8 bed detached house for sale

Thistle Guest House, St. Catherines, Cairndow, Argyll & Bute PA25

A substantial and handsome income generating period house and secondary coach house in an area of dramatic natural scenic beauty on the shores of Loch Fyne.

Description

Thistle House and the Coach House are a fine pair of income producing assets in a southwest facing situation on the shores of Loch Fyne in the lovely ribbon settlement of St Catherines in Argyll & Bute. The assets are Thistle House and The Coach House, the present owners reside in The Coach House, and they have developed an enviable and prosperous B&B enterprise within the main house currently capable of generating about £90K per annum, less the cost of sales. The enterprise currently operates seasonally and has forward bookings which can be inherited by new owners in due course should they wish to continue the B&B enterprise. The current owners choose to operate the main house B&B enterprise below vat threshold of £90k but there would be scope to operate above this level. The Coach House (subject to planning) could also be capable of generating further income.

Thistle House

Thistle House is a striking period house in a setting of great natural scenic beauty. The house stands prominently within well established and mature grounds and from its raised vantage point there are quite wonderful views to the mountains and glens that form the sides of scenic Loch Fyne, the views extend in a westerly direction towards the picturesque small harbour town of Inveraray adjacent and north towards the head of Loch Fyne. Internally, the house is beautifully presented, and period features have been sensitively retained and include plaster detail cornices, ceiling roses, picture rails and fireplaces.

Thistle House is of exposed natural stone to both front and rear elevations while the side elevations are to cream painted stone. There is dressed smooth ashlar stone to windows, doors and quoin stones, a carved pediment is to the front door with ball top finial and thistle motif. The whole is under a slated roof and the accommodation which is well presented is laid out over three levels, front facing rooms all benefiting from the wonderful waterscape views across Loch Fyne.

Ground Floor

Half glazed outer door with etched thistle motif to painted timber lined entrance vestibule, full drop glazed door to reception hallway, under stairs store with coat and outerwear hooks, triple aspect, full width drawing room with deep bay window formation to the rear incorporating French door to gardens, intricately carved open fireplace with mirror over mantle and pink/grey vein marble slips and slated hearth, formal dining room, shaker style kitchen with polished butchers block worktops and centre island with twin sinks and coffee bar, complimentary coloured splashback tiling and large slab slate flooring, glass door to rear porch/utility room with further door to gardens.

First Floor

Period staircase with wood turned banister and white painted ornate cast iron spindles to half landing with window flooding natural light to lower and upper hallways, the full landing provides access to bedroom 1 (Lamont) a family room with side window, secondary room and en suite shower room, bedroom 2 (MacNaughton) with front facing window and en suite shower room, bedroom 3 (MacLachlan) with front facing window and en suite shower room, bedroom 4 (Stewart) with projecting bay window to rear and en suite shower room. WC with front facing window and fitted linen stores.

Second Floor

Secondary staircase with wood turned banister and white painted ornate cast iron spindles to half landing with window providing natural light to first and second floor hallways, second floor upper hallway leading to bedroom 5 (Ferguson) with side facing window, secondary room with rear facing window and en suite shower room, bedroom 6 (MacPherson) with front facing window and en suite shower room, bedroom 7 (Campbell) with front facing window and en suite shower room with velux window, long term and general purpose store room with velux to rear and access hatch with retractable ladder providing access to floored and insulated attic space.

The Coach House

The Coach House is a detached structure of part cream painted harling and larch cladding and under a slated roof, once again the accommodation is presented in good fresh order and laid out over two comfortable levels. The Coach House (subject to planning) offers flexible opportunity for income generation, owner/managers home, or for extended multi-generational family living space.

Ground Floor

Bi fold full drop windows to stylish open plan sitting room, open to dining room and open to new fitted kitchen all with hardwood flooring.

First Floor

Open plan, open tread staircase to first floor level to open upper hallway leading to first floor sitting room with feature natural exposed stone and high level corner window formations ( as simple wall partition would offer scope to create a further bedroom), bath and shower room with vanity set his and hers wash hand basins, opaque glass side window, double bedroom with side window, fitted wardrobes and hardwood floor.

Outbuildings

Twin leaf door fronted shed, integral garage with up and over door, gas bottle store, greenhouse, poultry enclosure, UPVC garden shed.

Gardens

Black asphalt entrance driveway with grass verges, hedging and a Washington palm leads to twin leaf 5 bar timber county gates, a stone wall bounds the property, the front gardens are mainly to lawns with many ornamental shrubs, bushes and trees. A granolithic chip driveway offers good vehicle turning and hardstanding and leads around the perimeter of the property. To the southern side is a Chilean pine, mature Yew and evergreen trees underplanted with rhododendrons and camelias which bound a sheltered lawn. To the rear the gravel pathway leads to a flagstone patio and a black painted steel fence separates a further lawn to the rear which blends into semi ancient native woodland which forms a sheltered backdrop.

Services

Thistle House has a mains water supply, private drainage, oil fired central heating, secondary glazing. The Coach House has mains water, drainage by private septic tank, lpg heating, double glazing.

Local Authorities

Argyll & Bute Council

Tel: Council Tax

The Coach House is in Band C and the amount of council tax payable for 2026/2027 is £1853.58

Rateable Value 2026/2027

Thistle House £6,200

Situation

Thistle House & The Coach House are situated at the northern side of the coastal ribbon settlement of St Catherines which is about 4 miles north of Strachur on the southwestern facing shores of Loch Fyne.

Strachur has local shops and services that cater for most everyday needs and requirements. Inveraray is 15 miles west around the head of the loch and has a midi sized Co-op supermarket and a number of friendly hotels and bar restaurants. Dunoon is about 23 miles to the south where there is a fuller range of shops and professional services. Glasgow is about 56 miles and offers a full range of higher and further educational services as well as all the cultural and professional services normally connected with a major city.

Primary schooling is available at Strachur (4 miles) and secondary schooling is available at Dunoon 23 miles. The nearest independent school is Helensburgh at 33 miles.

The A83 and A82 provide access to central Scotland. Arrochar has a main line rail station with a service to and from Glasgow city centre and a sleeper to London.

The area offers much in the way of outdoor pursuits including cycle routes, challenging hill climbs, walks and several golf courses. The recently established Cowal Way stretches from Portavadie in the West and travels eastwards for 31 miles through some of the most dramatic and picturesque sea and landscapes in the west coast.

Sea, river and loch fishing are also available in the area as are a number of commercially run shoots. Some of the local estates allow stalking by arrangement.

For sailors, the sea lochs of the west of Scotland offer safe anchorages as well as spectacular coastal sailing. There are marina and chandlery services at Portavadie, Dunoon, Rhu, Inverkip and Largs.

Travel Directions

From Glasgow proceed in a westerly direction on the M8 motorway for about 15 miles taking junction 30 onto the Erskine Bridge. Turn left off the bridge on the A82 and continue for about 25 miles to reach Tarbet. Continue to the left at Tarbet onto the A83 and proceed through Arrochar for a further 13 miles. Turn left onto the A815, after 5.3 miles please find Thistle House on the left hand side