Latest news with #DalRiata
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Private UK island up for sale with stunning castle ruins and iconic views
The 1,100-acre Shuna Island in the Inner Hebrides offers castle ruins, cottages, wildlife and a chance to own a slice of Scottish history as it is listed for sale A private island off the west coast of Scotland complete with castle ruins, rolling pastures, and sweeping views of the sea has been put up for sale for the first time in nearly 100 years, with an asking price of £5.5million. Shuna Island, a 1,100-acre gem nestled in the Inner Hebrides, is now on the market, offering a rare opportunity to own a wild, rugged piece of Scotland 's coastal heritage. The island lies just south of Oban, among the Slate Islands archipelago, which includes Seil, Easdale, Luing, and Torsa. Three miles long and a mile and a half wide, Shuna is an island steeped in history, wildlife, and potential. At its heart are the picturesque ruins of Shuna Castle, an early 20th-century structure with panoramic views across the Sound of Shuna. The castle's footprint, estate agents Sotheby's International Realty notes, presents possibilities for redevelopment, subject to permissions. The island has been in the same family for over 80 years, owned most recently by Viscountess Selby and her son, Edward Gully, whose ancestors purchased it in the early 20th century. Their main residence has been the traditional Shuna Farmhouse, while a scattering of eight additional properties - including holiday cottages - can house up to 52 people, hinting at potential for a hospitality venture. But this is no manicured millionaire's retreat. Shuna is as much a working island as a private idyll. It includes 81 acres of permanent pasture, 640 acres of rough grazing, and over 300 acres of native woodland and foreshore. A flock of around 220 Beulah sheep currently roams the island, and there's scope for expanding into cattle grazing. Beyond the livestock, the island teems with wildlife. Visitors and residents alike can spot red deer, sea eagles, and even porpoises in the surrounding waters. The island's raw natural beauty, combined with its biodiversity, makes it an extraordinary haven for nature lovers. The land also holds over 9,000 years of human history, dating back to the Stone Age, with burial mounds and Iron Age relics still visible across the terrain. According to legend, Shuna may be referenced in the Vita Columbae, the 7th-century account of Saint Columba, who was said to have been delayed on a place called 'Sainean Island' - believed by some to be Shuna. Through the centuries, Shuna belonged to the Gaelic kingdom of Dal Riata, and later passed to the powerful Maclean clan after Robert the Bruce granted the region of Lorne to the Campbells in 1321. By the 1700s, it was a bustling hub for lime production, home to kilns and as many as 100 residents, according to The Scotsman. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, the island is looking for a new chapter. With its unique mix of natural beauty, historic ruins, viable farmland and holiday homes, Shuna offers a rare opportunity for buyers seeking something beyond a luxury postcode. 'This is not just a private island,' said a spokesperson for Sotheby's International Realty, the firm handling the sale. 'It's a piece of Scottish history - wild, beautiful, and filled with potential.'
