Unique Islands

Revue of Private Islands For Sale & Rent

Paradise Made Real: Tanera Mór Island For Sale – Click Here

Tanera Mór Island – Main Harbour

Just one example of an island for sale – this gem is already being looked at by our Unique Property Syndicate membership who have bought islands in the past. Care to join in – Click Here For Background. Please note this is a historic article when Tanera Mór was for sale at £2,500,000. The price has now reduced to £1,950,000 and so has each property guide if by syndicate: £195,000 per house. For further information on the Tanera Mór Island syndicate please get in touch: Click Here

This Islands For Sale or Rent webpage is in two sections. The first is a journey that you may like to consider replicating in an effort to help you secure your own island home. The second part is more variable – a list which, over time, will change with new islands for sale or rent being added.

First we commence with a process that may help you get started. Though please understand, in some ways you have to earn an island. By that I mean you may need to work, especially using lateral thinking, initiative and a little Sherlock Holmes detective work to get to your ultimate destination.

FIRST SECTION: Islands For Sale or Rent

Detective Work!

Ailsa Craig Island (c) RSPB

Using Our Own Experience At Ailsa Craig To Help You Find Your Island Dream

Detective work is how we managed to have the good fortune to go on an island adventure – Ailsa Craig Island, or rather the purchase of the main triangular spit of the island that is shown below – to the left – including the lighthouse compound, railway, land, outbuildings and most importantly the pier, without which landing can be very very difficult…

Ailsa Craig Island: Main Lighthouse Compound, Triangle of Land & Pier (c) RSPB

So this page is to help show that this is something we believe most folk with determination can manage. Hopefully you can go on such a journey. Living on islands – small or large. Firstly if you haven’t yet checked out how it may be possible to have a long lease on a private island for as little as ONE pound a year, check out the Feature Article in the Unique Property Bulletin issue:-

Click Here To Read The Feature Article

Next: If you are particullarly keen about this, it is a very important thing to note: NOT ALL ISLANDS ARE ADVERTISED FOR SALE. In fact several may become available for sale/lease just by a careful and gentle approach to the owner. For help in that department, consider checking out the:-

Unique Property Manual – Click Here

For a useful example, we return to the island of Ailsa Craig [ For reference: we sold the island lighthouse property, pier and land back in the year 2000, and no longer have ownership of any part].

As of May 4th 2015 Ailsa Craig Island is NOT currently for sale NOR is the lighthouse buildings, compound or pier etc. Yet the main island has been placed on the open sale market TWICE in the past three years. Whether Ailsa Craig Island is placed for sale a THIRD time, or perhaps even secures an off-market sale is a material possibility given the recent history of sale-timeline. This is a very important point of this webpage, and indeed our own fortunate experience with this island. So if you have an interest in this type of lifestyle, the whole topic of this Islands For Sale or Rent treatise it may be worth studying in more detail. Particularly islands that MAY be for sale, but are not currently on the open market..

Ailsa Craig Island (c) RSPB

An example of a NOT for sale – But may be for sale island

The first time Ailsa Craig Island was placed on the sale market during May 2011 was at a guide of £2,500,000. Due to it remaining unsold, the owner took it off of the market to cool off for a respectable period. Then in March 2013 reintroduced it for sale at a revised price of £1,500,000. Old Archive Recovery – Click Here.

Not a bad discount. Someone could have saved a cool million pounds on that price. However, for reasons likely to involve the fact the lighthouse, pier, and main spit of functional land were NOT included – we know we used to own them – no sale of the main island took place.

Recently a group of Unique Property Bulletin members probed the owner’s position with a tentative offer, just on the light side of £1,000,000. But a polite “no thankyou” was the answer, it would need to be nearer £1,500,000!

We firmly believe that if the owner: the 8th Marquess of Ailsa was presented with an acceptable offer for this private island – even though it is NOT officially for sale, then a deal is there to be struck.

