Scottish island sells on the open market

An island in the Firth of Clyde has been sold on the open market for the first time in 40 years. Little Cumbrae, a 684-acre island with its own nine-bedroom mansion, 13th century keep and lighthouse, has been bought by a private individual.

The sale, for an undisclosed sum, was managed by specialist chartered surveyors Humberts Leisure’s Skipton office and Knight Frank’s Edinburgh office based on a guide price of £2.5 million.

The island, which also has four cottages and a range of other buildings including a lighthouse complex, is accessible only by boat or helicopter and its sale attracted viewers from across the globe.

Humberts Leisure director Peter Smith said: “There are not many opportunities to buy a Scottish island and there has been a great deal of interest. Even taking potential purchasers for viewings was challenging, especially crossing the Clyde in adverse weather conditions. The solitude and uniqueness of Little Cumbrae definitely appealed to the purchaser.”

John Coleman, Knight Frank added: “"A Scottish Island is the ultimate trophy property. Islands which are as accessible and habitable as Little Cumbrae, whilst retaining their privacy, are particularly rare and as a result attract interest from the wealthy overseas market even in difficult times like these."

Little Cumbrae sits just off the Ayrshire coast and is nearly two miles long by just under a mile wide. Its location within the Gulf Stream means there is a wide range of plant species and its rocky cliffs and undisturbed uplands are home to more than 50 species of birds. The Victorian mansion, Little Cumbrae House, has spectacular views of the Firth of Clyde and the Ayrshire coast and has gardens planned by the famous Gertrude Jekyll, who designed more than 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America and collaborated with architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.