Kettins is one of those places that, despite being only 15 minutes from my home in Dundee, I’d never been to before.
Delving off the A923 road to Coupar Angus, I discover a lovely rural hamlet that seems to have its own happy little community. On a sunny but freezing Monday morning one chap is out washing his car, a couple are dog walking, and a cyclist is passing through, enjoying the virtually traffic-free lanes.
The Old School Cottage sits behind Kettins’ tiny village green. As a spot for a rural cottage it could hardly be more idyllic – Kettins Burn flows past before disappearing under an arched stone bridge.
Owner Caroline Duguid and her husband Bruce bought the semi-detached former school cottage in April last year with the idea of converting it into an income-producing holiday home.
“When we bought the place it was structurally sound but very run down inside,” she explains. “We gutted it and renewed nearly everything.”
Nearly everything about the two bedroom cottage is charming. Stone steps lead up and through a traditional wrought iron gate to the front garden.
The front door takes you into a small vestibule with the master bedroom off one side and the living room on the other.
The living room has original wooden floors, a traditional open fire and two windows looking out over the green and stream.
The master bedroom is carpeted and has its own en suite bathroom. It also has a pair of windows which look out over Kettins Burn.
High ceilings in both these rooms make them feel bigger than their relatively modest dimensions suggest.
The kitchen has a breakfast table and a lovely little window seat that catches the morning sunshine. To the far side of the house are its main bathroom and the second bedroom.
“The nice thing about the layout is the bedrooms are at opposite ends of the house and both have their own bathroom, Alison continues. “It means two sets of couples can both have their own space.”
The back garden has a seating area and steps up to a good sized, enclosed stretch of lawn that’s perfect for children and dogs. Kettins is surrounded by fields and woodland, so those who bring their furry friends have no shortage of walking options.
Caroline and Bruce, both 47, have only owned the house for 18 months. “We thought we would keep it for much longer but both our children are at university now. Our idea is to put the money from this towards buying a student flat for them, which will save on paying rent.
“We would have quite liked to move into ourselves one day when we down-size but sadly it isn’t to be.”
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk
The Old School Cottage, Kettins, Blairgowrie is on sale through Galbraith for offers over £220,000