Trinity Gask is an unusual and special home in a beautiful location.
It sits in more than an acre of its own grounds in the Perthshire hamlet of the same name. The River Earn meanders past a few hundred metres from the front door. Auchterarder is a five minute drive and Perth is less than quarter of an hour away.
The house is well screened from the road by a stand of mature trees. So well screened that I drive past it twice before spotting the entrance.
The oldest parts of Trinity Gask date from 1900 and it has been added to several times since then, with a large extension built around 35 years ago.
The result is a unique and wonderful home with a layout that has grown organically over the years. You would never design a house this way from scratch and that is what gives Trinity Gask much of its charm.
From the downstairs living room, sitting area and lounge, to the upstairs living room, family room and first floor balcony overlooking the pond, there are so many perfect spots to sit with family and friends, enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine, or hide away with a good book.
Sunny spots
A main entrance leads into a sunny porch and then into two hallways. A sitting area off one hallway has full height windows and would be a great spot for reading.
The formal living/dining room is split into two sections. A living area has large windows and a living flame gas stove, while the far end of the room has the dining area and French doors opening onto a patio.
Exposed timber beams run the length of the ceiling in the fantastic kitchen. There’s a range cooker, an oak-topped central island, units made from Douglas fir, and granite worktops. A butler’s pantry has more Douglas fir units and an extra fridge, sink and oven.
At one end of the kitchen the ceiling leaps up and has a glazed roof that throws light onto the table. Off the kitchen and semi-open plan thanks to a cut-out wall is a lovely little living room with a wood burning stove. Both this room and the kitchen have glazed doors opening into the garden.
A ground floor double bedroom has its own door to the garden – Trinity Gask has no shortage of external doors! – and an en suite bathroom.
Also on the ground floor is a utility, WC and connecting door into a double garage.
Exploring upstairs
Trinity Gask has two separate staircases to the first floor. The main stair leads to a spacious hallway stretching in both directions. Turn left and you’ll reach a bedroom wing. Here there are two double bedrooms, both of which have large en suite bathrooms. A step leads up to a charming study that would be ideal for working from home.
To the other end of the hallway is a terrific upstairs living space. A small lounge or reading room has lovely views over the garden. Meanwhile, a family room also enjoys excellent views from its elevated position.
A doorway from the family room leads onto a superb balcony. This overlooks one of the garden’s two ponds and gets the sun throughout the afternoon and evening.
The upstairs lounge has a door to a further hallway, which can also be accessed by the second staircase. A family bathroom also houses a sauna. Meanwhile, the corridor continues to a fifth bedroom, with four large windows giving far reaching views.
No expense has been spared at Trinity Gask. The house has been extensively renovated and modernised in a tasteful way that complements its age and grandeur.
Many of the first floor rooms, including the upper lounge, have silk wallpaper. There are decorative carved wood inlays, timber clad ceilings, ornate tiles and any number of other delightful details.
Wonderful gardens
The gardens at Trinity Gask are as stunning as the house itself. Mature and beautifully landscaped, they wrap around the house, extending to just over an acre.
A natural spring feeds a pond that is lush with waterlilies and other plant life. Decking extends to the water’s edge, with a pair of sun loungers providing the perfect spot to enjoy a sunny afternoon.
Another pond is fed by water from neighbouring field drains and is spanned by a stone bridge built by a local master craftsman.
Carefully chosen planting provides a wealth of colour from springtime through the summer and into the autumn. Mature trees, bushes and borders all provide screening from both weather and prying eyes.
The west and south sides of the house enjoy extensive patios that catch the sunshine all day long. Last month also saw Trinity Gask connected to fibre optic broadband. With speeds of up to 900mbps there is capacity for even the most data intensive activities.
Having been a family home for many years, Trinity Gask has more recently been used as self-catering holiday accommodation.
Moving time
The house is owned by Andrew and Libby Moffat. The Australian based couple bought the house at the end of 2013 as a base to explore the UK.
Former investment banker Andrew 61, sits on the boards of several public and private companies. “I can work from anywhere really,” he explains. “I grew up in Scotland and went to Morrison’s Academy. My Dad was in the United Nations so we moved all over the world and I settled in Australia.
“We wanted to have somewhere in the UK to spend part of the year. Initially we were thinking of Kent but I’m passionate about driving and on a road trip through Scotland I spotted the for sale sign for Trinity Gask. We fell in love with the place immediately.
“Our plan was to spend six months of the year there but things didn’t quite turn out like that. I think the longest we were there was three months, then covid happened and we weren’t there at all for two years.
“We’ve recently become grandparents so we’ll be spending more time in Australia. We ran it as a holiday let during covid and it was popular with family groups.
“It feels like it’s time to sell it and let someone else enjoy it.”
Trinity Gask is on sale with Bell Ingram for offers over £875,000.
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