Private Scottish island on sale for £550,000

A PRIVATE island off Scotland’s west coast is up for sale at a price of £550,000 – around the same as a one-bedroom flat in parts of London – with Sir Paul McCartney as a very distant neighbour.

The isle of Gigalum, which is being sold for 550,000 pounds.

The sellers of Gigalum says it’s “just minutes” from the Mull of Kintyre, a place made internationally famous by the former Beatle’s hit.

The island and Sir Paul’s Kintyre estate are about 15 miles apart as the crow flies, and the reality of dropping in on the legendary musician would involve a journey by road and ferry of around two hours.

Thankfully, Gigalum itself boasts just over 19 acres, a modern house with three ensuite bedrooms, private beaches and stunning views of the sea.

The isle of Gigalum, which is being sold for 550,000 pounds. Picture: Rettie

Unless the buyer has a helicopter, getting to the Kintyre peninsula, where Sir Paul owns High Park Farm, would involve a boat to the bigger island of Gigha and then a ferry to the mainland.

The island is being sold by Rettie and Vladi Private Islands and is described as “within reach of everyday island dreamers”.

Vladi Private Islands claim Gigalum offers the “perfect solution for island hunters on a more modest budget”.

They added: “Gigalum Island is situated just minutes away from the Mull of Kintyre and boasts breathtaking views as well as a unique three-bedroom property and a pleasantly surprising price-tag which places it easily within reach of everyday island dreamers”.

It continues: “Gigalum Island is available to purchase now for offers over £550,000 – meaning that for less than the average cost of a one-bedroom flat in London, you could be the proud owner of fully-developed 19.3 acre private island.”

The island includes a number of white sand beaches, native woods, rocky outcrops and areas of wildflower and heather cover.

From the family beach at the lagoon and there is a scenic walk around the perimeter of the where you can enjoy views out to Gigha, Cara, Kintyre and Jura, as well as Northern Ireland.

An additional pathway links the pier with Gigalum House, built in 1980, on the east of the island.

The house has a central octagonal core with four wings which include three en-suite bedrooms and a kitchen.

Seals are a common sight on the rocks at the south the Island while otters also live along the shore.

Meanwhile dolphins can often be seen accompanying local fisherman potting for lobsters nearby.

The chances of the buyer bumping in to Sir Paul on Kintyre are slim – he has not visited the area for the past five years, reports say.

The Mull of Kintyre became one of the best known areas of the west of Scotland after inspiring the song with the same name by Paul McCartney and Wings.

Bolstered by the video of McCartney and The Campbeltown pipers on a local beach it became the band’s biggest hit, was a Christmas number one and was the first single to sell over two million copies nationwide.