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Scotland's Home of the Year 2025: Inside ‘elegant' Edinburgh flat going for glory in BBC grand final
The six finalists vying for the title are: 'Sandstone Bungalow' in Giffnock, 'Hilltop House' in Aberdeenshire, 'Wee City Nook' in Edinburgh's Stockbridge area, 'The Tree House' in Broughty Ferry, 'An Cala Cottage' on the Isle of Skye and 'Craigmount' in Dalbeattie.
Ahead of the grand final (BBC One Scotland, 8.30pm), take a look through our gallery to see inside Wee City Nook - and the other five finalists.
1 . Sandstone Bungalow
Home to Pamela and Gordon, their son Caleb and Rosa the Irish Setter, the 'Sandstone Bungalow' blends together old with new, whilst retaining the beautiful original 1930s details. The couple design choices bring the 'Sandstone Bungalow' up-to-date with a bright and modern kitchen, dining and living spaces. | IWC Photo Sales
3 . Sandstone Bungalow
Sandstone Bungalow, Giffnock was the winner in episode 1, West | IWC Photo Sales
4 . Craigmount
A Victorian semi-detached house near Dalbeattie, home to Ozzy, Laura, daughter Grace and Ethel the pug. The property's coastal views won the family over and they made it their own by renovating and adding a tasteful extension to the original granite building. Boasting a bold and colourful interior, the family entered Craigmount as Grace's late gran loved Scotland's Home of the Year. | IWC Photo Sales
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Wales Online
2 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Budget-friendly seaside escape has beach, huge promenade, and best pier in Wales
Budget-friendly seaside escape has beach, huge promenade, and best pier in Wales Dubbed 'The Queen of the Welsh Resorts' this traditional seaside town has long attracted tourists to its breezy shores The town has managed to retain its traditional coastal charm and still features grand Victorian buildings, a long promenade, and a classic pier that's the longest in Wales (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) With just a few weeks left of the summer holidays there's no better time to squeeze in a budget seaside break – but where to choose? In Wales we are blessed with many coastal villages and towns with each offering beaches, ice cream, and activities to keep the kids entertained. One town in particular offers an affordable escape and has been undergoing a significant reinvention focused on revitalising its traditional seaside offerings. Llandudno, dubbed 'The Queen of the Welsh Resorts' on the north Wales coast, has long attracted tourists to its breezy shores. It has a long history that stretches from Neolithic settlements to Bronze Age copper mining. In 1848 architect Owen Williams planned it as a seaside resort. The arrival of the railway in 1858 made it easier for people to travel there and it quickly became a popular holiday spot for wealthy wellness seekers. Happily the town has managed to retain its traditional coastal charm and still features grand Victorian buildings, a long promenade, and a classic pier that's the longest in Wales. While prices have risen since the Victorian era Llandudno is still a budget-friendly destination with a range of affordable hotels (Image: Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images) While prices have risen since the Victorian era Llandudno is still a budget-friendly destination with a range of affordable hotels, guesthouses, and cottages. If you look at prices on sites like and kayak you can find hotels for £83, houses for £66, and cottages for £90. Prices do of course depend on things like the size of the accommodation and length of stay. Among the available hotels at the resort are The Lawton Court Hotel, which has previously been named number one in the world in the best service category in the previous Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards. The Elm Tree Hotel, situated less than 500ft from Lawton Court, was named the world's best-rated bargain hotel. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The seafront is the centre of the town and several properties are located on the two-mile curving Victorian promenade that runs through most of Llandudno's North Shore. The seafront is the centre of the town (Image: Google) The road, collectively known as The Parade, has a different name for each block and many of Llandudno's hotels are built on these parades and crescents. There are also a number of boutique shops, independent restaurants, churches, and museums to explore on the promenade and across the town. Adjacent to the parade is the North Shore Beach, which is Llandudno's primary beach. It is the larger of the two beaches here and is sheltered by two headlands – Great Orme and Little Orme. While it might not be the sandiest of beaches in Wales it is one of the more traditional with a promenade, pier, boat rides, deckchair rentals, donkey rides, ice creams, live music from the bandstand, and a Punch and Judy show. Llandudno pier and promenade (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live) Established in 1860 this is Britain's oldest-running Punch and Judy show. It is performed by the fifth generation of the Codman family using the original hand-carved and painted puppets made from driftwood from the beach. If you want to swim or sunbathe on the beach there are some sandy sections but towards high tide it is mainly pebbles. The main draw here is the impressive Llandudno pier. Stretching 700m into the Irish Sea from the North Wales mainland Llandudno Pier is the longest pier in Wales and one of the longest in the UK. This year it won the prestigious Pier of the Year award voted by the members of the National Piers Society. The win is even more special as the historic structure, built between 1876 and 1878, was badly damaged during Storm Darragh in December 2024. A pier hut was blown across the boardwalk causing major damage to slate roofs on other shacks. As a result parts of the pier were closed for months. Stretching 700m into the Irish Sea from the North Wales mainland Llandudno