9 bed country house for sale

Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, Perthshire PH10

Historical note

Balvarran was the ancient home of the Barons Reid, also known as the Robertsons of Straloch. On 14 February 1554, the Earl of Atholl granted a charter to the lands of Inverchroskie to John Reid, the 4th baron (Inverchroskie or Easter Inverchroskie being the archaic name for the land now known as Balvarran). John Reid built his house on this land, naming it Balvarran, meaning
‘’Township of the Baron’. Notably his grandson, the 6th baron is documented to have been brave at ‘supressing robbers’ and on ‘Lord’s Days’, had his piper playing before him”.

The 7th baron, “a genteel, handsome man of medium stature”, built the oldest part of the existing house completing it in 1641. The date remaining clearly visible on the lintel over what
would have originally been the front door. Reid was arbitrarily fined when King Charles I came to the throne and allowed a mercenary English Parliament to impoverish many Scottish families. Despite paying his dues to the Royalist supporting Earl of Atholl, Balvarran was ‘burnt to the ground’ by the Marquess of Montrose in 1644.

The last member of the Reid family to own Balvarran was the 15th baron, General John Reid, the composer of several military marches including ‘The Garb of the Od Gaul’ for the Black Watch.
Upon his death in 1807, he left an endowment specifically for the purposes of establishing a chair of music at Edinburgh University with both the Reid Concert Hall and School of Music named in
his honour. During the life of General Reid, Balvarran was put into a Trust with James Stormonth of Lednathie being one of the Trustees. The other Trustees died and, as surviving Trustee
with the authority to sell, James Stormonth (himself a noted lawyer in Edinburgh) sold Balvarran in 1776 to an Edinburgh lawyer, Alexander Macdonald, retaining an option to repurchase Balvarran, which was duly exercised in 1781.

In 1805, James Stormonth settled Balvarran into another Trust for the benefit of the children of James and Margaret Darling. Their daughter Agnes and her husband Archie Horne purchased
Balvarran from the Trustees in 1837. Following their deaths, the estate was sold, in 1864, to Patrick Small Keir of Kindrogan.

The estate returned to the ownership of the descendants of James Stormonth when in 1894 it was acquired by his great great-nephew Moir, Lord Stormonth Darling, a former Solicitor General for Scotland and by this time a Lord of Session. It has
remained in the ownership of the Stormonth Darling family to this day.

The expansion and embellishment of the existing house was immediate with the addition of a new porch and billiards room together with new kennels and stables in 1895 to designs by the
renowned Scottish architect noted for his Scots Baronial and Gothic revival style, Sir Robert Lorimer.

In 1947, Balvarran was inherited by Moir’s nephew, Patrick and thereafter – in 1960 – by Patrick’s elder son, Robin Stormonth Darling. Substantial reconfiguration of the interior and
modernisation of the décor and services followed during the 1960s with further extensive improvements – to include the addition of a further reception room in 1988 and a swimming pool completed in the early 1990s.

The current owner inherited Balvarran in 2013 and has occupied the house and estate as a much adored and appreciated family home.
Descrption


Extending to about 2,018 acres (817 ha) in total, the component assets and attractions of Balvarran Estate can be described and summarised as follows:

Balvarran House and Grounds
Balvarran House is an exceptionally positioned b-Listed mansion house that was remodelled and extended by the renowned architect, Sir Robert Lorimer, in the final years of the 19th Century. It occupies a commanding and attractive position
at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (370m) overlooking spacious lawns fringed by rhododendrons and azaleas with the main façade facing southwest across Strathardle.

The house is approached by a private wooded tarmac drive which continues gently uphill through electric wrought-iron gates before terminating at either a gravelled parking area at the front or a further spacious gravel courtyard behind the
house. The original coach house lies a short distance from the house on the north side and provides a combination of living accommodation, stabling and general storage.

Dating from 1641, the house is category b-Listed by Historic Environment Scotland and is of stone construction beneath pitched slate roofs. As stated in the Historical Note above, the house has benefitted from remodelling, extension and
improvements to décor and services in three main phases being the 1890s, the 1960s and the late 1980s. A feature of its appearance is the property’s colour which reflects its original iron oxide lime-washed render of the exterior which is
particularly attractive and unusual amongst Scottish country houses.

As shown on the floor plans within the particulars of sale, the accommodation is over two main floors and an attic level and includes a large kitchen with breakfast room/bar, several excellent reception rooms including a billiards room, 9 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and a variety of additional rooms
including office, gun room, flower room, larder, wood store, plant/boiler room and a temperature controlled wine cellar.

