Surrounded by 12 hectares (30 acres) of oak, Scots pine, silver birch, spruce and alder, the Pink House on the shores of Lough Scur is some offering.
Its unique 320 sq m (3,444 sq ft) layout was designed by Leitrim-based Belgian architect Ghislain Luthers and despite being constructed in 1998, it feels timeless. Set over three levels, living accommodation is on the top floor allowing superb 360-degree views of the water and surrounding forest. At this level lies a kitchen with an adjacent dining area and a large living space warmed by a solid-fuel Jotul stove. There is also a balcony, accessed from the kitchen, with views to Cattle Island, Whiskey Island and Jail Island, which was constructed in 1605 and operated until the jail at Carrick-On-Shannon was established.
A most unusual feature of this level is the distinctive curved ceiling which was the work of French plasterers who, along with a team of French master craftsmen from the guild of Les Compagnons du Devoir, built the house.
At garden level there is a good-sized utility room and two bedrooms, one of which is en suite, while a further bedroom (also en suite) and the principal bedroom are on the middle floor. The main en-suite bedroom is stunning with views from 3m-long window and is kept cosy with an open fire. A laundry chute is located here for convenience.
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Its owners had the lands before building and it was when out for a walk one day they discovered the site, which then became their home. Nestled at the shore of Lough Scur on the Shannon Erne Waterway, the place is minutes from the R209, on the Carrick-On-Shannon to Ballinamore Road, making it an eight-minute drive to Keshcarrigan, which is a 10-minute walk away if you take the Rossy footbridge.
It also has a boathouse beyond a decked terrace filled with mature plantings and a walled sunken garden planted with fruit and vegetables, a fig tree and decorative creepers. Fishing for perch and bream on the freshwater lakes is popular with anglers, as is pike fishing, and some specimens weighing more than 20 pounds have been recorded here.
Besides fishing and boating, islands on the lake have many historical gems such as the Lough Scur Quern Stone, believed to be the largest in Ireland, and five Stone Age crannógs. All this while surrounded by wildlife including otter, pine marten, hares, kingfishers and an array of waterfowl.
Woodlands have been planted with a thousand trees per acre and the family who live here are advocates of continuous cover, which makes the forest naturally regenerative. Closer to the property are mown fields, planted with bluebells and wild tulips.
Owners are downsizing from this D1-rated house and will miss the “extraordinary views that rarely repeat themselves and change by the season”. The property is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Farrell seeking €699,550.
