A Scottish island is for sale for $190,000 – the hard part is getting there

News

by Ronnie Reyes

April 23, 2023 | 6:54 p.m

You sell your own uninhabited island for a song – but it’s a little tricky.

Barloco Island, located off the southern coast of Scotland and six miles from the nearest town, is for sale for approximately $190,000.

The lush green island, which spans about 25 acres, has no homes or buildings on it but does include a pebble beach and an overflow pond where rainwater collects for wildlife during the winter months.

For an American buyer to land on the island, they would need to fly to Glasgow and take a two-hour drive to the nearest town, the Gatehouse of Fleet.

From there, it’s a six-mile boat ride to Barlocco, though the island is also accessible during low tide by all-terrain vehicle or on foot over a rocky path.

The journey is no breeze for locals either – the nearest train station in Dumfries is about an hour’s bus ride from the Gatehouse of Fleet.

Aaron Edgar, the agent handling the sale to the Galbraith Group, said he was optimistic about buyers interested in the land, which lies in the far west of the Fleet Islands.

“There is still a very romantic feeling associated with having your very own private Scottish island, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy some peace and quiet in the most beautiful scenery around.”

David Corey, one of the listing agents, noted that buyers will likely find it difficult to build or live on the small island given that the land has been designated a “Special Scientific Interest Site” for its flora, fauna, and landscape.

The islands in the area are also a haven for wildlife, including black-backed gulls, and rare plants – such as fragrant orchids.

“It would greatly limit the possibility of obtaining permission to build any building or permanent residence,” said client David Corey. New York times. “The only possibility for anyone wanting to stay on the island for any length of time is off-grid solutions, such as solar energy.”

According to the list, no one has ever applied for permission to build anything on the island.

Despite the challenges that can come with doing anything on the island, the agents said they’ve already received a number of offers since the listing was lifted.

Edgar said: “We have seen strong demand from both domestic and international parties for entire private islands having dealt with the sale of several in Scotland.”

The company previously handled the sale of the 29-acre Little Ross Island for more than $400,000 in 2017.