Escape to the country: Three of the best Scottish estates for sale now

Country estate buyers can mix and match to produce their ideal property, finds Kirsty McLuckie

Evelyn Channing, director of Savills rural agency, says that Scottish estates divided into lots offer a flexible product which appeals to a diverse range of buyers.

She says: “As long as you retain the core of the estate together, then selling in lots is a good idea as some buyers do not want to be burdened with hundreds of acres of land or secondary properties.

“It helps buyers tailor the estate to their budget, but it is also a good way of illustrating where the value lies.

“If you just quote a total price, that is likely to be several million pounds, and it can be difficult to see where the value lies.

"But broken down into land, buildings and other assets, it illustrates the value.”

The key guidance is not to sell off part of an estate, to a developer for example, which will then affect the integrity of the whole.

Channing says: “Those in the market to buy an estate will want control over their views and privacy so anything that might impact those will reduce the overall value.”

Picture: Strutt and Parker

The Glenstriven Estate in Argyll is being sold in five lots, which offers opportunity to buy the whole, or a much more modest purchase of one of the waterside houses.

Glenstriven House is an impressive ten-bedroomed refurbished period property, with features such as a private pub in an outbuilding.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

The land encompasses 79 acres of woodland, 59 acres of grazing, 834 acres of hill and 69 acres of gardens, grounds and shoreline.

Highlights include Pier Cottage, which sits on the shore of Loch Striven, and the Old Smokehouse, previously used for fish smoking, which offers a single bedroom and bathroom annexe.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

Other properties include Glenstriven Lodge, Invervegain Farmhouse and the chalet-style Flagstaff Cottage, all of which have been used as holiday lets.

Auchinellan Estate in Argyll is an attractive residential and agricultural estate of 760 acres.

Picture: Galbraith

The property includes a traditional seven-bedroom estate house, a five-bedroom farmhouse, additional holiday cottages, woodland, agricultural land, hill ground and a range of outbuildings which offer the potential for development.

Picture: Galbraith

Just one of the cottages is offered as a second lot, with three acres of land, or it could be bought as part of the estate.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

Castlecraig House is believed to date from 1870 and is the primary accommodation of Castlecraig Farm.

The entire estate is available to buy as a whole, or in five lots.

The house has an elevated position with outstanding views over the Moray Firth and is flanked by mature woods.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

It is set within spacious grounds of about 350 acres, which are also home to outbuildings, a garage, livestock shelter, paddock and three stores.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

Inside the house there are six bedrooms, two showers rooms, a bathroom, dining room, living room, kitchen, utility room and study.

At a glance

Picture: Strutt and Parker

Where is it: Glenstriven Estate, Toward, Argyll and Bute.What is it: A sporting estate with main house, and a number of houses and cottages, a private pier and 1,000 acres.Good points: Each of the properties are being sold separately so there is lots of opportunity to buy, even on a budget.Bad points: Keeping the estate intact could face stiff competition from buyers of individual properties.Price: Offers over £2.785 million.Contact: Strutt & Parker and John Clegg & Co on 0131 226 2500.

Picture: Galbraith

Where is it: Auchinellan Estate, Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute.What is it: A seven-bedroomed estate house and a five-bedroomed farmhouse, plus two cottages and 760 acres.Good points: The only property that has been excluded from the lot is a one-bedroomed cottage.Bad points: The properties are close to each other so would be difficult to sell separately.Price: Offers over £1.36 million.Contact: Galbraith on 01786 434 600.

Picture: Strutt and Parker

Where is it: Castlecraig Farm, Nigg, Tain, Ross-Shire.What is it: A six-bedroomed estate house with 350 acres, outbuildings, livestock shelter and stores.Good points: An extensive, mixed arable and livestock rearing farm, there's also beautiful views from the main house.Bad points: The price may put some people off buying the whole estate.Price: Offers over £2.5 million.Contact: Strutt and Parker on 01463 719 171.