Scottish island with endless shingle beaches, own ferry and herd of Highland cows for sale

A Scottish island with endless shingle beaches, smugglers’ coves, a herd of Highland cattle and its own ferry is looking for a new owner.

Inchmarnock, which sits off the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde, is on the market for £2 million.

Strutt & Parker

The island was previously transformed by former owner Lord Smith of Kelvin, the Glasgow-born businessmen who has held a number of high-profile leadership roles, including governor of the BBC.

Inchmarnock was a 20-year labour of love for the peer, who raised cattle and invested in a detailed archaeological study of the island. The research found that humans first made their home their 3,500 years ago.

READ MORE: Large part of Scottish island owned by famed shark hunter comes up for sale

The new owner will have 662 acres of coastline, pasture and ancient woodland to play with. Included in the sale is a four-bedroom property located on the neighbouring Isle of Bute, with a ferry to get between the two properties offered at an additional price.

The Port House, a four bedroom house on neighbouring Isle of Bute, is included in the sale. A private ferry is offered at an additional price to link the two properties. PIC: Strutt&Parker. | Strutt&Parker

Douglas Orr, who is handling the sale for agents Strutt & Parker, said: “Private islands of this scale and calibre almost never come up for sale. Inchmarnock is a place of natural beauty and untapped potential, offering buyers the chance to secure a private retreat, an eco-tourism project or a long-term legacy estate.

“The land is productive, the infrastructure is in place and its position make it one of the most interesting estates I’ve handled in recent years.”

READ MORE: 600-year-old Edinburgh tower house and former taxidermist’s home up for sale

Steeped in history, Inchmarnock has been inhabited for more than 3,500 years. Its most famous archaeological discovery, the grave of a Bronze Age woman later dubbed the “Queen of the Inch”, was unearthed by a farmer ploughing the land in the 1960s.

READ MORE: Like Scottish history? So do we, so sign up to The Scotsman’s heritage newsletter and get all the best stories straight to your inbox

For a time, the island was also thought to have been a haven for smugglers, with its shingle beaches, dense woodland and rugged shoreline offering natural cover for contraband landings.

Now, rich in flora and fauna, it is home to red deer, seabirds and a protected grey seal colony.

READ MORE: ‘Cutest’ beach restaurant on tiny Scottish island for sale

The island has been carefully managed over the past two decades, with a strong emphasis on low-impact agriculture, biodiversity and preserving the character of the island’s landscape.

The location supports a pedigree herd of Highland cattle, with about 366 acres of rough grazing and 188 acres of permanent pasture. The land is in year three of organic conversion and stock numbers total around 60 cows and two bulls.

The Port House was originally a pair of semi-detached cottages and converted and extended at the turn of the millennium to create a comfortable mainland base.

The house’s shorefront setting affords it panoramic views across to Inchmarnock and the Kintyre Peninsula. It also includes a garage, boat store and exclusive use of a private slipway.

The offer to buy a private ferry to afford straightforward travel between Bute and the island was a “rare logistical advantage”, the agent said.

On the island itself are three groups of traditional farm buildings - Northpark, Midpark and Southpark - which include two former farmhouses and a series of traditional stone steadings. All offer “clear potential” for restoration.