Location

Woodend sits within a charming cluster of houses known as Craigmill. It is a highly accessible location close to Stirling and Bridge of Allan (both 2 miles), with Edinburgh (37 miles) and Glasgow (28 miles), as well as their international airports, within daily commuting distance. There are also excellent rail connections from Stirling and Bridge of Allan stations which have commuter services to both Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Caledonian Sleeper stops at Stirling station providing a direct service to London Euston.

Bridge of Allan is a beautiful and historic spa town with a thriving centre offering a good range of shops, cafés and restaurants. Fairview International School is only 2 miles away from the house and is a highly regarded co-educational independent school for children of all ages. Bridge of Allan has numerous sporting facilities including a golf course and tennis club and this property also benefits from its proximity to Stirling University, which has beautiful grounds and many sporting facilities open to the public, including a near Olympic size swimming pool and indoor and outdoor tennis courts.

Stirling is the major town of central Scotland. In the Middle Ages it was the seat of the Kings of Scotland and the town is famous for William Wallace who fought the English at Stirling in the 13th century. Today Stirling provides a full range of shops, supermarkets including Waitrose, schools and services including a golf club, cinema and swimming pool. Gleneagles Hotel, with its leisure club and golf courses, is only 19 miles away.

Private schools in the area include Dollar Academy (10 miles), which takes both girls and boys as boarders or day pupils, and Fairview International School at Bridge of Allan. Strathallan (boys and girls 5-18), Morrison's Academy, Glenalmond, and Craigclowan (preparatory) are all within 40 miles.

While being conveniently placed for the amenities and towns of central Scotland, the house is also well situated for access to the highlands to the north. The A84 from Stirling is a main route into the Highlands leading to Callander and onto Loch Earn, Crianlarich, Fort William and Oban. The Trossachs and Loch Lomond to the west are also highly accessible. There are therefore opportunities for many outdoor activities including climbing, hill walking, water sports, fishing, shooting and stalking.

Description

Woodend sits in a stunning countryside setting, with magnificent outlooks to the rear over the neighbouring farmland with the Ochil Hills as a beautiful backdrop. Abbey Craig and the Wallace Monument atop sit in a commanding position just to the west of the house, with the 70 acre woodland surrounding it offering fantastic walks from the house. Woodend, once a rural cottage, is thought to date back to the late 1800s. The property has been superbly transformed by the current occupiers during their ownership, to create a spectacular family home with spacious and flexible living space throughout. The delightful gardens extend to almost an acre and offer a variety of entertaining areas, including an outstanding outdoor kitchen with bar, hot tub and seating area with TV.

At the heart of the house is the open plan sitting / dining room from which there are wonderful views over the rear gardens with the Ochil hills beyond, and sliding patio doors leading out. This room has a log burning stove. The kitchen and drawing room both sit off here. The more traditional drawing room also has a sliding door to the rear garden, a bay window with window seat to the front, and an open fireplace with stone surround and timber mantel. The kitchen overlooks the sitting / dining room and has granite worksurfaces on top of units that incorporate a breakfast bar, a kitchen island and appliances including an AGA, NEFF hob, Bosch electric oven, Bosch wine cooler, American style fridge freezer and two dishwashers. Double doors lead out to the front garden, and a utility room sits adjacent, with pantry cupboard beyond. Situated off the entrance hall are a cinema room, WC and cloakroom.

There are three bedrooms on the ground floor, including the exceptional principal suite. This has an en suite bathroom with jacuzzi bath, twin wash basins and underfloor heating. There is a separate dressing area leading on to a large walk-in shower and sauna. There are two further ground floor bedrooms, one of which also has an en suite shower room, while a family shower room completes this level. The are two separate first floor areas, each approached by their own staircase. Leading up from the sitting / dining room there is a guest bedroom with its own en suite shower room, and a separate home office opposite it. The second staircase off the back hallway leads to two further double bedrooms.

GARDENS AND OUTBUILDINGS

Among Woodend's special features are the exceptional outdoor entertaining areas, set within the beautiful gardens. The covered outdoor kitchen has an integrated Landmann gas barbecue and bar set on wooden units with a drinks fridge. This overlooks the hot tub and covered outdoor seating terrace with timber-decked flooring and TV. The flagstone outdoor dining area overlooks the garden and sliding doors lead directly into the house, providing an inside/ outside lifestyle. The conservatory / greenhouse is split into two sections. One part is a productive greenhouse, and the other has a raised deck dining area for eight surrounded by raised beds, with mature grapevines overhead, and fabulous views over the garden with the hills beyond.

The main lawned garden is to the rear, enclosed by walls and fencing with well stocked flowerbeds surrounding and lovely apple/plum trees set within. In one corner of the garden is a built-in wood-fired pizza oven and large seating area. In the other corner is a raised timber deck from which there are incredible views to the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle in the distance. There are further seating areas, one to the front of the house accessed from the kitchen, and the other to the west outside the principal bedroom suite.

The front garden is protected by a bank of mature trees on all three sides providing the house with exceptional privacy. Woodend has a superb range of outbuildings and outdoor storage. A covered carport is attached to the easternmost end of the house and can accommodate parking for up to five cars, with log stores and car wash store with power washer. The drive has an electric gate (with intercom and all functions links to smartphone). The drive has electric gates, and sweeps through the front garden up to a spacious parking area in front of the carport. To the west of the house is a large garden store / workshop.