Amazing Loch Tay home has 70 metres of private waterfront and its own beach

Built in 2004, Taigh Uilltanach is one of the few waterfront homes in the Highland Perthshire village of Fearnan.

By Jack McKeown

October 31 2024, 6:00am

Taigh Uilltanach has an unbeatable setting on the shores of Loch Tay. Image: Savills.

From the road that runs through the hamlet of Fearnan not much of Taigh Uilltanach is visible – just a rooftop peeping above a hedge.

Slip through the gates that lead to the driveway and a beautiful lochside haven appears.

The individually designed home sits on the shores of Loch Tay and has its own beach.

Taigh Uilltanach is in the small village of Fearnan. Image: Savills.

It was cleverly designed by its architect owner so that the garden slopes down to the water and the house feels almost as if it is floating on the loch.

Sitting on the northern shore of Loch Tay, Fearnan is an attractive little village with its own beach, café, restaurant, and local shop.

It’s just four miles from Kenmore, where the multi-million pound redevelopment of Taymouth Castle is underway. Aberfeldy is around 10 miles away.

Dream home

Taigh Uilltanach was built over 2003 and 2004 by Alan and Yvonne Mitchelson as their holiday home.

In the late 1990s the couple bought a plot of land that belonged to a nearby hotel. They originally put a hut on it before obtaining planning permission for a house.

The house enjoys spectacular views. Image: Savills.

Their nephew Stewart Pritchard takes up the story: “The original plans were for a traditional two up-two down style of house but they didn’t like that design so they ditched it.

“Alan, my uncle, was an architect. My aunt did numerous things throughout her life but she was an interior designer at one point and she was a Japanophile, and both of those things came through in the style of their house.

A wraparound veranda is a sheltered place to enjoy the outlook from. Image: Savills.

“My uncle designed the house and project managed the build. His design was for a single storey home that would be largely hidden from sight behind a hedge and wouldn’t block anyone else’s views over the loch.”

Alan died several years ago aged 76 and Yvonne passed away shortly before last Christmas at the age of 84. The couple had no children and Stewart and his cousin are acting as executors for their estate.

Cutting edge

Stewart says the house was cutting edge for its era: “My uncle installed several features that were ahead of their time,” he continues. “He had researched Passivhaus building in Finland and Scandinavia and was into eco builds before they were really a thing.

Windows slide back to open the house to the garden and loch. Image Savills.

“His design featured lots of south-facing glazing so the sun would warm the home. He also installed an air source heat pump and a heat exchanger that takes stale air out of the house and transfers its warmth into fresh air drawn in.

“He installed what was then a state-of-the-art CCTV and alarm system. And he didn’t want downpipes spoiling the lines of the house so water from the roof runs down chains into soakaway pits.”

The house sits on the shores of the loch. Image: Savills.

Taigh Uilltanach is accessed by a gate in the high hedge that screens the house and leads to a driveway and a covered carport.

The roof overhangs the house considerably, creating a sheltered veranda that wraps around three sides of the house and provides a wonderful spot to sit and watch the waves gently break on the shingle beach just a few metres away.

Open plan living

At the heart of the home is a wonderful open plan living area. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame uninterrupted, panoramic views over Loch Tay to the forests and mountains of Highland Perthshire beyond.

The living room is a fantastic open plan space. Image: Savills.

A wood burning stove provides plenty of warmth through the winter. In the summer, large glazed doors slide open, connecting the living space to the beautiful vista outside.

The kitchen sits to the back of the room but still enjoys the views thanks to the open plan layout.

Not many dining areas have views like this. Image: Savills.

At the western end of the house is the main bedroom, which has an en suite bathroom, fantastic views, and access to the veranda.

At the other end of the house are two more double bedrooms which also have a wonderful outlook and share a family bathroom. A utility room completes the accommodation.

The bedrooms have a superb outlook. Image: Savills.

Exposed beams run throughout the interior of the house and create a nice visual connection with the exterior timber.

Garden and beach

As much thought was put into the half acre garden as went into the house itself. There is a wide variety of shrubs and mature trees. Gabion baskets edge a neat front lawn. Close the access gates and the house enjoys complete privacy.

Taigh Uilltanach has 70 metres of waterfront. Image: Savills.

The house comes with 70 metres of water frontage including its own private shingle beach.

While it was ultra-modern when it was built, two decades on Taigh Uilltanach could do with a degree of updating, particularly the kitchen and bathrooms.

“This was a holiday home for my aunt and uncle,” Stewart says. “They used to come up here at weekends and were a strong part of the community in Fearnan.

“It probably needs a bit of upgrading but it is a wonderful home. My brother, cousin and I all have fond memories of the house and our aunt and uncle loved it there.”

Taigh Uilltanach, Fearnan, Aberfeldy is on sale with Savills for offers over £795,000.