Highland sporting estates in short supply

And those queueing to buy are more likely to be Scots or English rather than Russian billionaires, according to an expert.

John Bound, a partner at CKD Galbraith who has been involved in buying and selling estates for 20 years, said: "While the 'golden age' of Victorian sporting estates may be a thing of the past, the fact is that demand is remaining strong for the world-class country sport that Scotland offers.

"In particular, the demand for classic Highland country estates offering a combination of shooting, fishing and stalking is continuing to outstrip supply."

Mr Bound, who is head of the firm's estates division in the Highlands, added: "The growing perception over the last few years, that hedge-fund managers and Russian oligarchs are the main prospective buyers of estates, looks very much a myth."

Among the estates sold privately this year were the 100,000-acre Aberarder Estate, 15 miles from Inverness, bought by a businessman from England, and the 12,000-acre Ledgowan Estate, Achnasheen, Wester Ross, bought by an existing land-owner from the Central Belt.

This month, estate agency Strutt and Parker said the value of Scottish sporting estates had increased last year after a dramatic fall in 2009.

It said that out of the 30 estates put up for sale in 2010, 16 had been sold, compared with 13 sales out of 26 that came to the market in 2009. The average size of estate had increased to 4,467 acres and the average price rose from 2.6 million to 3.5m.