Trio of Remote Scottish Islands For Sale—With Own Tavern and Lighthouse

A trio of remote Scottish islands that come complete with their very own lighthouse and tavern are up for sale, and the estate agent told Newsweek the site would make an ideal private getaway or business venture.

Owning a private island would be a dream come true for many Americans. In a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by OnePoll on behalf of SignatureFD, respondents were asked: “What would you do with $10 million?”

The purchase of a dream property was a popular choice with 44 percent. And this particular three-island fantasy wouldn’t cost them anywhere near $10 million.

Located off the tip of the famous Mull of Kintyre Peninsula, some 13 miles south off Campbeltown and 20 miles east of Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, Sanda Island is, for the most part, 453.70 acres of rugged countryside, sandy beaches, rocky coastline and incredible views.

It boasts a rich history too. According to the listing with real estate firm Knight Frank, Sanda once served as a rendezvous for many warriors, saints and smugglers and has connections to Robert the Bruce, and the powerful Clan MacDonald, among others.

Today, the island is also home to seven different residential properties. They include a five-bedroom farmhouse, a School house cottage and two remaining cottages at the northern end of the island, accommodating 14 people in total. A further 12 can be accommodated at three more cottages on the southern end, next to one of its most notable features, the lighthouse.

While there might not be much in the way of nightlife, the island does boast its very own pub, the Byron Darnton Tavern, situated between the farmhouse and School House, which was opened for business in June 2003 and has been run as a bar during the summer.

Tom Stewart-Moore, Head of Rural Agency for Scotland Knight Frank, told Newsweek: “The previous owner created the pub which got a lot of press coverage and was open during the summer months.”

“For the next owner the land offers an opportunity to keep the property either as their own private getaway, or to diversify and extract some money through offering exclusive use, unique stays with high end accommodation.” he said. “There is also the option of reopening the pub to offer something for people sailing up and down the West Coast.”

The island features seven different cottages. It also comes complete with a tavern. Knight Frank

Sanda Island is being sold with the 31.7-acre Sheep Island, and the 4.4-acre Glunimore Island, which are situated to the north and northeast of Sanda, respectively.

All three are all home to an abundance of wildlife including colonies of Puffin, Storm petrel, Razorbill, Manx shearwater, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Great black-backed gull, Fulmar, Cormorant, Shag and Black guillemot.

Deer and sheep also populate the island, and Sanda is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its maritime cliff and nationally important breeding bird colony, the largest in Kintyre

Colonies of gray seals can often be seen bathing off the coast, while pods of dolphins and large basking sharks have been known to swim nearby in the summer months.

Any prospective buyer is likely to also be drawn to some of the more advanced features, which include a helipad, solar farm with backup generator and rainwater storage, which all help give it a sense of self-sufficiency.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that this kind of property does not come cheap, with Knight Frank accepting offers in excess of £2.5 million (US$3.14 million).

The island’s lighthouse. Just one of the many unique features on the $3 million-valued property. Knight Frank

Stewart-Moore said: “The potential buyers will predominantly fall into two categories; either a wealthy individual will purchase it to use for themselves and keep private. Or it will be someone who will look to commercialize the pub and the buildings, enhance or increase the farming operation over the ground and potentially go down the route of being self-sufficient.”

He also confirmed there has been “significant” interest in the property already. “Since launching we have already received a large number of viewing requests and there has been a significant amount of interest across our social channels,” he said.

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