ABOUT five miles from Banff in Aberdeenshire, Eden House sits on a hill above the River Deveron with views along its valley on one side and thick woods on the other.

But the B-listed house that stands there today was not created in one go. Rather, it has evolved over hundreds of years.

The original part of the house dates from the 1720s, with early nineteenth-century additions including a classical portico and an entrance designed by the architect William Robertson in 1828.

As a consequence, the house is something of an unusual mix of huge bay windows and rendered gable ends.

One of its most attractive features is the River Room, which was added in 1903 by Sir Richard Nicholson, whose wife's nephew, Edward Leicester Atkinson, was a member of Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the Antarctic in 1910.

In 1912, Atkinson assumed leadership of the base camp and led the search party that found and buried the bodies of Scott and his companions. He brought two of the expedition's sled dogs back to Eden House where they had the freedom to roam its 28 acres until they died. One of the dogs was called Vaida and a gravestone in the wooded grounds carries the inscription: ''Memory of Vaida. Antarctic Expedition 1910-13.''

The present owners of Eden House bought it 12 years ago and have since restored the grounds and house, including reroofing, rewiring and replumbing. A fire alarm has been installed and the house has been connected to the main water supply.

They also began to take in paying guests, building up a business worthy enough to be included in the Michelin Guide as well as the Which? Good Bed and Breakfast Guide.

Approached by a tree-lined drive leading to a gravel sweep, the front of the house has a classical-style portico with four Doric pillars and recessed alcoves displaying statues of Adam and Eve.

Internal features of distinction include marble open fireplaces, working window shutters and a four-oven Aga.

In all, the house has 10 bedrooms, four of which are en suite, as well as two further bathrooms.

On the ground floor, the drawing room, with its original nineteenth-century hand-painted wallpaper and the dining room have south-facing bay windows overlooking the river.

There is also a billiard room and library on the ground floor while on the lower ground floor is a two-bedroom flat, stores and offices.

In the grounds are two lodge houses which have been let as holiday homes.

North Lodge is an older building on two floors with a slate roof. It has a living room, three bedrooms, kitchen and its own garden.

New lodge was only completed last year, but has been built in a traditional style with a harled facade and slate roof, similar to its companion.

It too has its own garden, which is mostly lawn with trees. Inside there are two bedrooms plus an open-plan living room and kitchen.

Most of the gardens of Eden House are to the south, beyond a stone flagged terrace. These include lawns with mature trees and rhododendrons. There is an all-weather tennis court and trout fishing rights on the River Deveron, which forms the northern boundary of the grounds which are a haven for wildlife. Badgers, roe deer, red squirrels, otters and a pair of ospreys are all frequent visitors.

Offers in excess of #525,000 are invited for Eden House, #75,000 for North Lodge and #60,000 for New Lodge.