Down tools! This is hut property

WHEN it comes to rustic charm, the Sheep Shed – tucked away in the rolling Aberdeenshire countryside – has plenty to bleat about.

This quirky holiday home – one of 32 finalists in this year’s Cuprinol Shed Of The Year contest – is the brainchild of farmers Jane and James Foad.

The couple, who farm near Huntly, are marking the first anniversary of the hut’s completion.

It was built by Jane’s dad John at his home in Somerset and transported 560 miles to Huntly.

Mum-of-two Jane – who lets it to guests – ruminated over what the finished product should be.

She says: “A huge amount of thought and research went into it.

“We wanted to give our guests a real flavour of the surroundings; the farming and the wildlife as well as the peace to relax.”

And the finished product is a celebration in vintage upcycling.

Jane and her family scoured reclamation yards, antique shops and house clearance sales to pick up unusual ‘gems’.

Inside the hut most walls are clad in rough sarking boards, underpinning the rustic feel and providing the perfect backdrop for Jane’s finds.

But one gable is in glass, capitalising on the stunning rural vista.

A set of steps leads to a mezzanine level with a sumptuous kingsize bed and a skylight perfect for stargazing.

But it has all the creature comforts required – including a trough bath with hot water watering-can for showering and a vintage flushing loo.