Pier is the longest pier in Wales (Image: Portia Jones ) It's now open to the public and buzzing with attractions, arcade rides, stalls, and a big wheel. The Deck Arcade, housed in the original Victorian bandstand at the pier head, offers games and spectacular views of Llandudno Bay. Leisure Island is the main arcade at Llandudno Pier and has a prize shop where you can exchange your tickets for a variety of treats. For food the Pier Grill & Ice Cream Parlour is located at the start of the pier and serves classic burgers, chips, and ice cream. Stroll the wide boardwalk and you'll also find a traditional sweet and rock shop, cheese stall, and Welsh gin and whisky kiosk. For epic sunsets and cocktails call into the Ocean Bar. Located at the end of the pier with epic views of Llandudno Bay and Great Orme you can sip ice-cold beers and colourful cocktails while enjoying live music during the summer. Fairground rides on Llandudno Pier (Image: Andrew Forgrave/North Wales Live) Along the pier, promenade, and main beach there are also other beaches in this area that you can explore. While the popular North Shore Beach draws considerable crowds Llandudno also features another sandy stretch that remains a 'hidden gem' for countless visitors. Tucked away on the far side of the headland lies West Shore Beach, an isolated cove fringed by undulating dunes. This serene spot offers a peaceful contrast to the animated North Shore Beach making it perfect for those yearning for a quiet retreat from Llandudno's primary tourist hotspots. The beach was also named one of the UK's best beaches. Travelodge's survey described Llandudno beach as "one of the most beautiful spots in north Wales" framed by undulating sand dunes and the Great Orme headland. The hotel chain says its placement on the quieter side of the town means it offers a "peaceful retreat from the bustle of the pier and arcade". "You can marvel at breathtaking views of Conwy Bay and estuary and even see the Snowdonia (Eryri) mountains on a clear day," it adds. West Shore beach at Llandudno (Image: Jeff Buck/Wiki) Across the town and surrounding headlands there are plenty of other attractions and natural sights. The Home Front Museum tells the story of civilian life in the Second World War and for whisky connoisseurs you can try a cheeky Welsh tipple at the new Penderyn Distillery site. On the one-hour tour you can discover the history of Penderyn, the building, and how the whisky is made. Then you can sample the whisky in the tasting bar. Masterclasses are also available. For food in lovely surroundings head to Dylan's Llandudno – one of five locations of the family-run restaurant chain known for using locally-sourced produce and seafood. Inside the restaurant you'll find gorgeous décor including a huge low-relief map which nearly covers one wall upstairs. Sculpted by Jane Evans the map is based on the work of Thomas Condor in 1784 titled New and Correct Map of North Wales. Moules mariniere at Dylan's Llandudno (Image: Mark Williams) For lunch the Loaf Coffee and Sandwich Bar serves artisanal coffees as well as delicious freshly-made soups and sandwiches. Definitely try their Welsh rarebit or hand-battered cod and chips. For ice cream visit Welsh institution Parisella's. Situated in the Happy Valley area of the town it was recently named by The Times as one of the tastiest seaside ice creams in the UK. After food why not explore the rest of the town? The best place to take in all the sights is the Great Orme tramway and cable car, which houses the Llandudno Snowsports Centre at the top. The Great Orme Tramway first opened in 1902 and is Britain's only cable-hauled public road tramway. The Tramway climbs a mile high up the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve. The unique journey begins at Victoria Station and ends at the Halfway Station exhibition. One of the best things to do here is to take a historic tram trip up the Great Orme. (Image: Portia Jones ) You can change trams there and continue your journey to the Great Orme summit. This striking limestone headland has a prehistoric story buried beneath its heather-clad slopes. In the 12th century the Welsh poet Gwalchmai ap Meilyr referred to it as Cyngreawdr Fynydd. Its English name, Great Orme, comes from the Old Norse word for sea serpent and is likely inspired by the headland's curving serpentine shape as it juts into the sea. It's famously home to the Great Orme Kashmiri goats whose ancestors once roamed the mountains of Northern India, Ladakh, Kashmir, the Iranian plateau, or the Afghan highlands. While the two-mile-long Great Orme is also best known for its vintage tram and spectacular views from the 679ft (207m) summit it has a hidden history you might not be aware of. Rising above the traditional seaside town of Llandudno the Great Orme is a striking limestone headland with a prehistoric story buried beneath its heather-clad slopes (Image: Getty) This nature reserve headland is home to miles of underground copper mines, estimated to have produced enough copper to make nearly 2,000 tons of bronze. More than five miles of explored tunnels and passageways are here. In 2005 the Guinness World Records team awarded them the title of The Largest Prehistoric Copper Mines in the World. Today these copper mines are an unusual but fascinating tourist attraction. While some sections of this historic mine are closed to the public a section is open for self-guided tours, which are part of the Bronze Age mining experience that the kids will love. The Great Orme Mine tour takes around 45 minutes and includes the visitor centre, an introductory film, and a walk through eerie tunnels mined more than 3,500 years ago. Here you can imagine what conditions might have been like for miners back then in low-lit tiny tunnels that were at risk of flooding. The Orme Copper Mines (Image: John Lawson) A surface walk follows that traverses the smelting shelter and opencast mine, the oldest part of the site, mined in excess of 4,000 years ago. The 200m underground and dog-friendly visitor route takes you