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FIND OUT HOW IT FEELS TO COME HOME TO THIS HOUSE ON THE WEST COAST–
It was like nowhere else I had seen. When we first came over on holiday, I remember thinking ... I could definitely live here
THERE are views, and then there are the kind of jawdropping, eye-popping vistas you find at Ganavan Sands. “I was absolutely amazed by the beauty of this place,” recalls John Gallon, with a touch of awe. “Really – it was like nowhere else I had seen. When we first came to visit on holiday I remember thinking, I could definitely live here.”
John’s first introduction to the golden sands and crystal clear waters of Ganavan Sands, near Oban, happened almost by accident.
“I used to teach judo and spent five years in Japan with my wife and young daughter,” he explains.
“When I came back to the UK, I ran international judo camps, based in Hexham, and we would bring over wellknown Japanese champions to train with us.
“There was a young star coming over, and I had been thinking about giving him a bit of a tour. Because they were generally here just for a few days, and they spent most of it training, they never really got to see the UK at all.
“This young man was staying for a couple of weeks, so I asked around for ideas for where to take him, to show him what the country had to offer. A colleague suggested Oban, so we decided to try it out.”
John fell in love with the town and surrounding countryside, returning with his wife Ena on holiday. A few years passed and on one of their trips north, the Gallons discovered the luxury homes being built near the beach at Ganavan Sands.
“It was stunning, and immediately we decided to buy one,” he says, adding with a smile: “Coincidentally, I had just been reading an interview with Michael Palin, who has travelled all over the world, of course.
“He’d been asked where his favourite place of all was, and he had replied ‘the west coast of Scotland’. So I knew we were on to something.”
John says: “When we went to see the plots, we got talking to one of the owners who was already there and she kindly took us in and showed us around.
“Our plot is actually made up of two plots, as we asked whether we could join two together to make a bigger house.”
Number 6 Ganavan Sands is in fact the largest property in the collection of villas which make up this luxury development.
It is stylish and contemporary, full of natural light and bright, airy space. The main hall, with its feature Spanish stone wall, leads to a lovely open plan living space, with relaxed sitting and dining areas.
From here, sliding doors lead out to the patio, which overlooks the beach. The ground floor also includes a more formal lounge, with a stunning bay window overlooking the sea, an all-mod-cons kitchen, a well-stocked utility room and two of the property’s six spacious double bedrooms.
An oak staircase sweeps up to a galleried landing on the first floor, which is home to the beautiful master bedroom suite, plus three further double bedrooms (one with an en-suite shower room) and a study, which has access on to a balcony.
The décor is crisp, clean and contemporary, with splashes of colour adding character to the spacious rooms.
Ganavan Sands lies a couple of miles from Oban, the west of Scotland’s largest port and the main ferry terminus for the Hebrides. Known as the Gateway to the Isles, Oban has regular daily ferries to Mull and many of the Inner Hebridean islands, as well as Barra and South Uist in the Western Isles. The town is also home to award winning restaurants, specialist local shops cafés and bars, with excellent schools nearby.
The area is rich with sailing opportunities, thanks to its beautiful coastline, rich sealife and excellent shoreside facilities such as Dunstaffnage and Oban Marina.
And, of course, there are those views. The Gallons’ home is perfectly positioned to make the most of the coastal views towards the isles of Lismore and Mull and the Morvern peninsula.
“It is very restful, to be able to look out of the windows and see nature – the waves, the sky, the colour of the sea – changing in front of you, all the time,” says John.
“We see a lot of boats too, from canoes to big cruise ships on their way to Oban – we have been here for seven years now, but it is still incredible to watch. I could never, ever tire of it.”
The couple are selling up to be closer to family – they have three grandchildren in Cyprus – but John admits they will miss their seaside home.
“Ganavan Sands is a very cheerful place, and we feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to stay here,” he smiles.
“It is a fantastic, family home – and no matter where you sit, you will always have something to look out upon.”