Sight for shore eyes
Lochside home with view of iconic bridge is ideal for family or holiday let
OF all the ways to finance a property, perhaps the most appropriate method of buying Lochnell Cottage might be a ‘bridging’ loan. The modern detached bungalow nestles on the shores of Loch Etive, in the shadow of Argyll’s most iconic crossing, the Connel Bridge.
The surrounding West Highland countryside arguably looks its best at this time of year, burned back to an assortment of browns, ochres and russets.
As well as the man-made attraction on your doorstep, there’s the Falls of Lora to look out for, a natural phenomenon which occurs when the tide level in the Firth of Lorn drops below the level of the water in Loch Etive. The resultant currents and waves provide excitement for kayakers as well as a stunning sight for tourists and photographers.
Lochnell Cottage begins with a reception hallway, off which all of the bright accommodation lies. The heart of the house is the open plan sitting room/dining room, with fireplace and big picture window looking out to the water.
It also offers glazed patio doors, leading to a generous terrace, wrapping around the cottage to provide attractive sitting and dining spaces in the warmer months.
The large modern kitchen comes equipped with twin sinks, double oven, induction hob and extractor. There’s plenty of room for a breakfast table and a half-glazed door leads outside again.
There are four double bedrooms, with the principal bedroom having an en suite shower room. There is also a family bathroom and an additional cloakroom/WC.
The property is surrounded by maintained gardens, mainly lawns. And the outstanding attractions are not lost on Savills selling agent Peter Gillespie, who said: ‘Nestling on the shoreside of Loch Etive, this is a lovely and easily maintained property – the ideal holiday let or full-time home, with mesmerising views, especially of the iconic Connel Bridge.’
The cantilever bridge looks like a structure from the 1970s, spanning Loch Etive at its narrowest point, and at first it appears to be a truly modern design.
However, it dates from Victorian times, when Scotland was proving to be a world leader in such structures through the opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890.
The Connel Bridge, which opened 13 years later, was built by the same company and it was originally planned to accommodate the Ballachulish branch line of the Callander and Oban Railway.
In 1914, a roadway was added to the bridge, alongside the railway, but cars and trains were not allowed on the structure at the same time. It became road only when the branch line shut in 1966 but it is still too narrow to accommodate two-way traffic, so it operates under traffic light control.
For a spot which may easily be considered rural, Lochnell Cottage enjoys some remarkably good transport links.
Nearby Oban is a major terminal for CalMac, offering regular sailings to the Western Isles. It also has a train station, linking the popular tourist town with Glasgow along the magnificent West Highland line down Loch Lomond.
To top it all, there’s Oban Airport, which connects the mainland to Colonsay, Islay and Tiree by air.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic does not look as if it’s ending any time soon, so this area can only grow in popularity with ‘staycationers’ in the coming years.
But what if new travel restrictions are put in place? Well, we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.