terrain in the British Isles.

For many, the Grampian foothills of Aberdeenshire and Moray are synonymous with Whisky – and Malt Whisky in particular. The area surrounding Ardhuncart is home to historic and famous distilleries, coopers, bottlers and retailers contributing to an industry which is said to be worth about £5.5 billion to the Scottish economy according to a recent report by the Scotch Whisky Association. The Malt Whisky Trail is a collaboration of distilleries offering enthusiasts the opportunity to visit nine local distilleries in order to meet those who play key roles in this multinational industry. It is popular with tourists and adds significantly to the variety of activities available within striking range of the estate.

In-hand Farming
Situated at the southern end of the estate and lying on either side of the River Don at an elevation which fluctuates either side of 200m (667ft) above sea level, the in-hand farmland on Ardhuncart Estate comprises about 249 acres of arable land and 66 acres of permanent pasture. Categorised predominantly as grade 3ii quality in terms of its agricultural capability (according to Scotland’s Soils online mapping), the land comprises mainly alluvial soils with some mineral podzols and both brown and calcareous soils and is laid out over a series of mainly level and mostly enclosed fields which are well suited to modern agricultural production.

Recent cropping has typically included winter and spring cereals for both malting, milling and feed purposes together with grass leys for grazing and silage production.

Having been let to a long term agricultural tenant, vacant possession of this land was recovered in 2019 with the associated Basic Payment Entitlements also being purchased by the vendors.

In December 2020, the vendors entered into a Contract Farming Agreement (CFA) with the tenant of Ardhuncart Farm which lies within the estate and directly adjoins the in-hand land. Operating under standard terms with a contractor’s
charge, agreed division of the surplus income and agreed split of the input, labour and machinery costs, this arrangement enables the owner of Ardhuncart Estate to benefit from the advantages of in-hand farming without being exposed to the full extent of the risks and liabilities of doing so. The CFA signed in December 2020 endures for a five-year term until December 2025 and the purchaser of Ardhuncart Estate will be obliged to continue and abide by this CFA for the duration of the current term.

In addition to the 315 acres of in-hand land, there is a range of functional buildings serving the farm at Templeton on the south-western side of the estate. Situated just off the minor public road and surrounded by a spacious stack yard, these buildings include an open-fronted portal-framed machinery shed; a cattle court with drive-through central feed passage; a stone and slate implement shed and a silage clamp.

Let Farming
Occupying the northern half of this lot and varying in altitude from 200m (667ft) to 331m (1,100ft) above sea level at the summit of Ardhuncart Hill, Lot 1 includes a single tenanted farm called Ardhuncart Farm. Extending to about 455 acres in total with land ranging from grade 3ii to 5i and comprising mainly brown soils, this is a traditional unit focussed on suckler beef and mule lamb production supplemented by cereal production.

The composition of the land within Ardhuncart Farm is analysed as follows:

170 acres Arable
55 acres Permanent Pasture
12 acres Rough Grazing
206 acres Hill
12 acres Miscellaneous
455 ACRES TOTAL

In terms of built infrastructure, Ardhuncart Farm includes a traditional stone and slate farmhouse with three bedrooms and a reasonably extensive range of both modern and traditional farm buildings situated at the foot of the southern face of Ardhuncart Hill about 500m west of Ardhuncart Lodge and policies.

Ardhuncart Farm is let under a Limited Duration Tenancy which commenced in May 2015 for a 35-year term ending in May 2050. A copy of the lease agreement can be made available to seriously interested parties following a viewing of the estate.

Interested parties should be aware that some of the infrastructure at Ardhuncart Farm represent tenants’ improvements. A summary of these can be made available to interested parties following a viewing of the estate.

Sporting and Amenity
With almost 3km of double and single bank ownership of the River Don including ownership of the salmon and sea trout fishing rights together with the riparian brown trout fishing rights, game fishing is a particular feature of Ardhuncart Estate.

Varying in nature from slow glassy glides to fast flowing riffles and pots, the middle course of the River Don is a fly fisherman’s delight regardless of whether the favoured quarry is of the migratory or resident variety.

