Ceilte Lochan Farm

Ceilte Lochan Farm

The Property

Come enjoy your own private 28 acre 'conservation area' in this tranquil setting in the Hockley Valley. The settlements of Hockley Village and Mono Centre are nearby. This ideal location offers the best of rural living with excellent dining, charming general stores, colourful farmers’ markets, vast nature preserves, the Bruce Trail, ski clubs, golf clubs, fishing and so much more all within easy reach.

This country homestead will celebrate its bicentennial in 2030. The second generation of its founding family built the current house and barn in 1884, and subsequent generations of the family owned the property until the 1950s.

The house has since been extensively renovated, and the barn has been meticulously restored by the current owners. Extensive property upgrading has created a rolling landscape surrounding a picturesque over-sized pond.

Nature abounds, with over 70 bird species identified on and above the property in 2023 alone.

Trees are a particularly notable feature of this property, from the 140-year-old majestic sugar maples to the next generation of Colorado spruce, sugar maples and Austrian pines. Blossoming pear, crab apple and Japanese cherry trees bring spring to a glorious start, while a blaze of orange, yellow and red foliage make fall an unforgettable season.

Set a quarter mile back from a quiet country road, and with no close neighbours on either side, your sense of sight and sound will be rejuvenated as the birds sing and the wind rustles through the leaves.

Ceilte Lochan Farm

This much-admired property is known as ‘Ceilte Lochan Farm’ which means ‘hidden lake’ in Gaelic, as a nod to the farm's Irish settlers. The property’s logo incorporates the layers of moraine bedrock and soil adjacent to the Escarpment, the blue waters of the pond and the stylized maple trees.

The Home

This character-filled home is ideally sized to accommodate a range of situations from a growing family, to empty nesters playing host to adult kids and grandkids, to a professional couple's city-country lifestyle.

The original 1884 stone-walled house plus 2008 addition feature 4 bedrooms including a main floor principal suite, 2 full baths and powder room, grand dining room, light-filled kitchen and living room with reclaimed elm floors, main floor laundry, and a relaxing screened porch and flagstone terrace overlooking the pond.

The unfinished basement is high and dry. An air-sourced Carrier heat pump with propane back-up comfortably warms the home on chilly winter nights, while also providing air conditioning on warm summer days. Further features to proactively support healthy living include a combination UV-reverse osmosis water purification system and a radon protection system.

Extensive gardens surrounding the house and barn bring three seasons of colour, while winter offers its own charms for country holidays.

The Barn

If a barn's walls could talk, these walls would tell you of the rich and varied activities they have hosted over the decades. From the unloading of horse-drawn hay wagons, to tended sheep flocks, to weekend antique sales, barn dances and a wedding, this is a true family activity centre.

An extensive structural restoration in 2012 helps ensure that the barn will thrive for another century and more. Stone foundation reinforcement, new support posts and beams, new main doors and ramp, updated electrical wiring, oversized windows and a new metal roof were included in the restoration. The barn also has its own drilled well with an impressive flow rate. A golf driving range, theatre centre, ping pong room, floor hockey loft and lounge area are current examples of how this impressive space can be utilized. The scale and craftsmanship of this heritage building are unsurpassed.

The Drive Shed

Dating to the 1930s, the 20x40 ft drive shed conveniently houses the equipment that keeps the property in top condition. The structure was reinforced and a new long-life metal roof added in 2012.

Should a new owner wish to add a garage, detailed plans ready for permit submission are available. The plans feature three car bays with ample light-filled loft space above.

Other Details

• Survey available
• Home inspection available
• Septic information available
• Water test and well flow test available
• 2 drilled wells (one for main house, one for barn/landscaping)
• Updated septic system to south of home
• Property can enjoy low taxes due to farm class tax rate
• Coach house garage plans available
• Underground power from the road to the home
• Power to barn, driveshed and pond area
• Deep clay-lined pond with dock and aerator
• Firepit and viewing bench offering wonderful vistas across the pond
• The maple-lined drive, mature trees throughout the property and views across the Hockley Ridge create a panorama of vibrant fall colours