Latest news with #Caithness
BBC News
an hour ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Boy stranded by tide and surrounded by jellyfish in Caithness
The RNLI has urged people to check their surroundings and tidal conditions after a shoreline rescue follows a callout for its Thurso lifeboat to assist a boy who got stranded on rocks at Brough Harbour near Dunnet Head in Caithness on Monday got cut off by the rising tide - and the rock where he was stuck was surrounded by a large number of RNLI said the incident showed the importance of awareness of rising tides and the potential hazard from jellyfish blooms at this time of year. The crew members rescued the youth, checked him over and passed him to waiting coastguard teams on the beach."This successful rescue is a reminder to folk to check their surroundings when going into water and be aware of rising tides," said Thurso RNLI."Thankfully on this occasion folk on the shore were aware that the youth was in the water."
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
'Fairytale' Scottish castle beside beautiful loch on sale for £2.6million
The castle, now listed with Knight Frank, has five bedrooms and luxury features like a gym, sauna, and glass-walled dining room A historic Scottish castle by a beautiful loch with a story stretching back more than 800 years has hit the market. The "fairytale" Couston Castle is up for sale for a cool £2.65 million. The restored 16th Century castle near Aberdour in Fife sits on 5.37 acres of landscaped grounds overlooking the tranquil Otterston Loch. The striking property combines centuries of history with exceptional modern upgrades Offering a rare blend of heritage, privacy and luxury less than an hour from Edinburgh, Couston Castle is described by estate agent Knight Frank as an 'outstanding fairytale castle' that has been 'maintained to the highest standard'. Inside, it features five bedrooms and a wide array of bespoke features, including a gym suite with sauna and wet room, a vaulted sitting room with a rescued fireplace, and a stunning glass-walled dining and living space finished with Caithness stone flooring. The state-of-the-art kitchen is fitted with Gaggenau appliances and dual islands, ideal for entertaining or family life. Additional highlights include an office, cinema room, oak-panelled drawing room and a luxurious principal suite with a copper bath. There is also a bunk room, multiple en suites and a guest or staff flat above a triple garage. Outside, the beautifully maintained grounds include an orchard, a play area, outdoor kitchen, dog kennels, a gardener's compound and a two-storey barn with modern utilities. A stone and gravel courtyard connects the buildings, all thoughtfully integrated into the historical fabric of the estate. The castle's story begins in the late 12th century, when Robert de London, the illegitimate son of King William the Lion, granted Couston and other lands to Roger Frebern. By the 16th century, a fortified castle stood on the site, equipped with artillery. In the following century, King James V issued a charter to James Logan of Couston, during whose tenure the building was remodelled into a form close to its present-day layout. In the 1660s, the castle was home to Reverend Robert Blair, a professor at Glasgow University and former tutor to King Charles I. Exiled from St Andrews due to his covenanting views, Blair lived out his final years at Couston, dying there in 1666. Over time, the castle fell into disrepair. Much of it was dismantled in the 1840s for farm building materials, leaving behind only partial ruins, including a 17th-century stair base and doorway. It remained largely forgotten until the 1980s, when businessman Alastair Harper bought the site and commissioned architect Ian Begg to restore it. Using original stone from Otterston Loch and salvaged rubble, they painstakingly rebuilt the structure, preserving the historic layout. Their work was recognised with a Saltire Society Award in 1988. The current owners have since added further refinements, including contemporary bathrooms, a modern kitchen and luxurious high-end finishes throughout. These developments have transformed Couston Castle into a unique, multi-level family home that is both rooted in the past and designed for modern living.