The house is served by a wood pellet biomass heating system which was installed in 2015 and qualifies for subsidy income under the Renewable Heat Incentive (rhi) with an unexpired contract term of nine years. Oil-fired boilers remain connected to provide back-up heating and hot water if/when required. There is also an oil-fired Aga in the kitchen.

Adjoining the house is an indoor swimming pool (5m x 11m) with associated changing facilities and sauna which was completed in 1990 and provides indoor recreation during the winter months and on days of inclement weather. The pool has French windows which open onto a terrace overlooking the sunken garden. A paved terrace, accessible from the dining room and kitchen, provides one of the property’s settings for al fresco dining in
warm weather. A further elevated dining terrace overlooking the sunken garden is accessed via the billiards room.

The house sits at the heart of an extensive garden which combines formal lawns (on which stands a Lorimer designed sundial) and flower garden with a wilder arboreal garden featuring a network of paths and five enigmatic concrete cattle sculptures by Callum Gordon known as the “Beasts of Balvarran”.

The native woodland behind the house provides both shelter and a valuable habitat for abundant birdlife and red squirrels, which are frequently seen scampering across the lawn.

The outbuildings immediately adjoining the house include a game larder, potting shed, double garage, biomass plant room, pellet store and two further built in sheds/stores.

A short distance from the house are the stables which include looseboxes (recently redundant but still capable of housing horses/ponies) and associated stores providing tack, machinery and equipment storage.

Additional Houses and Cottages

Each labelled on the sale plan accompanying the particulars of sale, Balvarran Estate includes six additional dwellings as follows:

Coach House Cottage
A 2-storey, 2-bedroom cottage situated within the stable range, renovated in recent years to a high standard and retained with vacant possession for family use/as overflow accommodation together with Balvarran House.

The Old Laundry
An open plan single bedroom maisonette within the stable range. Let under a Short Assured Tenancy (Sat) but available with vacant possession from mid August 2026.

Milton of Balvarran Farmhouse
A 3-bedroom traditional detached farmhouse at the foot of the drive beside the public road with
large garden and outbuildings to the rear let under Sat.

Mill Cottage
A 3-bedroom cottage situated between the public road and the River Ardle let under Sat.

Milton Cottages 1 and 2
A pair of semi-detached cottages between the public road and the River Ardle let under SATs in each case.

The cottages are each served by mains water supplies and have a combination of oil-fired and electric heating systems.

A summary of their services and EPC ratings is included within the particulars of sale under the Additional Information section.
Estate and farm buildings


These are:

The Steading
A u-shaped 11⁄2-storey range of former farm buildings which has been converted in recent years into a commercial office and associated storage space currently leased to and occupied by an online clothing retail business. Part of this building remains undeveloped (but roofed) and has potential for residential conversion, subject to reinstatement of planning permission. The previously granted consent (Ref: 16/00117/fll) included the provision for this part of the building to be developed as a holiday accommodation unit.

General Purpose Shed
An open-fronted steel portal-framed shed situated behind the steading and used for cattle handling and miscellaneous storage.

Lunch Hut
A timber single room lunch hut (5m x 8m) with vehicular access at the heart of the moor dating from the 1960s.
Land and woodland


Extending to about 2,018 acres (817 ha) in total, the current land use at Balvarran is analysed within the particulars of sale.

Lying between 240 metres and 750 metres above sea level and with a generally south-westerly aspect, the majority of the land at Balvarran comprises open hill ground/moorland, with shelterbelts and stands of mixed species woodland on the southern fringe of the hill and enclosed fields of permanent pasture on the lower ground, around the main house and policies and in the bottom of glen beside the River Ardle.

Access to the hill is by means of a vehicular track leading north from Balvarran House and running for about four miles to the heart of the hill ground.

From a land use perspective, the majority of the hill ground and low ground pasture is grazed annually by a farmer from within the area. Grazing of the hill is restricted to the summer months
and by cattle only. The low ground is grazed by sheep and cattle under a 364-day grazing lease which is renewed annually.

The seller uses Messrs Laurence Gould to administer the annual Basic Payment Scheme claim and an arrangement whereby the seller receives the quantum of the annual payment with the land being registered to and the bps claim made under the grazier’s trading business name. In addition to receiving income from the farming agreement, the estate is currently entered into a
Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (aecs) to promote the Black Grouse population by controlling predators.
Traditional field sports


Conventionally and traditionally viewed as a sporting estate, the traditional field sports currently available at Balvarran are:

Grouse shooting
The 1,650 acres of hill ground comprise mostly heather moorland which is managed on a light touch basis to encourage the red grouse population with the aim of enabling sufficient
sport for a few days of walked-up shooting per season for modest but hard-earned bags. Reduction in grazing pressure has improved the heather sward in recent years and some burning
and vermin control is carried out.