Whilst benefitting from a traditionally consistent salmon and grilse run – particularly in the autumn months – the River Don is most highly regarded amongst well informed anglers as one of the British Isles’ best wild brown trout fisheries. The relative fertility of the landscape through which the river peacefully meanders combined with the active flow of the highly oxygenated water gives rise to perfect conditions for brown trout to live and thrive and the Don is famed for both the density and average size of its brown trout population. This can give rise to some spectacular fishing throughout the March to October season with dry fly sport in the summer months being particularly favoured. Trout up to 2lb in weight are commonplace with specimens of double that weight and occasionally more being hooked (but less often landed) from time to time.

Augmented by a run of sea trout, the salmon fishing season on the Don runs from 11 February to 31 October each year with the second half of the season being more typically productive. With wonderfully natural pools accessed mainly on foot, the Ardhuncart beat includes 9 named pools providing fishing for up to 3 rods.

Given the opportunity it affords for a pre-breakfast or post-dinner cast, the Ardhuncart Lodge pool is a particular favourite and has been consistently productive over many years.

In recent years, the salmon and sea trout fishing rights have been let on an annual basis to a locally-based tenant.

Fished lightly, the recorded catches for the last five years are as follows:

2016: 24 Salmon/Grilse; 1 Sea Trout
2017: 27 Salmon/Grilse; 1 Sea Trout
2018: 16 Salmon/Grilse; 1 Sea Trout
2019: 24 Salmon/Grilse; 1 Sea Trout
2020: 14 Salmon/Grilse; 5 Sea Trout

5-YEAR AVERAGE: 21 SALMON/GRILSE; 2 SEA TROUT

An explanation of the precise extent of ownership of the salmon fishings and alveus (river bed) of the River Don is included in the General Remarks and Additional Information section within the sales brochure and referenced by the letters A to D on the sale plan.

In terms of game shooting, the combination of topography, existing coverts and potential to plant further woods/establish game crops provides the opportunity to create and develop an enjoyable pheasant and partridge shoot with scope for at least one full day’s driving across Lot 1.

For those with a preference for less formal modes of game shooting, there is outstanding rough shooting for a variety of species including woodcock, snipe, wild duck, woodpigeons and rabbits. Within Lot 1 are two duck flight ponds which can provide lively sport if appropriately fed.

Two historic lines of grouse butts on Ardhuncart Hill are testament to the heritage of the estate as a driven moor. Whilst grouse are occasionally seen on the estate, none has been shot for many years. The combination of woods and arable farmland is ideal roe deer habitat with the quality of browsing producing bucks of medal quality on a routine basis.

As with the salmon and sea trout fishing, the roe deer stalking rights have been let on an annual basis in recent years.

Forestry and Woods
Extending to about 105 acres in total (inclusive of open ground within woodland compartments), the forestry and woodlands within Lot 1 comprise a combination of native woodland, mainly coniferous shelterbelts, copses and spinneys, game coverts and the polices surrounding Ardhuncart Lodge. The native woodlands around the northern and eastern slopes of Ardhuncart Hill are a particularly attractive feature of the estate and have been expanded in recent years as a result of grant-aided planting by the vendors.

The forestry and woodlands throughout the entirety of the Ardhuncart Estate have been managed in accordance with a Long Term Forestry Plan. A copy of this plan is available to seriously interested parties following a viewing of the estate.

Telecoms Mast
Situated on Ardhuncart Hill with access via a vehicular track leading from the A97 is a steel lattice telecom mast which is currently let to Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd (CTIL) until 2027.

A copy of the lease is available to be reviewed by seriously interested parties following a viewing.

Health and Safety
Given the potential hazards of a working estate we ask you to be as vigilant as possible when making your inspections, for your own personal safety.

In particular, we draw your attention to the fact that the vehicular bridge crossing the River Don within Lot 1, a short distance to the north of Westside of Brux Steading is not safe for vehicular
traffic. Interested parties should not cross it by vehicle and should only cross on foot at their own risk.

Marketed by: Strutt & Parker, Scottish Estates & Farm Agency