Property comment
Nestled along the west coast of Scotland are wild peninsulas and isolated communities that give a taste of island life without the hassle, says Madeleine Silver
TAKING the turning off the A835 north of Ullapool, signposted for Achiltibuie, you wind along a 12-mile single-track road, navigating the passing places as you go and, just when you think it might never end, the sprawling, white, sandy beach of Achnahaird appears before you like something from a storybook.
‘When you see Achnahaird, you feel as if you’ve arrived in another world,’ says artist Fiona Pitt, who bought a cottage with her husband on the edge of the Coigach Peninsula’s main village, Achiltibuie, nearly 20 years ago. ‘We never considered buying on the Hebrides because it’s just too far and you have to rely on the weather to get there, but where we are is just like being on an island because there’s only one way in. Once we’re here, we don’t want to go anywhere else.’
Scattered up and down the west coast of Scotland are hidden communities much like Achiltibuie, at the end of single-track roads, as well as wild peninsulas where houses perch in enviable isolation. ‘Buying a property on mainland Scotland can be just as magical and remote as on the isles—and a lot less hassle,’ explains Edwina de Klee
at Garrington Property Finders in Edinburgh (0131–564 1156).
‘Of course, it’s heavenly on the islands once you get there, but, from personal experience, if your flight to Glasgow is delayed for any reason, or you haven’t managed to get your rental car in time, you’re then legging it across these tiny little roads trying to get there in time for one ferry. It can be really stressful.’
Remote spots on the mainland are in high demand among buyers looking for a second home, she says, but tend to be snapped up fast and go for well over the guide price. ‘Property prices have been turbulent over the years in remote, rural Scottish locations, but rental demand for holiday retreats hasn’t been affected in such a way, so the return on investment can be extremely lucrative. Staying on the mainland means accessibility is much better, so the holidaylettings market becomes less seasonal.’
According to Tom Stewart-moore at Knight Frank in Edinburgh (0131–222 9608), isolated properties with water frontage are as rare as hens’ teeth on the market and, although their seclusion can make them relatively affordable, there will be tough competition.
A property like Point Park Cottage, recently under offer with Knight Frank— which is 12 miles from Oban and has direct beach access to Loch Etive as well as being just 11∕2 miles from the village of Taynuilt, with its direct rail service to Glasgow—is extremely rare, he says.
‘When someone is looking for a property like this, they’ve probably already fallen in love with Scotland and realise they’re going to have to travel, but buying on an island can be a step too far,’ adds Mr Stewart-moore.
Now that Skye is connected by bridge to the mainland—the bridge is part of the A87—it’s become a hot destination for buyers looking for a more convenient version of island life, says Mrs de Klee.
Buying a property on the mainland can be just as magical and remote as the isles
Applecross, further north, which looks onto Skye, is an even quieter alternative and remote Glenuig, further south, has a smokery, a good pub and the coveted white, sandy beaches, she says. ‘There’s also the utterly gorgeous Seil (opposite Mull), which is technically an island, but is accessible by a beautiful, old stone bridge.’
For buyers willing to push the limits of remote living, the Knoydart Peninsula, sandwiched between Lochs Nevis and Hourn, is accessible only by foot or boat and boasts Britain’s most remote pub, The Old Forge. ‘The Knoydart community is pretty special,’ says Ross Low at Bidwells in Perth (01738 230159). ‘It’s a long old trek to walk from the nearest road—it would take you the best part of a day —but the crossing from Mallaig to Inverie, the main village on the peninsula, is only 25 minutes and runs four times a day.
‘I have friends on the Isle of Muck and you’re talking an hour and 40 minute journey for them from Mallaig,’ he continues, ‘so 25 minutes seems like nothing and it gives you a feeling that you’re going on an adventure.’