Buyers in full frenzy for remote Dales home
Old Ing, near Horton-in-Ribblesdale Price: £400,000 www.neilwrightestateagents.co.uk
This wonderful property is the ultimate dream home for those who truly want to escape to the country, so much so that the Neil Wright estate agency in Settle has been inundated with enquiries from far and wide.
Such is the interest, it will go to best and final offers on June 24.
The house sits in splendid isolation, four miles from Hortonin-Ribblesdale, on a bridle path just 200 yards from the Pennine Way.
The views over Whernside and Ingleborough are spectacular and from the gate you can look down at the Ribblehead viaduct.
Old Ing was bought by American scientist Ludwig Schicktanz, known as Shick, and his British wife, June, in 1985.
They had met while working in the Middle East and he traded his dream of moving back to the States to write and grow trees, for this house in the Yorkshire Dales so that June could be close to her parents.
He renovated the property beautifully, doing some of the work himself, making the most of those views, and adding a large workshop where he enjoyed woodworking.
After his wife passed away, Shick met his partner Ursula and she has loved the remote property as much as he did.
Shick passed away recently, hence the sale.
“I am in my 70s and it is too remote a place to stay on my own but I wish I didn’t have to sell. This is a magical place, a real one-off and Shick got to plant his trees and write here,” says Ursula, who has also been left with Shick’s library of 4,000 books.
“It’s a very cosy, happy house and incredibly private. Everyone who visits says how comfortable they feel here.”
The property is accessed by a farm track with three gates to open on the way and a rutted bridleway to traverse but, while remote, the broadband is fast and Tesco deliver shopping there.
“I used to apologise to the drivers but they say they love coming here because of the views,” says Ursula.
Old Ing has a garden, decked seating area, a woodland and magnificent views across the Three Peaks area. Inside, the house has a porch, hall, lounge with multi-fuel stove, dining room, kitchen, utility room, snug, conservatory and a large workshop.
On the first floor is a main bedroom with ensuite, two more bedrooms and a bathroom.
This is a magical place, a real oneoff and Shick got to plant his trees and write here