Scottish island on sale for at least $249k, amenities not included

KIRKCUDBRIGHT, Scotland - For sale: an uninhabited, 10ha island with pristine views of the Scottish coastline. No one in sight for miles. Just you and the birds, all for at least £150,000 (S$249,000).

The catch: Reaching the island is challenging, and staying there for any length of time even more so.

Barlocco Island was listed for sale on Thursday by the Scottish real estate firm Galbraith.

The island is in the county of Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland and is about 9.7km from the largest nearby town, Gatehouse of Fleet, which is about a two-hour drive from Glasgow.

It is accessible only by boat or, at low tide, by all-terrain vehicle or foot over a rock causeway.

The island is within a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a designation that “will significantly limit the possibility of obtaining permission to construct any permanent structure or dwelling”, Mr David Corrie, the listing agent, wrote in an e-mail on Saturday.

“The only possibility for anyone wishing to stay on the island for any period of time would be off-grid solutions, such as solar power.”

Despite its limitations, Barlocco is already yielding inquiries. There have been 50 interested parties so far, initially from Britain and now from as far away as Italy, Germany, Norway and the United States, said Mr Corrie, who declined to identify the seller.

For Mr Corrie, who grew up not too far from Barlocco, the immediate interest was no surprise.

“These are usually assets held by historic farms or estates that perhaps no longer have a use for them,” Mr Corrie said.

“The global focus on the change of land use and people wishing to reconnect with the land means that these types of property have discovered a new market and value within it.” NYTIMES