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Newest distillery in smallest Scottish whisky region celebrates 'dream to reality' moment
Dal Riata, one of the newly planned distilleries in Campbeltown, has reached a milestone as it has been granted building warrants. This means that the building works can begin on the site on Kinloch Road overlooking Campbeltown Loch. Planning permission for the distillery was granted in 2023 but it has taken almost two years to get to the stage of being able to get 'shovels in the ground.' The directors behind this new distillery - one of three set to open in Scotland's smallest whisky region - are Iain Croucher, Ronnie Grant & David Stirk. The idea for Dal Riata came about when Ronnie and Iain were walking past what was Kinloch distillery in 2021. Having wanted to build a distillery in Campbeltown, they jumped at the chance to buy land near this former site. Ronnie Grant said: 'Whilst planning permission was subsequently granted in 2023, obtaining building warrants is like maturing a fine malt and takes a wee while longer. 'But as we all know, good things are worth waiting for and on 5th June 2025, Argyll & Bute Council gave their approval for shovels to go into the ground. The Dál Riata Distillery will no longer be a dream; it will be reality! 'There is no better whisky town in Scotland than Campbeltown. We are getting to add to the wee toon's rich distilling history with the creation of our own distillery Dál Riata' Iain Croucher, owner of three-time winning Independent Scotch Whisky Bottler of the Year brand North Star Spirits is equally enthusiastic about the area. He said: 'Campbeltown is magnificent in just about every way, I holiday here twice a year with my wife and kids. Just so happens it's also my favourite Scotch Whisky region' The name Dál Riata is derived from the ancient kingdom that existed on the Western coast of Scotland and Northeast Ireland between the 6th and 9th Centuries. The Dál Raita Distillery will not be a modest operation. With a planned capacity of 850,000 litres of pure alcohol per year it will also be accompanied by a bottling company and extensive warehousing. It will also bring employment to an area that is starting to see a whisky renaissance. With planning permission and building warrant approval now granted, work on the site is scheduled to commence before the end of the year and another chapter of Campbelltown's remarkable whisky story will start to be written. Known in the 19th Century as the "Whisky Metropolis", Campbeltown once had over 30 distilleries, thanks to its natural harbour, nearby access to coal and proximity to Glasgow's blending houses. However, by the 1920s, Campbeltown's whisky industry declined due to American Prohibition changing consumer tastes, and economic downturns caused by The Great War. Many distilleries closed, leaving only two survivors in the 1930s.
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Newest distillery in smallest Scottish whisky region celebrates 'dream to reality' moment
Dal Riata, one of the newly planned distilleries in Campbeltown, has reached a milestone as it has been granted building warrants. This means that the building works can begin on the site on Kinloch Road overlooking Campbeltown Loch. Planning permission for the distillery was granted in 2023 but it has taken almost two years to get to the stage of being able to get 'shovels in the ground.' The directors behind this new distillery - one of three set to open in Scotland's smallest whisky region - are Iain Croucher, Ronnie Grant & David Stirk. The idea for Dal Riata came about when Ronnie and Iain were walking past what was Kinloch distillery in 2021. Having wanted to build a distillery in Campbeltown, they jumped at the chance to buy land near this former site. Ronnie Grant said: 'Whilst planning permission was subsequently granted in 2023, obtaining building warrants is like maturing a fine malt and takes a wee while longer. 'But as we all know, good things are worth waiting for and on 5th June 2025, Argyll & Bute Council gave their approval for shovels to go into the ground. The Dál Riata Distillery will no longer be a dream; it will be reality! 'There is no better whisky town in Scotland than Campbeltown. We are getting to add to the wee toon's rich distilling history with the creation of our own distillery Dál Riata' Iain Croucher, owner of three-time winning Independent Scotch Whisky Bottler of the Year brand North Star Spirits is equally enthusiastic about the area. He said: 'Campbeltown is magnificent in just about every way, I holiday here twice a year with my wife and kids. Just so happens it's also my favourite Scotch Whisky region' The name Dál Riata is derived from the ancient kingdom that existed on the Western coast of Scotland and Northeast Ireland between the 6th and 9th Centuries. The Dál Raita Distillery will not be a modest operation. With a planned capacity of 850,000 litres of pure alcohol per year it will also be accompanied by a bottling company and extensive warehousing. It will also bring employment to an area that is starting to see a whisky renaissance. With planning permission and building warrant approval now granted, work on the site is scheduled to commence before the end of the year and another chapter of Campbelltown's remarkable whisky story will start to be written. Known in the 19th Century as the "Whisky Metropolis", Campbeltown once had over 30 distilleries, thanks to its natural harbour, nearby access to coal and proximity to Glasgow's blending houses. However, by the 1920s, Campbeltown's whisky industry declined due to American Prohibition changing consumer tastes, and economic downturns caused by The Great War. Many distilleries closed, leaving only two survivors in the 1930s.