The population of Black Grouse in Strathardle generally, and on Balvarran in particular, is a natural historical phenomenon in the context of general decline of the species in most other parts of Scotland. There are active seasonal leks which can attract up to 40 cock birds to perform their enigmatic ritual courtship displays. Whilst the preservation and expansion of their population is the current owner’s priority, the population is sufficiently healthy to justify the occasional appearance of ‘blackgame’ in the bag at the end of day’s sport on Balvarran Hill.

Mixed game shooting
Whilst the vendor does not run a pheasant/partridge shoot, the extent of the estate; the existing woodland and the potential for further woodland and game crop establishment provides
the potential for driven game shooting – at least on an informal basis – to be developed in future, if desired. The existence of a pond/lochan on the southern fringe of the moor offers the opportunity for both trout fishing (subject to stocking) and duck flighting.

Deer stalking
With a relatively high current deer population in this part of Perthshire, Balvarran provides unusually prolific open hill red deer stalking relative to its extent which currently averages
29 stags and 51 hinds/calves annually. It has been the vendor’s custom to let the stalking to two different tenants who pay a combined annual rent to share the target cull for both stags and hinds/calves between them. As part of the arrangement and with no game larder or carcass storage facility, the tenants are responsible for the sale/disposal of carcasses with the income being receivable by the estate.

With 30 to 40 roe deer accounted for annually and, unusually, a handful of fallow deer, the prolificacy of the deer stalking at Balvarran is one of its particular attractions from a traditional
sporting perspective. The estate is a member of the West Grampian Deer Management Group and works with the group to support and aim to achieve annual cull targets together with deer counting and habitat assessments.

Salmon fishing
With about one mile of salmon fishing including several pools on the upper River Ardle, the opportunity to fish for salmon in appropriate spate conditions during the second half of the fishing
season is another particular feature of Balvarran. When water conditions are right in the aftermath of heavy rainfall, the Ardle can produce productive and enjoyable fishing on light tackle from late July until the end of the salmon fishing season on 15 October.

Fishing effort has been deliberately light during the seller’s tenure with no commercial letting in terms of day tickets or weekly permits. The majority of fish in recent years have been caught by an enthusiastic angling friend and neighbour of the vendor whose proximity to Balvarran has enabled him to frequently capitalise on appropriate water conditions.
Environmental attractions and renewables potential


The hill ground at Balvarran lies within the Forest of Clunie Site of Special Scientific Interest (sssi) and Special Protection Area (spa) which are designated to avoid deterioration of varying
qualifying species of bird including hen harrier, osprey, short eared owl, merlin and black grouse.

The vendor has received recommendations from rspb to assess and explore the potential for establishment of native woodland on the hill ground at Balvarran to further enhance the landscape for the benefit of black grouse and other species, the preservation of which the estate and wider area is currently designated for.

The potential for native woodland expansion may also enable a future owner to apply for woodland carbon accreditation under the woodland carbon code which gives rise to the potential for further
enhancement of capital value and/or a cash payment from the sale of verified woodland carbon units. The vendor has not conducted detailed feasibility analysis of this potential and therefore
prospective purchasers for whom this opportunity is material to their interest are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence.

Based on the Environmental Designation of the hill ground, any wind energy development on the estate is considered either unlikely or a distant possibility. Similarly, the absence of existing grid connection restricts opportunities for hydroelectricity generation potential at present.

Situated close to the geographic centre of mainland Scotland, in the heart of Highland
Perthshire, Balvarran is a residential and sporting
estate with considerable amenity. In addition to a particularly fine principal house of both comfort and architectural merit, the attractions of the estate include traditional field sports; a
residential property portfolio; a contemporary
commercial office facility; an in-hand farm and
over 2,000 acres of hill ground, rough grazings,
pasture and woodland in a spectacular but
accessible Highland setting. Lying on the eastern
side of the upper Tay tributary of Strathardle with
the river forming the south-western boundary, the estate extends northeast to an elevation of over 2,500 feet (760 metres) at the summits of Meall Odhar and Meall Uaine which lie on the watershed with the adjoining Glenshee to the northeast.

Whilst the estate itself has a rich and well
documented history having been in the
interrupted ownership (see Historical Note below) of the vendor’s family since the 18th Century, it has been occupied principally as a family home and managed on a low-key basis with little commercialisation of the main house or field sports. It is therefore little known – even to those
from the property and field sports world who are
familiar with Highland Perthshire – and therefore
can be described as a hidden gem of an estate.