There is a lot to be written about the subject of islands, but for the sake of keeping this webpage in a manageable bite-size, we refer those with a zeal to deal and buy an island to the pages of the Unique Property Manual: Click Here.

Flat Holm Island Cardiff Councill Flat Holm Project 　Flat Holm Island (c) Cardiff Council Flat Holm Project

Another example of a NOT for sale – But may be for sale island

You will need to do the detective leg work on this one.

Deal/No Deal? Sale/No Sale – Buy/Rent/Lease/Manage?

So the point to this Islands For Sale or Rent preface?

Persistence, initiative and, quaintly, good manners may very well get you to a place that has to be experienced to know how it feels. Personally one word: Sublime.

So how many islands are there in the British Isles? What choice do you have?

Two big questions. These can both be distilled to a very useful guide quantity. Including islands that disappear at high tide, the number we would quote is 6,289 from research by Dave Kelly. Refining that to those islands that can be “digitised” on a map we have 803. This can yield an almost bewildering array of types. Genuinely unique, from sandbanks to rocky outcrops.

However, the medium “serviceable” sized islands that are more likely to fall within the interest of readers of this webpage are:-

England – Approximately: 165 major and well over 1,000+ islets

Scotland – Approximately: 83 major and over 800 smaller with a substantial number over 1000+ islets

Northern Ireland – Approximately: 160 = 57 Offshore and 103 Inland, lake or loch islands.

Wales – Approximately: 20 Major and 130 smaller islets.

Then there are archipelagos like Guernsey with sisters Alderney, Burhou, Sark, Brequo, Herm, Jetho, Lithou and smaller 49 little castaway islands.

Along with Jersey, the Paternosters, Les Dirouilles, Les Ecrehous, Les Minquiers and around 39 digitisable islets.

Shetland – Approximately: 90 islands.

For interest, Eire has around 357 = 279 Offshore and 78 Inland, lake or loch islands.

You can see that this gives a HUGE amount of islands for you to examine and look at living on – a rich and diverse palette to play with. Hence our earlier reference to the mantra: Go get ‘Em Tiger

Before we end this first section – and we could continue for several thousand more words, but often less is more – we have another island, from 6,000+ isles around Britain, that you might like to do a little detective work on. It WAS for sale a while ago, but is currently off of the market…

Wiay Island (c) Richard Dorrell

Another example of a NOT for sale – But may be for sale island

Hopefully you will enjoy the challenge of being Sherlock Holmes with this one.

Deal/No Deal? Sale/No Sale – Buy/Rent/Lease/Manage?

Photograph Pictured Above: Wiay Island Sea Caves (c) John Allan

Could This Be The Shell of Your New Island Home? Wiay Island (c) Graham Hewitt

Please let us know how you get on – if you manage to research islands and locate one of the 6,000+ to buy and lead a genuinely unique life upon?

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SECOND SECTION: Islands For Sale or Rent

Islands Currently For Sale or Rent

Try Before You Buy: Towan Holiday Island, Newquay Cornwall

Photograph Courtesy of Steve Daniels

For anyone considering living on a small island we always recommend you spend a few weeks or months renting or leasing an island property first. The reason is that this lifestyle doesn’t suit everyone, and far better you find out before you spend a lot of money and effort locating and buying an island, whether it suits you, and you it.

Consequently this inaugural list of islands consists of current ones for sale and also islands that you can stay on for a short holiday break. Some like Spitbank Fort are very luxurious, and might differ from your eventual experience if you have to purchase a doer-upper! So here goes with Islands For Sale or Rent….

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Tanera Mór Island For Sale

Including Several Houses on the Island – Ideal For A Unique Property Syndicate: Click Here

For this webpage we are featuring islands currently for sale, or alternatively available to visit for a holiday. Islands that are made by nature and also man made. Islands for sale, and also to visit and holiday on to see if you like the lifestyle. We are also putting in a little lateral thought, and study whether something that seems impossible can be transformed into reality, and that we can make happen.

How? From experience. Where there is a will, there is a way.

