LOCATION:
Perfectly positioned along the A1107 Berwickshire Coastal Route in the East Berwickshire hamlet of Old Cambus on Scotland's south-east coast, HC is approx 2 miles from the A1, 5 miles from the East Lothian Border, 40 miles south of Edinburgh, 12 miles from Dunbar town centre (10 miles from ASDA), and 20 miles from Berwick-upon-Tweed. The timeless and picturesque Scottish Borders towns and villages of Cockburnspath, Cove, Coldingham, Eyemouth and St Abbs (New Asgard!) are very close at hand and offer excellent primary & secondary schools, leisure facilities, shops, restaurants, bars, coastal walks and gorgeous beaches. The nearest village, Cockburnspath, is approx 4 miles away, and has a newsagent, general store, post office, garage, bowling club and a very active village hall with a café and regular social events.

Q:   Is HC on a main road?
A:   Yes. HC sits roadside on the scenic A1107 Berwickshire Coastal Route, just 2 miles from the A1.


Q:   Being next to a road, who’s best suited to live at HC?
A:   Wow!   Tough question!   HC's previous residents moved here when they were in their mid-late 50s, and stayed for 25 years. We've been with HC since our late 20s and we commuted daily to Edinburgh for nearly 10 years. Our dog joined us in 2006 at 7 weeks old and spent his entire life here, never once venturing – or even attempting to venture - out of the comfort and safety of the garden.

We've always found it hugely beneficial to be roadside, especially with the convenience of being only a couple of minutes from the A1 (ideal if you're running late in the morning!). The road’s well maintained by the Council, there are no muddy lanes / farm tracks / potholed rollercoaster type roads to negotiate, and, since the farmers still need to tend their flocks regardless of the weather conditions, there's far less chance of getting stuck in winter. That said, if you have children, or if you already have pets, you wouldn't be human if the idea of being roadside wasn’t given due consideration.


Q:   What type of person do you think would enjoy living at HC?
A:   That's quite a question!   We'd say a lover of nature, wildlife and serenity.   A raver, a recluse, or anywhere in between!   If you enjoy living in close proximity to people, HC's unlikely to be your perfect match. Although all of HC's neighbours are incredibly friendly and helpful, the nearest is about a quarter of a mile away which makes nipping next door for a quick chat or a cup of sugar a little impractical.


Q:   How long have you lived at HC?
A:   28 years, 3 months and 19 days.


Q:   Why are you moving from HC?
A:   We've been lucky enough to have lived with HC since December 1994, and every day here has been a genuine privilege and an absolute pleasure. Now it's time to find someone with youth on their side who's brimming with ideas & enthusiasm on how to sympathetically renovate and restore the Stone Bothy, and who has the knowledge, skill, vision, creativity & expertise to continue to preserve, enhance, develop and maybe even extend HC in the future. There's stacks of space to expand to the east and/or west.

Q:   Which Council Tax band is HC in?
A:  Council Tax Band E (Scottish Borders Council). No water or waste water charges are payable.


Q:   What are the parking arrangements at HC?
A:   Off-road driveway / hardstanding. There are also long stretches of grass verge at the front of HC where multiple cars & vans can park.


Q:   Is HC in a designated Conservation Area?
A:   No.


Q:   Is HC a Listed Building?
A:   No.


Q:   How is HC heated?
A:   Oil-fired boiler & radiators + multi-fuel stove in lounge + indirect heat from the Rayburn cooker.


Q:   Who are the current utility & service providers to HC?
1:   Electricity: Scottish Power
2:   Private water supply: Sole supply. Not shared with any other property. No water charges are payable.
3:   Septic tank drainage: Scottish Water empty tank every 3 to 9 years as needed (approx £210 per occasion.   See the charges)
4:   Broadband: PlusNet
5:   Mobile: O2 and EE


Q:   Tell me about the private water supply.
A:   As is the case with many private water supplies, the definitive source of supply is unknown. Water most likely comes either from a borehole or from an underground spring, collects in a holding tank on the hillside at the rear of HC, and has been in place since - or, more than likely, well before - HC was built. Before reaching any of HC's taps or internal water tanks, all water is filtered through a 2 stage reverse osmosis (RO) filtration and purification system in the downstairs attic. One filter removes particles as small as 5 microns, and the carbon filter removes any discoloration. The tank in the downstairs attic serves the en suite bathroom. The tank in the upstairs attic serves the upper bathroom.

In 1994, there was no water filtration system in place, and all water within the property came from the tank in the upstairs attic which we suspected was also being used by the central heating system. When we moved in, we added the RO system and rerouted the supply so that all water to the kitchen is not held in any internal tank. It's effectively freshly filtered mineral water that comes straight from the holding tank on the hillside.

Q:   Tell me about the internet connection.
A:   We work for a technology company, so 24/7/365 connectivity is essential for remote working. Plusnet provides our broadband connection and landline, and we have a backup 4G ProRoute wireless router with an EE SIM in case Plusnet goes offline (as it did in July when OpenReach cut through our lines - ironically, when they were digging up the road laying fibre optic cables!). Superfast Broadband or Fibre are unavailable in this area, and GoFibre shows no plans for imminent installation.


Q:   Has any preventative work for dry rot, wet rot, or damp ever been carried out?
A:   6 March 1995: Installed Lectros Electro-osmotic damp proofing system with 30 year guarantee.


[Q:   Have you carried out any structural alterations or other works to HC?
A:   The main renovation works are listed below:*

>   Drylined & insulated the property
>   Increased size of hallway by removing one existing bedroom
>   Constructed new custom staircase in hallway to enable access to upper level
>   Transformed 3 of the pre-existing rooms into one large kitchen/dining/family room
>   Removed staircase from what is now the kitchen/dining/family room
>   Constructed master bedroom with en-suite bathroom
>   Constructed inner hall that leads to master bedroom & en-suite bathroom
>   Removed existing bathroom and converted into an office. Currently now shelved and used as a Storeroom
>   Upstairs, constructed a family bathroom, additional bedroom 2, in-built cupboards and under eaves storage.
>   Removed all timber cladding from all walls and ceiling in bedroom 2 and created a raised arched ceiling.
>   Installed 9 velux windows in upper level (six in bedroom 2, one in hall, one in bedroom 3, and one in bathroom)

* View the completion certificates issued by SBC Building Control Dept for the works listed above

Other more recent works & improvements include:

>   Replaced the following windows with custom-built double-glazed high-spec security hardwood units:
     kitchen (2No), lounge (1No), entrance hall (1No), main bedroom (4No), sunroom (all)
>   New pantiled roof
>   Replaced sunroom felt roof with GRP roof (October 2017)
>   Storeroom & rear hall windows: installed custom-built double-glazed high-spec security hardwood units (Apr'19)
>   Timber store/workshop: front and rear elevations recladded (December 2019)
>   All render around sunroom & rear hall removed and replaced (Autumn 2021)
>   Overhaul of main slate roof (Autumn 2021)
>   Hardwood baseboards & guttering installed under front elevation pantile roof (Autumn 2021)
>   Gable above sunroom & en-suite repointed and 2 very worn coping stones removed and replaced (Autumn 2021)
>   All chimneys and sections of stonework repointed (Autumn 2021)
>   Replacement of damaged/desurfaced coping stone on western gable (November 2022)
>   Repair and make safe the sagging/cracked joists within the Stone Bothy (February 2023)