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Scotsman
16-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Inside 'fairytale' Scottish castle on sale for over £2.6 million
If you ever fantasised about living in a fairytale castle as a child, this stunning lochside property near Edinburgh could make your childhood dreams come true. Overlooking Otterston Loch, Couston Castle has been restored over the years to the highest standard, providing its residents with a perfect blend of historic features and high-end modern amenities. With a history which can be traced back to the 16th century, Couston Castle has been remodelled several times, including once with involvement from James V, King of Scots. It fell into disrepair in the early 19th century, when its stone was used to provide farm steading. For over a century it remained a ruin, but in the 1980s Dunfermline businessman Alastair Harper purchased the castle and began restoring it to its former glory using as many original materials as possible. Most of the present Couston Castle is modern, with its historic features restored where possible. The castle has been further upgraded by its current owners who use it as a family home, with a modern kitchen and new bathrooms, which have brought the finish of the property up to a very high standard. Its amenities include a cinema, home office and gym, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, two WCs as well as a vaulted sitting room, dining room and drawing room. There is also a guest flat above the triple garage, with one bedroom. Set within 5.37 acres of land, which is surrounded by loch, it enjoys a rural location with formal gardens and outbuildings. Despite its private location, it is close to Aberdour in Fife and just 18 miles from Edinburgh City Centre. Now on the market for offers over £2,650,000, enquiries can be directed to Knight Frank. 1 . The vaulted sitting room On the ground floor, the vaulted sitting room includes the 'Great Fireplace' which was reduced from the loch while the Couston Castle was being restored. | Knight Frank Photo Sales 2 . The dining room On the ground floor, there is a dining room, connected to the inner courtyard with its Chess Board and the kitchen. It is complete with Caithness stone flooring and pillars. | Knight Frank Photo Sales 3 . The kitchen Open plan to the dining room, the kitchen features a five-metre island unit with granite worktop and breakfast bar. Also in the kitchen is a separate island unit for serving the dining area. | Knight Frank Photo Sales 4 . Another view of the kitchen The kitchen features Gaggenau appliances including four ovens, wine fridge and fridge freezer. | Knight Frank Photo Sales Related topics: PropertyFife
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New hub opens after closure of Wick's last bank
A banking hub has opened in Wick following the closure of the town's last organisation Cash Access UK is running the services from premises in Bridge Bank of Scotland branch shut last month. Since 2018, the town lost its Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Clydesdale Bank, TSB and Virgin Access UK is funded by major UK banks and has a network of hubs across the country. Wick's hub has opened in the town's former RBS building, and is the most northerly of Cash Access UK's has a counter service run by the Post from three banks will make visits to meet customers, with TSB on Tuesdays, RBS on Wednesdays and Bank of Scotland on premises also has a cash Access UK chief executive Gareth Oakley said: "I'm happy to announce the opening of our Wick hub, ensuring crucial access to cash and face-to-face banking services for residents and businesses across the community. "Customers can visit on any day of the week for their everyday banking transactions, and if you have a specific or more complex inquiry for your bank, a community banker will be there to help on the day they're in the hub."Caithness and Sutherland MP Jamie Stone welcomed the opening of the new hub, and said many customers still wanted face-to-face contact with bank Scotland, Cash Access UK also has sites in Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway and Troon in South Ayrshire.
Daily Record
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Gran who won £4m Omaze mansion in Highlands puts stunning home on the market after four months
Patricia Moule won the luxury lochside property near Rannoch in Perthshire in April. A widower who won a £4m Highlands mansion in an Omaze prize draw has put the stunning property up for sale after four months. Patricia Moule, from Southampton, landed the luxury lochside property near Rannoch in Perthshire in April. The five-bedroom home, which boasts its own private jetty and tennis court, is now listed with estate agents Knight Frank for offers over £3.975 million. The 81-year-old said her late husband would be "smiling down" after she became a millionaire overnight. The former Personal Manager said she was overwhelmed as she celebrated her win with daughter, Sarah, 57, and granddaughter Louisa, 18. She described the win at the time as 'breathtaking,'and said she had 'never seen anything so beautiful in all my life.' But despite the additional £250,000 in cash that came with the prize, she has opted to sell the property, saying the proceeds will be life-changing for her family, reports the Mirror. She said: "Thanks to the £250,000 I also got as part of my win, I could afford to stay here for years if I wanted to, but I will sell it as the huge amount of money from the sale is so transformational for the family, it's a generational legacy that means their future is now secure." The modern mansion, which sits on the southern shore of Loch Rannoch, was designed to the highest standard, offering over 8,800 square feet of open-plan luxury. As well as five bathrooms and three reception rooms, the property includes a separate two-bedroom cottage, steading with garage and workshop, a summer house, formal gardens, and nearly a kilometre of loch frontage. The site also has a fascinating history. Once the seat of Clan Robertson of Struan, Carie House was at the centre of Jacobite resistance in 1745, with Bonnie Prince Charlie said to have hidden nearby on Ben Alder following the defeat at Culloden. The current house was completed in 2014, featuring high-end finishes such as Caithness stone floors, triple glazing, oak panelling, and a vaulted kitchen with premium appliances. A Velfac glazing system, Sonos sound, and underfloor heating provide modern comfort, while extensive grounds span more than 58 acres of gardens, pasture, woodland, and rough grazing. The draw, backed by Succession star Brian Cox, raised money for Alzheimer's Research UK. Omaze president James Oakes said at the time: 'Winners are free to move in, rent out, or sell – it's completely their choice.' Patricia isn't the only Omaze winner to cash in. A £3 million pad in Wirral, Merseyside, with spectacular coastal views, a cinema room, and a heated outdoor swimming pool, was won by Lauren Keene in December and put up for sale for a cut price £2.5m. In January it emerged Tom Steenson, 63, put his luxury mansion with sea views in Exmouth on the market for £2.35 million. In April a couple who bagged a £3million mansion in Cornwall put the property back on the market for £4million just weeks later.. Widow June Smith also put the luxury £4.5million Cornish mansion she won in 2023 up for sale so that she could help her children and grandchildren 'with the next chapter in their lives'.
