Constant rent hikes and the relentless grind of the rat race can make city living about as appealing as commuting on London’s sweatiest tube line in a heatwave. It’s not surprising, then, that for many, the idea of giving it all up to pursue a dream ‘island life’ is becoming difficult to ignore. If you relate (and you’ve got at least £500,000 to spare), here’s a solution.
Currently listed on the market by estate agent Savills is a 90-acre private island off mainland Scotland's west coast near Oban. You’ll need a private boat or helicopter to reach your new Inner Hebrides home, but on the plus side, you’ll count seals, dolphins and a variety of seabirds among your neighbours.
The place is called Insh Island – and if being on your own island way up in Scotland wasn’t quite off-grid enough, there are no ‘established’ buildings on the isle. Currently there’s just a ‘cave home’ on the northwestern coastline, which is carved into a cliff. The place was occupied by Insh Island’s former owner, David Brearley, for 30 years between 1973 and 2003 – here’s what the ‘cave home’ looks like.
And it’s not just the ‘cave home’ and its enviable position in the heart of the Scottish wilderness that cements Insh Island’s allure. It also boasts a natural freshwater spring, rugged coastal trails and no light pollution, making it the ideal spot for stargazing. Here are a couple more pics of the place.
While £500,000 is still a hefty fee, it’s less than the average cost of a home in London (£566,000), and you are getting an entire island. It is, though, more than double the average price of a home in Scotland (£192,000), according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. If you so wish, you can of course build yourself a normal, non-cave home on the island.
Insh Island doesn’t have to become a home either; it could be a business venture. According to Savills, the island could be transformed into an open-air leisure project, a conservation project or an eco-friendly holiday resort.
Interested? You can find out more about the place on Savills and Rightmove.
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