Private Scots island that is 'perfect film destination' goes on market
There are no structures on the island but it is an area rich in biodiversity with the surrounding waters home to seals, dolphins and a variety of seabirds.
It has sheltered coves, rugged coastal trails and you could go kayaking off the coast of the island if you chose to purchase it.
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The listing from Savills describes the island as being a 'compelling investment' due to the demand for 'exclusive and eco-conscious destinations' and it could even be used as a film location.
Cameron Ewer, Head of Residential in Scotland said: "Insh Island represents a truly unique opportunity to acquire one of Scotland's last untouched private islands.
'With its breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, and potential for sustainable development, Insh Island is a sanctuary of peace and natural beauty.'
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The best-value commuter towns, revealed
Does it still pay to move out of the city? The eye-watering cost of commuting has put this question firmly back on dinner party tables all over the country. Train fares are rising faster than house prices. The average cost of an annual season ticket in the UK is £2,161, rising 12 per cent last year, according to the virtual organising software which used data from the Office for National Statistics and the rail booking platform Trainline. Official statistics show that the average UK house price increased by 6.4 per cent in the same period. Does this mean city leavers who still need to come into the office are just spending their monthly mortgage saving on a pricey rail ticket? 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For the best locations, the Savills research also looked at areas that offered a similar quality of life to that found in the capital by only including places that are in the least deprived 20 per cent of UK entries on the index of multiple deprivation (IMD). According to Maud's calculations, the location that represents the best value for money for London commuters looking for a commute that's between 30 to 60 minutes is Rugby in Warwickshire, where the average price of a three-bedroom house within 5km of the railway station is £257,061. The Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway services reach London Euston in between 50 and 90 minutes, depending on which service you use, but a season ticket to all London terminals will cost £10,660 a year. 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Freeman's friend commutes 45 minutes from Fulham to the West End, he says, involving multiple modes of transport, while a client of his enjoys a more relaxed journey from near Petersfield, Hampshire, taking a little over an hour to the city, half of which is spent productively replying to emails with a coffee in hand. After more than a decade navigating London's high-cost rental market, the 41-year-old guitarist and advertising executive Rich Watson made a life-changing move. In October 2024 he left behind his £2,000-a-month two-bedroom Victorian rental in Teddington, southwest London, and bought a three-bedroom home in David Wilson's Saxon Fields development in Thanington, Canterbury — marking a return to Kent after 17 years away. 'I have felt the effects of the city's rental market first-hand, which has been even harder living on my own,' Watson explains. 'You don't always feel fully secure and that you can make someone else's house 'a home'.' • Initially, Watson considered buying in areas such as Wimbledon, Chiswick and Sutton, as well as seaside hotspots such as Whitstable, before settling on Canterbury — drawn by its 1 hour 20 minute train into London Bridge and proximity to his son, Zak, in Birchington, near Margate. 'I grew up in Kent. Ironically you can make it into London sometimes as quickly as sitting on the District Line,' he says. With a £25,000 deposit saved while renting, Watson purchased a three-bedroom house for £330,000. Though his mortgage and bills are now more than £3,000 a month, he says: 'Despite paying more than I was in London, the benefits of living in Canterbury far outweigh the benefits of life in London.' Watson now commutes to London three days a week (costing £7,100 a year) and enjoys a home office, guest space and a dedicated music room. 'I just hope my neighbours cannot hear my late-night guitar sessions,' he says. Edinburgh's commuting trends are aligned with London's, where commuter towns offer better value than buying property within the capital, even once train fares are taken into account. Overall, buyers are 30 per cent better off moving out of the city and travelling in, Savills' research found, but there are two locations that are more expensive. Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow, was 10.1 per cent more expensive once commuting costs were factored in (though perhaps most residents would travel to Glasgow rather than Edinburgh), and Drem, in East Lothian, was 22.6 per cent more expensive. The higher cost for Drem is likely due to only nine sales being recorded within a 5km radius of its station last year. 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Living there is 61 per cent cheaper than Edinburgh, with an average house price of £135,000, with an around 52-minute train journey into the Scottish capital costing £2,692 a year. Stoke-on-Trent offers the best value for commuters working in Birmingham ALAMY But it isn't always beneficial to move out of the city. In Birmingham, Britain's second city by population size, Stoke-on-Trent was the only location offering value for commuters. This is likely because the cost of a three-bedroom house in Birmingham is relatively low, at about £230,000, according to Zoopla's current listings. Savills' analysis focused solely on resales for this city because new-builds in the area are generally more expensive — David Wilson Homes is selling three-bedroom houses for £317,000 — and this can distort the true cost of living there. Pottery hotspot Stoke-on-Trent is about 50 minutes from Birmingham by train, but it's only 5 per cent cheaper than living and working in the city. Telford Central (2 per cent more expensive than Birmingham; average house price £233,000) is a good choice for a relatively similar cost of living but better quality of life. A direct train from Telford Central to Birmingham New Street takes about 42 minutes for £2,388 a year, but Telford itself is a friendly, planned new town with plenty of green space, convenient cycling and walking paths, easy access to the M54 and a bustling shopping centre. Brewers' paradise Burton-on-Trent, which is home to Coors, Marston's and a host of microbreweries, good schools and green spaces, is in third place but it's 9 per cent more expensive than living in Birmingham. The average house price is £216,000 in Burton-on-Trent, but shopping and nightlife are only a 30-minute train away in Birmingham, with an annual ticket costing £3,756.
Times
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Scotsman
11-07-2025
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Scotland's last 'untouched' 90-acre private island Insh goes on sale for £500,000
Insh Island hosts the World Stone Skimming competition each year. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A rare chance has come up to purchase one of Scotland's last untouched private islands. Insh Island, in the Inner Hebrides, has gone on sale for £500,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 90-acre private islet sits near Easdale, known for being the smallest inhabited island in Scotland 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 Island 'Caisteal Insh' Cave from a kayaker's view | Savills Savills, the property agent managing the sale, said Insh going up for sale offered 'an extraordinary opportunity to own a pristine piece of the Scottish wilderness'. 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The land features a natural freshwater spring, with the potential for off-grid energy solutions like solar or wind power. The 90-acre private island in the Inner Hebrides has come to market for offers over £500,000. | Savills The advert said the island also had the potential for glamping sites, eco-lodges or even a small-scale organic farm. 'With no light pollution, the night skies are spectacular, making it a dream location for stargazing and quiet reflection,' the advert said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cameron Ewer, Savills's head of residential in Scotland said: "Insh Island represents a truly unique opportunity to acquire one of Scotland's last untouched private islands. 'With its breath-taking landscapes, rich biodiversity and potential for sustainable development, Insh Island is a sanctuary of peace and natural beauty.' Property agents said with demand increasing for exclusive, eco-conscious destinations, the island is suited for tourism, wellness retreats or even use as a film location. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) previously owned the island 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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'.