This has proven to work several times in the past two decades. How might this apply to Tanera Mór Island? We think there is a way. Please read on.

Tanera Mór Island was priced at £2,500,000 and now remarketed at a guide of £1,950,000. At this rarefied price level – even with a discount, the multi-million pound price guide can be an automatic switch off for many readers. But PLEASE hang on for a moment.

Tanera Mór consists of several houses on a small island. Very nice houses. All located within an exquisite, indeed a sublime setting…

1] The Old School House

2] Rosslyn Cottage

3] Farmhouse

4] The Old Inn

5] Port Cottage

6] Tigh and Quay Cottage

7] Rowan Cottage

8] Murdo’s Cottage

9] Fuchsia Cottage

10] Miscellaneous Property Units

There are approximately 800 acres, and thereupon nine houses, plus an extra building or two. For the study of this example, aggregate this at ten building units. That works out in simple arithmetic terms at approximately £195,000 a building and around 80 acres each. In practice the land would probably be around four acres per house, and the rest communal (depending on examination of the Title Deeds, and legal opinion of what is, and what is not logistically permissible).

So instead of coughing up a huge two million pounds, suddenly, an idyllic life is within reach at a much more modest budget of £195,000. In fact if you read page 22 of the Unique Property Manual and what happened at the similarly priced £2,500,000 Sanda Island – when you study the forensic detail you may be in for a very pleasant surprise. Indeed it may come as a bit of a shock what you can achieve!

Back to Tanera Mór Island. Before you read any further please take a look at the wonderful online brochure prepared by the owner’s agent Savills…

Tanera Mór Island For Sale Brochure – Click Here

[Earlier Brochure For Research: Click Here].

It is important to demarcate. The Tanera Mór island complex is being sold, by the current owners as a whole lot and at the time of writing the owner’s agency is jointly shared between Savills and CKD Galbraith.

A Detached Home for Between £195,000 and £275,000 – Unique Property Syndicates

[Click Here For More Information & To Join EMAIL ALERTS For This]

Hard core Unique Property Bulletin members have syndicated this sort of property before. It is eminently possible to consider a group of ten like minded individuals buying their own piece of paradise, and having lived on small islands for most of his life, the writer of this can state outright, Tanera Mór is a very special and ideal island for such a joint endeavour. Email Unique Property Bulletin for further details. WE ALREADY HAVE THREE BULLETIN MEMBERS GAME-ON TO TAKE THIS FURTHER at the £195,000 to £250,000 ballpark figure per building mentioned (this may vary depending on which building by plus or minus a given amount – subject for example to RICS valuation of each unique building).

If your interest has been piqued, you can study the island in a little more detail by clicking onto the dedicated website …

http://www.summer-isles.com/

The weblink above provides a rich source of additional detail to complement the sale brochure prepared by Savills/CKD Galbraith. Tanera Mór Island and many Hebridean islands are topical in some quarters just now. Indeed several islands are being featured in the current BBC documentary “Hebrides: Islands on the Edge” narrated by Ewan McGregor …

BBC Television Series Hebrides

Last for this particular island for sale, perhaps read through the words of some folk who have been on the island….

Tanera Mor – Island Visitors – Actual Quotes

Location: Isle of Tanera Mór, Summer Isles, Achiltibuie, Ullapool, Wester Ross, IV26 2YN.

Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish Equivalent of Freehold).

Guide: Reduced From ~~£2,500,000~~ to £1,950,000 – Please note the property is being sold as a WHOLE by Savills.

If you are intersted in just a single property and several acres at between £195,000 to £275,000 please contact the Unique Property Bulletin directly: Click Here.

The Front Door To Your Private Island Home: Tanera Mór Island (c) Savills

Tanera Mór Island For Sale Brochure – Click Here

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Also Fit For A King – Or Queen !

Eilean Righ Island

Our second island for sale on this webpage was first featured at £3,000,000 in August 2012. Since then it has gently descended to a guide price to £2,500,000.

