Yours for the price of a garage in London
‘Rare’ chance as 11-acre island goes up for sale
OWNING a private island far from the hustle and bustle of city life might seem out of reach for most.
But now an uninhabited 11acre hideaway on the West Coast is up for grabs for only £80,000 – the same as the price of a garage in South London.
Deer Island, or Eilean an Fheidh, is located in Loch Moidart, some 45 miles from Fort William, Inverness-shire.
Auctioneers hope to raise at least £80,000 for the island, which is described in sale listings as ‘one of Scotland’s most stunning locations’.
They also claim there is ‘zero chance of intrusion’, despite neighbouring island Eilean Shona being owned by the family of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson.
Eilean an Fheidh has no houses or amenities and is covered in native woodland.
The Future Property Auctions listing states: ‘Rare opportunity to own your own private Scottish island. Nestled in the stunning and tranquil Loch Moidart on the dramatic West Coast of Scotland. Beautiful approach and outlook.
‘Uninhabited island located within extremely popular sea loch certain to appeal to investors from all over the world.
‘Loch Moidart is a sea loch in the Moidart district of the Highlands. Located approximately 30 miles from Glenfinnan and around 45 miles from Fort William and the Ben Nevis mountain range.’
The online auction will take place on March 26.
Island sales have been taking place for years after many former crofters departed and were never replaced. Linga, off Shetland, went on sale in 2014, costing £250,000 for 64 acres of unspoiled land. Home only to breeding otters, guillemots and seals, the 64-acre island has pristine white beaches and a loch.
Linga has no power, water supply or internet, but the new owners could obtain permission to create an eco-tourism business.
It has been uninhabited for decades, the last known person to have lived there being Captain James Fraser, who died in 1931.
Sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the larger island of Vaila, it is small enough to walk across in less than half an hour.
Similarly, 660-acre Inchmarnock in the Firth of Clyde – near the Isle of Bute – went on sale in 2013 for £1.4million.
It came with a warning that prospective buyers would need to negotiate more money for a ferry to transport them to and from the island.
Inchmarnock has not been lived on for more than 30 years, with the last farming tenant leaving in 1986.
Many of the smaller islands for sale in Scotland have next to nothing in the way of amenities such as homes or even running water, while transport often involves the use of small boats.