01292 261111 Down by the riverbank

Catch salmon and plenty of peace and fresh air

Not so much bricks and mortar, but liquid assets this week.

You can be your own king- fisher, pulling slivery salmon from your very one stretch of water.

For just offers over £ 75,000 you can take charge of a lovely beat high in the hills. And there may be a spot of gold panning to do as it is near known deposits south of Straiton.

Yes, this is far from prime Tweed or Tay or even Stinchar for that matter.

But some will find the tranquility worth every penny.

Balbeg Fishings has about a mile of double bank and a five year average of 32 salmon.

Around the pools the Water of Girvan is slow flowing and there are a total of 14 on the beat with some interesting names such as Piggery and Coo Drink.

Also easy on the flies are some more turbulent rocky sections creating a faster flow.

Talking of which, just like the River Doon, it is fishable even in times of low water as the flow is controlled by the Loch Bradan dam just upstream.

High on a fishers requirements are a warm hut, and Balbeg has one.

The agents Robb Residential says it provides a “meeting place, shelter from the elements and a pretty focal point for riverbank pinciks, fishing lunches and barqeues.”

Fishing lunches, I hear, can involve large quantities of strong spirit to set one up for the afternoon.

In recent years 2011 proved to be the best, with 54 salmon landed. Brown trout fishing rights are included, so there is a good prospect for some breakfast fish.

The new owner can take advantage of all the work done by the seller. Since 1997 there has been an ongoing improvement programme including new weirs, croys and bank reinforcements.

Old trees have been removed and branches trimmed so the perfect fly cast can be made.