Paradise Isles
THIS WEEK: Home in on a special lifestyle around Scotland’s coastline
ISLANDS are so ingrained in our culture that their very name can make grown men cry. Barra, Coll and Eriskay… each one capable of conjuring up its unique identity in our mind: the religious heritage of Iona, ‘the cradle of Christianity’, whisky distilling on Islay.
But for all its romance and legend, island life is not for the faint-hearted.
You can literally become prisoner in your own home when wild weather arrives, causing the ferries to remain in port. And consider the stress associated with someone close to you becoming ill and requiring emergency treatment.
Estate agent Robert Ross says it is the unusual lifestyle of living on an island that can make its property market unpredictable.
In many cases, buyers are wealthy individuals from abroad, seeking their own paradise.
He said: ‘We get buyers from all over the world. For some, it is a second, third, fourth or fifth home. There is not the urgency of trying to secure a place to live, so they go away and think about it.
‘That means selling a house on an island is a much slower process than on the mainland.
‘But look at the advantages. With the summer we have had, the islands have been sparkling in their white sand and turquoise waters.’
One of the most attractive island properties currently for sale is The Big Beach House, right on the shore at Whiting Bay on the isle of Arran.
Built in 1904, this Edwardian masterpiece has been used in recent years as luxury selfcatering accommodation, capable of sleeping 20.
This explains the rather unusual layout, with two separate entrances and separate kitchens on the ground and first floors.
Then there’s the bonus of The Wee Beach House, a two-bedroom detached cottage in the grounds, which opens up all sorts of possibilities.
The large house could be used as a nine-bedroom family home and The Wee Beach House could be used to accommodate visiting family or could also work as a holiday rental.
Or you could always live in the smaller property and continue the tradition of successfully letting out the bigger one to holidaymakers.
Arran is becoming more and more popular with families. It sits just off the West Coast and basks in the Gulf Stream, permitting the plethora of palm trees you will see in many gardens.
This summer, Scottish Water had to ferry across water in tankers as holidaymakers helped drink the place (almost) dry.