GREAT ESCAPE
Quirky grass-roofed house on Scots island crowned best holiday home in the country on hit BBC show
The impressive building took the couple, who also own Taransay, the UK’s largest uninhabited island, three years to create.
A QUIRKY house with a grass roof and stunning views has been named the best holiday home in Scotland.
Over the past couple of months judges have been visiting properties across the country as part of the BBC's Scotland’s Greatest Escape show, fronted by Grado.
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Now the tourism experts have chosen their winner - The Broch on the Isle of Harris.
The three-storey drystone building, inspired by Iron Age structures, won the Unique and Unusual category of the telly competition, which kick-started the eight-week series.
And it triumphed over the other category champs to take the overall crown with the judges, including Fiona Campbell, Vanessa Kanbi and Marina Huggett, hailing it an amazing 'escape in every way'.
Situated on the Borve Lodge Estate, The Broch was created by owners, husband and wife Adam and Cathra Kelliher, who bought the estate in 2007.
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The impressive building took the couple, who also own Taransay, the UK’s largest uninhabited island, three years to create.
Cathra said: “It feels completely surreal. What started with an application that we didn’t think would even be picked off the slush pile, ended up with us winning - we can’t believe it.
"The process kept us on our toes…to have won, well, words can’t really describe it.”
Adam added: “It’s a mixture of exhilaration and disbelief. All the other entrants were of a very high calibre, and it would seem that any of them could have grabbed the top spot, so some deep humility too.”
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Adam says it's the first broch - the name for an ancient round-house - to be built in Scotland for 2,000 years. And it beat stuff competition from a raft of other properties, including Andy Murray's Cromlix House.
Cathra said: “The Broch stands up over Borve Valley and everyone passing looks up to see this magnificent and extraordinary structure, literally, towering up. But at the same time it just blends into the landscape.
“My father - originally from Lancashire - came walking here when he was 17 and lost his heart to the island.
"He brought us up here at every opportunity and, in 1985 when I was 16 years old, he bought Borve Lodge Estate. Adam and I have been coming here together ever since we met and our four children have all grown up feeling very at home here.”
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Head Judge, Marina Huggett, believes The Broch is a very worthy winner of the prestigious title.
She said: “Geographically, The Broch is an escape in every way. Harris is a very special place: home to some of the best beaches in the country and a wild rugged coastline.
"The views from The Broch are both spectacular and breath taking, whatever the weather.
"The customer experience is exceptional – very subtle, but with care and attention on each step of the customer journey. There is a clear intention to go above-and-beyond to deliver a tailored and unique stay that will be remembered forever.
“The Broch at Borve Lodge Estate epitomises everything that you would want to see in the winner of Scotland’s Greatest Escape.”
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Presenter Grado added: “I’ve been to 21 of the most amazing escapes that Scotland has to offer and I can honestly say that I’ve made memories that will live with me for the rest of my life.”
Narrated by Dawn Steele, Scotland’s Greatest Escape the full eight-part second series - made by Red Sky Productions for BBC Scotland - is available to view on BBC iPlayer.
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