This is an exceptional private island situated on the gorgeous coast line of Argyll in Loch Craignish. Loch Craignish is a quiet, sheltered and secluded sea loch. Remote, but at the same time, readily accessible by air, sea or road.

Eilean Righ Island – Helicopter Not Included (c) Knight Frank.

Eilean Righ Island – Helicopter Garage (c) Knight Frank.

Helicopter hangar of approx 500 square metres. Observatory, boat house, 2 slips ways and a jetty. Moorings. Mains electricity and high speed broadband. Private beaches & sea fishing. A renowned sailing location. In all about 260 acres.

Eilean Righ Island – House Interior (c) Knight Frank.

Eilean Righ (Kings Island) embodies everything that the ultimate Scottish Island should be. It is remarkably beautiful and surrounded by the most extraordinary land & seascapes. The island is private and sheltered yet it is within one of the most accessible coastal locations in Scotland. The infrastructure and houses have been completely refurbished to the highest standard.

Eilean Righ Island Houses (c) Knight Frank.

There are two houses on the island. One has been formed from a converted steading and currently provides excellent open space and rooms. The house contains four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Planning permission has been granted to extend. The farmhouse has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Approximately 261.39 acres (105.8 hectares)

Location: Eilean Righ Island, Loch Craignish, Ardfern, Argyll & Bute, PA31 8QS.

Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish Freehold Equivalent).

Guide: Originally: ~~£3,000,000~~ then: ~~£2,500,000~~. Now: £1,950,000

Online Brochure ….

Click Here For Details: On Page 11

It may be possible to establish a mini Unique Property Syndicate with this island, given that there are two main properties, and the potential for a third. This would make less of a dent in the pocket when the time comes to settle the purchase account! Contact us for details if you would like to consider that route: Click Here.

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King’s Island Offshore

Kings Island For Sale, Copenhagen, Denmark

We don’t normally go too far offshore from British waters, but given we just listed Eilean Righ above, it seems right to add another island of a king. This time just off of Denmark. It looks fabulous and catches the eye. Which is probably due in no small part to the handsome price tag. We do say at the Bulletin we cover properties from £10,000 to £10,000,000. This is certainly at the top end of that spectrum.

For further photographs to explore this amazing island retreat,

http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/kings-island

Guide: Euros 10,000,000 [USD Approximately $12,381,433]

Contact Vladi Private Islands: Please Click Here

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Ailsa Craig Island

Given the: For Sale? On, Off, On, Off, On? position, we are reasonably comfortable making reference to Ailsa Craig being for sale, as the owner has twice placed it for sale. From past experience on other properties that were NOT actively being marketed, which we then went on to purchase, it is well worth including this island as a candidate to at least make representations to the owner, if sufficient quantitative interest is expressed from Bulletin readers.

If you haven’t already caught the position, the main island was on the market for sale at £2,500,000, then off the market. Then back on at £1,500,000. Then off the market. Of course, the question is will it come back up for sale and if so, how much?

Ailsa Craig Lighthouse Compound, Ailsa Craig Island, Off Girvan, Ayrshire, KA26 9DF

For further information, please keep an eye on:-

Ailsa Craig Island News Page – Click Here

For email alerts, please let us know where to send you news:-

Ailsa Craig Email Alerts – Please Click Here

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Man Made Islands

Spitbank Fort, Part of Solent Forts

For A Unique Island Holiday Experience

In the original paper format Unique Property Bulletin we did cover some pretty unusual folk that came across our bows. However, the online Unique Property Bulletin is an evolution of much greater networking, and has, with the wonders of the internet, brought onto our radar some: Unique Architects; Unique People & Unique Organisations. One of which is a company called AmaZing Venues – that buys and operates many genuinely unique properties. This island fort in the Solent – that has been exquisitely restored to a very high standard – is one of them. So Unique Property Bulletin readers who would like to take a very special holiday break here are met with a fortification set on the sublime glistening Solent with what can be best described as a wonderful surprise given it’s previous use as an island defence structure – and now renovated with an inspirational and luxurious interior for holidays, weddings and special occasions:-

