Monymusk, hidden among woodlands on the hillside on the outskirts of the Borders town of Galashiels, just across the Tweed from Sir Walter Scott's lovely home of Abbotsford, is a fascinating and most unusual house.

Built in 1958 and restyled 20 years later, it was designed by the award winning architect Peter Womersley, one of those cutting-edge modern houses which were the last word in chic in the 1970s, with loads of angles and lots of glass! Womersley also designed the ‘See-through House’ High Sunderland, in nearby Selkirk for the designer Bernat Klein. A monograph on Womersley, written by Professor Neil Jackson was published in 2023, which shows the original design of the house later extended by Duncan Cameron, who briefly worked with Womersley.

Owned by the same family since 1970, it has now been carefully brought up-to-date, while yet keeping in mind the distinctive style of its period. Inside it is very spacious, with a large L-shaped living room with comfortable seating round the open fire and a glass wall with access to the outdoor terrace in one ‘leg’ and the dining table in the other. At the end of the sitting room is a sliding wall beyond which is the play area, so this can be completely shut off if desired.

The kitchen is slick and modern with all the appliances you need and it even has a dishwasher so you don’t have to argue over whose turn it is to do the washing up!

All on one level, there are four bedrooms, two doubles, a single and a twin room which can be converted to a third double (zip and link mattress) on request. One of the double rooms has an en suite wetroom and a feature glass wall looking out to the garden. There is a family bathroom with bath and shower over and a cloakroom beside the front door that is another useful feature. Centrally heated and most comfortably appointed, Monymusk makes a memorable holiday home.

Its setting, too, is second to none. It stands at the end of a drive shared by only one other house. Its extensive enclosed woodland garden has been a beloved play and adventure area for generations of children, while its west-facing terrace (with furniture and BBQ) is a delightful place to while away a sunny afternoon or to relax with an evening drink.