Live like a Royal with the best of Scotland on your doorstep

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at their beloved Royal Deeside retreat yesterday to begin their summer break.

Balmoral Castle is one of two personal and private residences owned by The Royal Family, and the trip north has become an annual pilgrimage since the family acquired the Balmoral Estate 1852.

Surrounded by mountains, forests, valleys, arable pastures, lochs, grouse moors, and gardens - it's an area which truly offers the very best of Scotland.

Tonight we are launching a property for sale which offers the buyer a chance to take in the same breathtaking scenery.

Situated on an elevated site in Braemar, one of Scotland’s most sought-after Highland villages, Lily Bank is a deceptively spacious late-nineteenth-century detached Victorian villa that enjoys uninterrupted and protected panoramic views across the Dee valley and up towards the Linn O’Dee.

With the Cairngorms National Park on its doorstep (literally!), this truly stunning and unique property offers extremely flexible accommodation and would make an ideal main residence or second home for anyone looking to retreat to Royal Deeside.

The property

Lily Bank has five bedrooms and is on the market for offers over £675,000.

The main house spans three floors and the property has a self-contained annex to the rear.

All of the accommodation has been lovingly renovated by the current owners and many of the original features have been retained and enhanced to achieve a traditional yet contemporary feel.

• Click here to view the full property details
• Click here to take a virtual tour of the main building
• Click here to take a virtual tour of the annex
• Click here to view a video tour of the property

Only the finest materials have been used in the restoration including bespoke, handcrafted hardwood sash-and-case double-glazing by George Moir Carpentry, Forbes & Lomax power points and light switches and Samuel Heath ironmongery.

The roof has been finished using Welsh slates and the granite paths, steps and patio areas recreate the native charm once seen at this property when originally constructed more than 140 years ago.

Internally there are many period features including ornate cornicing, high skirtings, bannisters, panelled doors, exposed beams and working shutters. Slate flagstones and engineered oak wood flooring feature throughout the property and enjoy the convenience of underfloor heating. Both the lounge and dining room feature wood burning stoves and the electric Aga in the kitchen provides additional heating.

Technology and convenience has also been considered with high-speed, business-grade internet throughout, hardwired Sky Q TV system and hardwired Sonos multi-room audio system with in-ceiling speakers.

Early viewing is recommended to appreciate the stunning accommodation on offer. Click here to book a viewing.

The area

Braemar has a warm, generous, welcoming and inclusive population with a strong sense of community. The area boasts many attractions and opportunities for walking, ski-ing and all types of seasonal outdoor pursuits. 

Beyond the Balmoral Estate, it is also home to the world-famous Royal Highland Gathering and the Fife Arms Hotel, which was named The Sunday Times Hotel of the Year in 2019.

Owned by international art dealers Hauser and Wirth, the hotel houses more than 14,000 pieces of original art. These can be found integrated into every room and indeed corridor, so, as well as being a fantastic five-star hotel with corresponding first-rate bars and restaurant, “The Fife” truly turns its artworks into a fabulous experience for all its patrons.

Beyond The Fife, there is an artsy vibe that has always run through the village, and as a consequence a number of the present-day residents are themselves artists and/or writers. Nowadays the focal point is the annual Creative Arts Festival, but as long ago as 1881 Robert Louis Stevenson is known to have penned Treasure Island when summering in Braemar with his family.

Lily Bank is only a short stroll from the village centre, and thus combines all the benefits of rural living with the more desirable elements of a twenty-first-century semi/virtual-urban lifestyle.

Book a viewing

If you would like to view Lily Bank, click here to arrange an appointment.