Wards Cottage, The Wards, Kingston, Garmouth, Moray, IV32 7RB

Property Summary

In an idyllic situation just a couple of minutes’ walk from the beaches of Spey Bay and the Dolphin Centre, with superb open views across fields and nature reserve towards the Spey river, this immaculate, spacious 4-bed, 2 reception room house sits in large gardens extending to approximately 1.75 acres. A character cottage, which has been entirely renovated and extended, Wards Cottage, is a bright home with fantastic living spaces, outstanding views and complete privacy. The walls are all white ready for colourful artwork with new carpets to the majority of the home. The curved plasterwork to the walls, exposed wood staircase with wrought iron balustrades, deep stone fireplace with a woodburning stove and traditional wooden doors with iron latches, provide lovely features. Ample outbuildings for surfboards, gardening equipment or even a workshop.

Accommodation comprises dining kitchen, family bathroom, sitting room, substantial sunroom and 4 bedrooms (one ensuite).

Entering the house through a modern uPVC, half-glazed door into a substantial boot room.

Boot Room/Utility Room (2.1m x 3.9m)

A substantial space, ideal for shedding boots, shoes and outdoor clothing after a day in the countryside or at the beach. With light-wood laminate flooring and generous cupboard space, this bright vestibule/boot room provides a handy entrance to the house. A window to the north and the half-glazed door to the south provide ample light. There is pipework in place to allow for utility room use of this space.

Dining Kitchen (4.6m x 5.2m)

A spacious dining kitchen with a wide range of upper and lower, country-style, cream kitchen cabinets, with an ample work surface.  Dual aspect, the kitchen has magnificent views to the fields, hills and woods to the front.  Integrated oven, dishwasher, hob and extractor fan, with space for an under-counter washing machine and fridge.  Ample room for a large free-standing fridge-freezer.  The tiled backsplash, co-ordinated with the cabinets, runs the length of the work surfaces.  A wooden, glazed door opens to the hallway, providing access to all ground floor accommodation.

The downstairs hallway has a cupboard containing the hot water tank.  There is a further, deep storage cupboard, with shelves, providing great storage.

Sunroom (4.4m x 7.6m)

A truly stunning room to the front of the house, with wall-to-wall windows looking out across the fields towards the Spey river and the hills beyond.  Watch as swallows skim across the fields catching their dinner or cattle meander through in winter fields. Large enough for an ample seating area with room to spare for a desk, play equipment or a telescope. Light streams into this ample room, making it a truly wonderful living space.

Family Bathroom (2.5m x 3.3.m)

A modern bathroom containing a 3-piece white suite, comprising bath, WC and pedestal basin.  This large family bathroom has an opaque window to the rear of the house providing ample natural light and ventilation.  A separate shower enclosure houses a mains, Mira shower. Wall-mounted heated towel rail. Dark wood-effect vinyl flooring.  A shelved cupboard provides excellent storage.

Sitting Room (4.2m x 4.6m)

The heart of the house, this bright sitting room has white walls contrasting with the light wood-effect laminate flooring.  Up-lighters to 3 walls providing mood-lighting.  The original stone fireplace, with a multi-fuel stove inset on a Caithness slate hearth with a feature wooden mantlepiece above provides a lovely cosy feel.  A large window looks to the front garden and fields.  Door to Bedroom 1 with ensuite.

Bedroom 1 (3.9m x 4.8m) ensuite.

To the front of the house with large, south-facing, double windows looking over the garden and fields, this is an ample and bright double bedroom. Carpet.

Ensuite (2.4m x 4.0m)

A surprisingly large ensuite containing a back-to-wall WC, with hidden cistern, and wash hand basin semi-recessed into a convenient bathroom cupboard unit.  A separate shower enclosure houses an electric shower. Wall-mounted towel rail.  Dark wood-effect vinyl flooring.

 

Curved wooden stairs, with a wrought-iron handrail, lead to the upper floor.  Characteristic of this type of house, the doorways in the upper floor are low.

Bedroom 2 (3.3m x 4.2m)

A light, spacious double bedroom to the front of the house.  Double fitted wardrobes with sliding mirrored doors, providing ample shelf and hanging space. The window to the front looks out over the fields towards the hills beyond.

Bedroom 3 (2.1m x 3.5m)

A double bedroom, with beautifully rounded plaster to the ceiling and a large window looking to the front.  A small bookshelf is inset to the wall.  Character wooden doors, with wrought-iron latches and handles. Carpet.

Bedroom 4 (3.7m x 3.5m)

A gable-end bedroom, with angled ceilings and a window looking towards the front of the house.   Character wooden doors, with wrought-iron latches and handles.

Garden

It’s hard to describe just how blissful this garden is.  Extending to approximately 1.75 acres, with mature trees and hedging to 2 sides and incredible, long, views of open fields, hills, woodland, nature reserve, golf course and big skies to the south.  With a gentle breeze, and the sound of the waves on the pebble beach of Spey Bay, this garden is wonderfully tranquil.  With areas of manicured lawn, wild meadow, and areas of mature bushes and shrubs interspersed throughout the area, this garden is truly a delight for children, gardeners or people who have always dreamt of having a small-holding. Your imagination is the limit in this garden.

Outbuildings

A range of outbuildings provides space for sports equipment, gardening equipment, housing animals or having a fantastic workshop. Built in 2022, there is a large outdoor workshop/shed, measuring 5.0m x 5.0m.  There is a further wooden garage with pitch, steel roof, and also a chicken coop.  A modern wood-store sits close to the door, with a further wooden shed currently used as a kennel.  Double wooden garage gates open into the property, with a further, single, wooden, gate opening to the beautiful patio area immediately adjacent to the sunroom and door to house.  There are bright, white stone chips surrounding the patio.

Kingston is a small village adjacent to the village of Garmouth. Close to the mouth of the River Spey, Kingston sits on the Moray Firth, with spectacular beaches where dolphins are often sighted.  Garmouth & Kingston are located on the Speyside Way, a popular long distance walking route.   On the Speyside Way is the Spey Viaduct, a grand Victorian former railway bridge, linking Garmouth with Spey Bay, affording picturesque walking and cycling opportunities.

The villages of Garmouth & Kingston also benefit from a beautiful nature reserve, a golf club and a bowling club. There is a coffee shop and a very active Community Hub, which organises school holiday activities, community dog walks, etc.  The Maggie Fair committee also holds fund-raisers such as quiz nights, cookery nights, open garden events and barbeques; to name just a few.  A local art group also specialises in workshops for people with dementia and their families/carers.

Approximately 9 miles from Elgin, Kingston offers all the amenity of living near the sea in a friendly community, yet within easy reach of shopping, schools and medical facilities of Elgin.  Primary schools are available in Mosstodloch and Lhanbryde and secondary schools in Elgin. Gordonstoun private school is less than 15 miles away. Approximately 1.5 hours from Aberdeen International airport, with daily flights to London and Europe. The A96, running between Aberdeen and Inverness is approximately ten minutes from Kingston, with train services available in both Elgin and Forres.