It’s an Open invitation
Tee up a family house close to the Home of Golf, writes Paul Drury
FOR die-hard golfers, it’s only a short drive from St Andrews and exactly nine minutes from the Royal and Ancient’s car park. Yet North Dron pitches you into another world entirely, offering accommodation and surroundings money simply could not buy in the university town.
St Andrews has for generations been known as the Home of Golf, its Old Course hosting the Open on no fewer than 29 occasions.
But the attendance of William and Kate at its ancient university at the start of this century saw it gain global street cred among non-golfers too.
Can you imagine the reaction of a rich California mom who read about the time a commoner met her prince at St Salvator’s Hall?
As a result, the property market spiralled upwards to such an extent that it could be viewed as a ‘bubble’ in Scotland, in much the same way that London is England’s bubble.
Yet step a few miles to the northwest of St Andrews and you find a country property that provides all the charm of the area for a fraction of the price.
North Dron is a four-bedroom country house set in three acres of rolling countryside, which can prove magical on a summer’s day.
You do not need to be a real estate specialist to recognise that at offers over £675,000, this former farmhouse represents outstanding value for money.
It contains all the apartments you would expect of a property of this nature – dining room, drawing room, book-lined study and a lovely conservatory overlooking surrounding countryside.
The kitchen takes the farmhouse theme to heart, with timber-faced floor and wall-mounted cupboards, a double sink and a cream four-oven Aga.
Adjacent to the kitchen is a utility room, linen cupboard, freezer room and boot room, which runs along the north side of the house.
Upstairs, a large landing leads off to four bedrooms including the master bedroom and a bathroom with a fully tiled corner bath, power shower and twin heated towel rails.
‘It’s a real refuge,’ said Jamie Macnab of estate agent Savills. ‘In St Andrews, everyone knows everyone, so it’s nice to enjoy the facilities of the town then retire to the countryside.
‘Large trees shelter North Dron from the road and you have your own track which leads to the fields beyond. It is a beautiful location.’
The extensive gardens contain outbuildings, including a stonebuilt garage with arched doorway and double doors. Nearby lies a former byre which has an original cobbled floor and is used as a log shed. A metal spiral staircase leads to a loft, while a lean-to between these buildings is used as a car port.
You can easily see how a millionaire golfer would pay through the nose for a location like this the next time the Open fetches up at St Andrews.
It’s a short drive for most of them – but perhaps someone should order a taxi for Tiger.
Offers over £675,000 to Jamie McNab of Savills. Tel 0131 247 3738 or email jmacnab@savills.com.