Bright future for glen cottages

A pair of unloved semi-derelict cottages in a beautiful spot by a small river in Glenesk have been rescued by a developer. Modernised and extended, they’re perfect as either holiday homes or a retreat to escape from life’s bustle

Angus has many bonnie glens but one of the most special is Glenesk.

“What’s nice about it for me is that it’s a dead end,” explains Jack Souttar. “You have to come out the same way you came in. Because of that the roads are really quiet and it has a lovely secluded feel to it.”

Jack, 62, runs J.W. Souttar, a Brechin architectural services firm.

He bought two semi-detached cottages in the tiny hamlet of Tarfside around 18 months ago after spotting their potential.

“They were right beside the Water of Tarf,” he explains. “But they’re a good 30ft above the river so there’s no danger of flooding or anything like that.”

Jack bought the cottages from Dalhousie Estate, which had kept them wind and watertight since they fell out of use.

“They’re more than 150 years old and were built from ‘field gatherings’ – stone found nearby,” he says. “The cottages weren’t in great condition but they weren’t derelict either.

“One hadn’t been lived in for approximately 35 years and the other had been lived in until around 10 years ago.” Still, plenty of work had to be done. “All the internal timbers had to be replaced,” Jack continues.

“We basically stripped out the entire interiors and started again from scratch.”

An architectural technician, Jack’s company employs its own tradesmen and he specialises in taking extension projects from design to completion.

Tarfside Cottages was his own side project, carried out in spare time and over weekends for the past 18 months.

Jack remodelled the interiors, installed spiral staircases to first floor level, and built timber-clad extensions with large expanses of glass to let in light and take advantage of the views.

Number 1 Tarfside Cottage sits further from the water. It’s slightly the larger, with four bedrooms and a bigger kitchen and living room.

Number 2 lies in an idyllic spot right above the Water of Tarf, a tributary to the North Esk.

The three-bedroom cottage has fantastic views up the stream’s babbling, rocky flow and there’s scope to build a conservatory or even a decked area jutting out dramatically over the water.

Both properties have been fitted with modern electric boilers that are ideal for occasional use if they’re bought as holiday lets.

“We’ve designed them so they can be lived in full-time, used as holiday lets, or bought as weekend properties,” Jack says.

Both homes have large corner woodburning stoves and double height living areas with exposed beams.

There are ground floor bedrooms and upstairs rooms – although head height is slightly restricted at first floor level meaning these bedrooms are unsuitable for very tall people.

The cottages have a shared driveway and Jack’s stonemason built stone boundary walls that are in good keeping with the area.

The back gardens are fenced, with Number 2’s sloping down to the water’s edge.

Jack owns a piece of adjoining land that could be sold to either cottage if buyers want a bigger garden.

Number 2 lies in an idyllic spot right above the Water of Tarf

The cottages before they were restored and renovated, and far right.