down two levels of the mine accessed via a series of slopes and staircases. The temperature in the mine varies between 5°C and 8°C so make sure you wrap up before you head underground. Make sure to pop into the visitor centre, which has a model of a village depicting life in the Bronze Age. You can also look at original 4,000-year-old Bronze Age artefacts and a selection of Bronze Age mining tools. Current ticket prices are £33.50 for a family ticket and you can find more information on their website. Another way to reach the Great Orme and mines is via the cable car system. Opened on June 30, 1969, the Llandudno Cable Cars are the longest passenger cable car system in Britain. As the Llandudno Cable Cars glide silently from Happy Valley to the summit of the Great Orme, 679ft up, you can take in the jaw-dropping panoramic views. Need to know Where is it? Llandudno is on the north coast of Wales tucked between the Great Orme and Little Orme headlands. Getting there by car Llandudno is well-connected by road. From the M56 take the A55 expressway across north Wales – it's a scenic drive. From Manchester or Liverpool it's about one and a half to two hours depending on traffic. There's plenty of parking in and around the town centre and seafront. From Cardiff the drive should take four and a half hours. Getting there by train Article continues below Easy peasy. There's a direct line to Llandudno from places like Manchester and Llandudno Junction (which links to the main north Wales line). The station is right in the heart of town so you can step off and be on the pier within minutes. Use transport apps to plan your journey.
Daily Mirror
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
'I went on UK rail route named world's most beautiful and it lived up to the hype'
The iconic West Highlands Line leaves Glasgow behind and delves deep into the west coast, trundling along the Clyde to Helensburgh, and then north via Garelochhead and Loch Long towards either Oban or Mallaig "I think this is the most beautiful train line I've ever been on." Those words are ones that quite earnestly passed my lips yesterday as my wife and I trundled through the Scottish Highlands, along the banks of shimmering lochs, through ancient mountains and over achingly bleak and beautiful moors. "You've been on it before," she helpfully pointed out. Fortunately, my having done a thing and then forgotten about it does not make it any less beautiful. The iconic West Highlands Line leaves Glasgow behind and delves deep into the west coast, trundling along the Clyde to Helensburgh, and then north via Garelochhead and Loch Long towards either Oban or Mallaig. Not long after you make it out of Scotland's biggest city, the rolling, wind turbine-crested hills begin to grow larger and larger as the Highlands approach. It comes after the UK's five worst seaside towns were named - including resort with one-star beach. The train line carries you north along the west coast, through the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. A track split takes place at Crianlarich, carrying you either past Loch Awe to Oban, or high up to Rannoch Moor. The railway line crosses the moorland for 23 miles and rises to over 400 metres, providing unparalleled views of one of the last remaining wildernesses in Europe: a vast stretch of blanket bog, lochans, rivers, and rocky outcrops where curlews, grouse, roe, and red deer run free. The Moor became a point of near-national obsession during the Victorian era, when fear and slight revulsion about its untamed and intimidating nature morphed into passion. Amongst the early visitors were the poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy, who visited in 1803 and tentatively described the place as "desolate and extensive wild". Just seven years later, Scotland's foremost cheerleader, Sir Walter Scott, published his poem 'The Lady of the Lake', which featured Loch Katrine in the Trossachs, south of Rannoch Moor, and catapulted it to celebrity. The poem inspired tourists to flock to the area to see how "Summer dawn's reflected hue to purple changed Loch Katrine blue" for themselves. On my way up to the Highlands and then down again a few days later, we were treated to both sides of the place. During our night ride, the glens and Munros pressed against the train window, making our little lit-up box on wheels feel very small as it trundled on. During the bright, sunny trip home, the vistas that present themselves - the sparkling lochs beneath sheer mountains, topped with verdant green - feel more like Switzerland or Austria than Bonny Old. Inarguably, the most famous spot on the line is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which featured in the Harry Potter films as the route of the Hogwarts Express. You'll roll over this on the way to Mallaig, the end station on the 164-mile line. I'd suggest skipping an afternoon at the Viaduct. When I went, a steady sheet of drizzle was falling over the hordes of Potter fans, most of whom seemed a little underwhelmed by the entertainment on offer: two pipers mournfully piping, and some railway infrastructure. Add to that the fact that the locals of the 100-person village are sick to death of the masses, and the decision to stay away seems an easy one. Mallaig is a much better bet, home as it is to excellent whale watching tours that deliver regular sightings of the cheerful minke pod that live in the area. Corrour, which is the highest altitude railway station in the UK and attracts Trainspotting fans thanks to its use as a location in the film, is equally pretty and fascinating. In 2009, Wanderlust magazine readers voted the West Highland Line in Scotland as the top railway journey in the world. Similarly, travel tour operators, Mickledore, are fans. 'The West Highland Line is more than a train ride — it's a living canvas of Scotland. Mountains, moors, lochs, wildlife, and history unfold before you. It captures the essence of the Highlands like nothing else — and it earned its title as the most scenic journey for good reason," the firm tempts.
