A life in splendid isolation

THIS WEEK: Get away from the rat race in your own hideaway in the Highlands

FEW property prospects will stir the blood more than a rural hideaway, bringing with it the chance to shut out the world and revel in retreat. Only 2.6 per cent of the country’s population lives in ‘sparsely-populated’ areas such as outlying parts of the Highlands, according to Scottish Government researchers.

The James Hutton Institute believes that by 2046 only 99,350 people will live in these isolated communities.

If reversing that trend appeals to you, the Highlands has a number of homes which would make it very difficult to track you down.

Take Sandaig, a 100-acre estate on the Knoydart Peninsula in Inverness-shire, one of the most difficult areas to reach north of the Border. You need to take a boat from Mallaig to Inverie to reach this heavenly part of the West Highlands.

Home to the most remote pub in mainland Britain, it also comes with its own private bay, sparkling with the white sands so distinctive of the area.

Sandaig House is the result of two properties – Sandaig House and Sandaig Lodge – being converted into one delightful home.

The original house was formed from the conversion of St Anthony’s Chapel, which has endowed today’s property with excellent ecclesiastical features.

The living area has a vaulted cathedral-like ceiling, minstrels’ gallery and magnificent open fireplaces. The original Sandaig Lodge, linked to the house via a modern garden room, has three bedrooms plus a fourth which at present is being used as a study.

The views cannot be understated, for even a bathroom window offers a panorama of the beach and shimmering blue waters beyond.

Sandaig Bay, which has featured in a poll of the top 50 beaches in the world, offers wonderful fishing, boating and sailing. The area is relatively sheltered and a breakwater of boulders has been constructed at the head of the bay, providing a sheltered harbour with two moorings and a slipway.

Two burns flow through the land into the bay, enhancing the peaceful atmosphere. And, as if to emphasise the remote nature of this property, viewers are advised to check weather forecasts before travelling.

Visitors are asked to take the ferry from Mallaig or, failing that, the owner will collect you in his own boat. Then there’s a wee journey in a 4x4 vehicle. Overnight accommodation can be arranged in the village. Bedrooms: 6 Unique features:

Sits proudly on the Knoydart hillside in Inverness-shire, surrounded by 100 acres of moorland and woodland. Ownership includes your own private bay, with sensational sunsets thrown in for free. The building’s provenance as a church has endowed it with unique features such as the cathedral-style ceiling and minstrels’ gallery. Price: Offers over £750,000

Contact: Cameron Ewer on 0141 222 5875 or email Cameron.ewer@savills. com