Seaside on the doorstep

With tiered decking that drops right down to the beach, Seaholme is aptly named. Jack McKeown visits a traditional cottage in Lower Largo that’s been extended to take full advantage of coastal views

It’s almost like an infinity pool,” says Anna McCluney, gazing out to sea. “It feels like the water’s lapping right up to the house.” She’s right. The sea seems to run beneath the stretch of decking outside the home on the shore at Lower Largo.

In actual fact there’s a second tier of decking below the first and another level with the sea wall below that, ensuring you’re close – but not too close – to the water.

The semi-detached house dates from Edwardian times and has been extended over its lifetime.

It sits down a track which forms part of the Fife Coastal Path but is just a minute’s walk to the village’s Crusoe Hotel – Lower Largo was the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the sailor who inspired Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.

The four-bedroom house is owned by Anna (64) and her husband James (78).

James was in the RAF for 46 years, five of which saw him stationed along the coast at Leuchars.

He flew Lightnings and Phantoms and after retiring from the RAF worked as an instructor for Glasgow University Air Squadron.

The couple moved to Lower Largo from Auchtermuchty two years ago because they wanted to be on the coast.

They have carried out a large amount of remedial work since they bought Seaholme.

“It hadn’t had much done on it for a long time,” Anna explains. “We had it fully re-roofed. It had sections of flat roof so we’ve had a slight slope put on it and gutters installed, which should dramatically increase its longevity.”

James and Anna installed quadruple sliding doors in the living room and put in a wood-burning stove.

They refurbished the porch, putting in a modern skylight and glass door.

And they opened the property up. “Because it’s an old cottage that’s been extended, there were some windows that are internal now and had been bricked up,” Anna continues. “We had them uncovered to make the downstairs feel much more open plan.

“Now you’re able to look out to sea when you’re standing in the kitchen.

“The property is just outside the Lower Largo Conservation Area, which made doing work a little bit less of a hassle.”

Outside, they had a wall and gate put in. “It used to be open to the track

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