'Untouched' Hebridean island to go under the hammer for £350,000

Insh Island, a 90-acre outcrop off Scotland’s west coast, is set to go under the hammer later this month with a guide price of £350,000.

The island was previously listed for sale last year for £500,000.

Insh lies just off Easdale—one of the country’s smallest permanently inhabited islands and host of the World Stone Skimming Championship. Participants of all ages, from juniors to the “Old Tossers”, compete to see who can skim specially selected Easdale slate stone the farthest distance across water.

Insh is also within reach of Oban, long known as the “Gateway to the Isles”.

Accessible by private boat or helicopter, the island, one of the Slate Islands off the Argyll coast, is also home to a variety of wildlife, including seals, seabirds and visiting dolphins.

The land features a natural freshwater spring, with the potential for off-grid energy solutions like solar or wind power, subject to the necessary consents. Its scale and condition are likely to appeal to buyers seeking either a private retreat or a long-term conservation project, the advert said.

The region, stretching along Scotland’s rugged Atlantic fringe, is defined by dramatic coastal scenery, a rich maritime heritage and a patchwork of small communities. Easdale itself was once at the centre of Scotland’s slate industry, its flooded quarries now forming distinctive pools that draw visitors from across the country.

Estate agents say opportunities to acquire an island of Insh’s size, in such an unspoilt condition and so close to the mainland, have become increasingly scarce.

Mhairi Archibald, Associate Director at Savills, said: “Opportunities to acquire an untouched private island of this scale are exceptionally rare. Insh Island offers a unique combination of privacy, natural beauty and long‑term potential, all within reach of the mainland and the west coast’s renowned island network.

“Pricing has been thoughtfully positioned to engage the market and generate competitive interest, and we hope to identify a future custodian committed to safeguarding and celebrating the island’s outstanding natural landscape.”

The island sale will take place at the Savills Auction on 21 to 22 April.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) previously owned Insh after it was left to the organisation in the will of David Brearley, the owner who lived there between 1973 and 2003. Mr Brearley reportedly lived in a cave on the island for around 30 years.

Insh was put up for auction in 2019 with a guide price of £125,000, but reportedly sold for £353,000.

The move was slammed by some local politicians, including former SNP president Michael Russell, as it was apparently known locally that Mr Brearley wanted Insh to stay natural. Mr Russell argued that NTS should have consulted local people and allowed for the option of a community buy-out.

The NTS reportedly said the cost of running the island were a reason behind the sale and that Mr Brearley’s will was not specific about the island.

But former Scottish Greens’ Highlands and Islands MSP John Finnie said at the time it was “quite astonishing that NTS decided to dispose of Insh, given that the island is so rich in biodiversity, noted for its significant scientific interest and nature conservation importance”.

He said: “It appears that earning a quick buck has been prioritised over conserving this remarkable island.”