Similar to Balvarran itself, Strathardle – once the
hunting grounds of the Kings of Scotland – is often
described as one of Scotland’s ‘hidden glens’. An apt description when compared to its better-known
neighbour Glen Shee and the likes of Strathtay or
the renowned Angus Glens to the east.

Draining the eastern summits of the imposing
Beinn a’ Ghlo range in the southern Grampian
mountains, the River Ardle is formed by the
confluence of the Fearnach and Brerachan
Waters at Straloch, a short distance to the north
of Balvarran. From here the Ardle follows a
winding course over glacial moraine for about 12
miles to where it meets the Black Water (draining
Glen Shee) and forms the River Ericht which
eventually joins the main stem of the River Tay
(via the River Isla) at Meikleour near Blairgowrie.

The quietly dramatic landscape of Strathardle’s
heather hills and open moorland give way to
rolling farmland and riverside pastures with
native birch, pine and oak delivering spectacular
seasonal colour. A handful of settlements and
villages including Ballintuim, Kirkmichael and
Enochdhu help contribute to a strong sense of
community spirit in ‘the glen’ (as it’s unfailingly
known) showcased annually at the thriving
Strathardle Gathering and Agricultural Show in
Kirkmichael.

In terms of accessing the estate, the A924 connects Pitlochry to the west with the A93 at Bridge of Cally connecting Blairgowrie to the southeast. Towns of similar size and regional influence, the journey to Balvarran from the south/Perth takes a very similar time via either approach. The journey to Balvarran from Edinburgh Airport under off-peak traffic conditions and assuming no hold ups takes about an hour and a half.

The village of Kirkmichael has a local shop,
primary school, café and together with hotel, pub
and restaurant.

Pitlochry is about 12 miles west of Balvarran and offers a range of services including a supermarket, a medical centre, two dentists and a High School. There is a range of independent shops, the highly regarded Festival Theatre, a choice of cafés
and restaurants and two distilleries. Pitlochry has a mainline railway station with regular services to Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh, plus both a sleeper service and a daily direct train to London in six and a half hours.

Further north, the House of Bruar is approximately 21 miles from Balvarran and is considered one of Scotland’s most prestigious independent retailers, noted for its luxury goods, clothing and top-quality Scottish produce.

Blairgowrie and Rattray lie astride the River Ericht 14 miles to the southeast of Balvarran. Rather more pragmatic than the tourist resort of Pitlochry, Blairgowrie lies on the edge of one of Scotland’s most fertile bands of agricultural farmland – the Vale of Strathmore – and provides a range of suppliers and retailers to serve the agricultural and horticultural industries.

For private education options, Balvarran is usefully located for several of the most favoured Scottish independent schools including Glenalmond, Ardvreck, Craigclowan, Strathallan and the High School of Dundee.

Perthshire has attracted field sports enthusiasts since the 19th Century. The River Tay is the longest of Scotland’s ‘big four’ salmon rivers and one of the most renowned salmon fisheries in the world. The region is also traditionally famous for grouse shooting and red deer stalking.
Representing the wider county in microcosm, Balvarran offers the opportunity for all three
of these field sports to be enjoyed which in turn enables the potential of a ‘Macnab’ (catching a salmon, shooting a brace of grouse and stalking a stag within the same day) to be achieved on the estate.

With its precipitous and majestic landscape, Highland Perthshire is also renowned for its numerous spectacular pheasant and partridge shoots. Whilst the current owner has chosen not to run a pheasant shoot at Balvarran, the
combination of topography, existing woodland and the potential to establish further woodland/game cover offers this possibility in future, if desired.

For golfers, there is a wide variety of choice within the region. Amongst the most local is the charming 9-hole course at Dalmunzie in Glen Shee. The course at Pitlochry is described as one of the hidden delights of British parkland golf whilst the reputation of the Rosemount course at Blairgowrie is widely known. Lying slightly further afield but within easy travelling distance for a round of golf and a good lunch are the internationally renowned championship courses at Carnoustie (42 miles), St Andrews (48 miles) and Gleneagles (52 miles).

An annual sailing regatta on Loch Tummel at Pitlochry is a popular event, while other water sports are available on both the River Tay and Loch Tay at Kenmore. For winter sports,
Balvarran is ideally located for access to the ski slopes with Glenshee ski centre being a 30-minute drive and Cairngorm ski centre at Aviemore being within a drive of around an hour and a half assuming no hold ups.