AmaZing Venues was founded by by Mr Mike Clare, and has grown this unique portfolio into a very interesting endeavour. From the outset, it is clear that the range of venues are absolutely the ones we would happily tick off of a wish list here at the Bulletin. The brilliant thing is readers from any part of our spectrum can visit and enjoy what is by any standard an extensive and full range of unique places to experience. It also has some very decent founding principles and balances one part of the organisation decently with another. The fine work/philanthropy balance being accomplished via:

http://www.theclarefoundation.org/

At the Unique Property Bulletin it is important to feature these sort of unique people and organisations, as it allows some of our spectrum of readers who are at different stages of the “property ladder” to study and take part in the real as well as the virtual property world; to understand a little more of how things are, and how processes work. On top of which, it is very, very important to get away from the keyboard and computer from time to time, and actually go and look at some of the unusual buildings – especially if you can find the genre that really does it for you.

Anyone who owns, rents or holidays on an island will soon understand how important a good quality landing area is. This is one of the best equipped that we have seen.

Hopefully for some readers, AmaZing Venues have a sample to suit all tastes from their broad menu of unique properties. We thoroughly recommend having a pleasant read of their website, and if the urge takes you, go visit. It is a core belief here that property eccentrics of a certain flavour [in this case, both reader, writer and all contributors of this page] can do a lot of good by sharing property details, interests, and experiences.

Over to you.

For this part of the current Bulletin we would certainly recommend you have a look at Spitbank Fort for a unique island experience to see if you like the lifestyle and whether the lifestyle likes you.

Spitbank Fort – Historic Summary:-

Man Made Island Fort – 162 ft in diameter at base. Walls 48ft thick at base. Single gun floor.

Now: 9 Bedroom luxury exclusive use venue with sauna, hot pool, function suite, three luxury bars and sun decks.

Further details and booking, please:-

Click Here For AmaZing Venues: Solent Forts

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Unique Beach Island For Holidays

Towan Island, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1EA

Here we have a spectacular try-before-you buy experience. This island isn’t for sale, but rent – it gives the experience of island living we recommend, before anyone actually buys an island – and please remember they are all different and unique. By taking a holiday at Towan Island, you can definitely see if this sort of thing is for you in the long term. Though remember Towan has just the swashbuckling bridge to cross. Many islands require a boat [or helicopter] to get to. It is a good idea to factor that into your decision making process. Though personally any excuse to buy a jetrib boat is almost reason enough to buy an island!

So perhaps treat yourself and family. Take a holiday at Towan Island [or Spitbank Fort Island]. Even send us an email to share how you got on…

Please Click Here To Share Your Experience

Towan Island Holiday Accommodation – £ Price Varies

Click Here For Towan Island Holiday Brochure

Towan Island Contact – Unique Home Stays Tel: 01637 881183 [or 01637 88 1942]

[Unique Homestays are not related to Unique Property Bulletin – Just good friends]

Check Back Regularly For Updates & New Additions

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Unique Islands For Sale

Unique Islands

Revue of Private Islands For Sale & Rent

FIRST SECTION: Islands For Sale or Rent

Detective Work!

SECOND SECTION: Islands For Sale or Rent

Islands Currently For Sale or Rent

Tanera Mór Island For Sale

Tanera Mór Island For Sale Brochure – Click Here

If you are intersted in just a single property and several acres at between £195,000 to £275,000 please contact the Unique Property Bulletin directly: Click Here.

Also Fit For A King – Or Queen !

Eilean Righ Island

King’s Island Offshore

Ailsa Craig Island

Man Made Islands

Spitbank Fort, Part of Solent Forts

For A Unique Island Holiday Experience

Further details and booking, please:-

Click Here For AmaZing Venues: Solent Forts

Unique Beach Island For Holidays

Check Back Regularly For Updates & New Additions

Original ISSN: 1460-5716

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