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Vibrant Scottish town with some of UK's cheapest houses is packed with 'charming' streets
This town in East Ayrshire, Scotland, has been named one of the most affordable places to live in the UK, with locals praising its vibrant shopping scene and friendly atmosphere An historic town in East Ayrshire has been crowned one of the UK's most affordable places to live, with locals praising its bustling shopping scene and welcoming atmosphere. Property website Rightmove has ranked Kilmarnock as Scotland's top spot for first-time buyers, offering average house prices significantly below the national average. Rightmove reports that homes in Kilmarnock have sold for an average of £154,688 over the past year. Flats have been snapped up for an average of £75,868, while semi-detached properties have commanded £161,391 and terraced houses £115,793. Prices have risen by seven per cent compared to 2024 and are four per cent higher than the 2022 peak. This news comes after images show the cheapest seaside spot in England is full of abandoned £40k homes 'nobody wants'. Home to over 47,000 people, Kilmarnock's housing costs are more than five times lower than London, where the average flat will set you back a whopping £590,543. The town's blend of cultural heritage, green spaces and retail options has made it a popular choice for homebuyers. Kilmarnock is home to a wealth of cultural landmarks, including Scotland's largest Burns Monument, the Dick Institute and the Palace Theatre. The town centre boasts a range of independent shops as well as popular high street brands, reports the Daily Record. The tourism board Visit Scotland has described Bank Street as: "a charming cobbled street in the historic core, with the elegant John Finnie Street boasting one of the best examples of provincial Victorian architecture in Scotland." The board also spotlighted Dean Castle and Country Park as "a fantastic day out for all the family" and commended the Burns Monument Centre's picturesque location in Kay Park. For many locals, the town's charm and easy access are its main attractions. Andrew Reith, 41, who runs Zenith Coins and has been working in Kilmarnock for five years, said: "The town has some nice parks, and there are a few spots for public entertainment. The shopping area is quite popular, and both tourists and locals enjoy wandering around it. "What I feel is that the town could benefit from a couple of large organisations, such as factories, to create more job opportunities for people living in the area." However, not everyone shares this positive view. One local told The Express: "Many people in Kilmarnock rely on Government benefits and lack ambition and zeal to work. "Most people are looking to send their children to the schools in Troon which is around 15 to 20 minutes away from Kilmarnock and is home to some of the most affluent people in the town." While some streets offer homes priced between £75,000 and £84,000, others feature properties worth £500,000. Tracey Oakley, a property adviser with Donald Ross Residential, noted: "Kilmarnock is a huge area and it would not be right to say that the houses are cheap [everywhere] here. The town is not very far from Glasgow and has a lovely shopping centre. "The properties which are put on the market are being sold in just two to six weeks, showing its popularity among the buyers." East Ayrshire Council says the town's energy is being enhanced by regeneration initiatives. David McDowall, head of economic growth, said: "We are happy to see Kilmarnock is featuring as one of the more economical places to live. "Over the past 15 years, our Regeneration and Business Support teams have attracted investment to enable the redevelopment of the town new life into the town's conservation area." He added that Kilmarnock has "weathered the storm of closures of the mass industries such as whisky bottling, shoe making, carpet making, textiles and heavy engineering" and is now "experiencing a resurgence" with new small and medium enterprises.
