A Scottish Island With Its Own Castle Is On The Market For £5.5M

Every so often, a once-in-a-lifetime home hits the market – and this Hebridean island is most definitely one of a kind. Here’s everything you need to know about Shuna Island.

The Story Behind Scotland’s Historic Shuna Island

Image courtesy of Knight Frank

£5.5 million isn’t exactly pocket change, but the breathtaking Shuna Island will give you plenty of bang for your buck. Offering 1,100 acres, panoramic coastal views, and its very own castle, the estate is full of surprises; it was, in fact, purchased sight unseen by the Gully family 80 years ago, and it’s now on the market for the first time since then.

Image courtesy of Knight Frank

The story reaches far further into the past, however: evidence of settlement on Shuna dates back more than 5,000 years. (You’ll even spot a few burial mounds from the Iron Age). In 1910, the island was bought by adventurer George Buckley, who commissioned a grand turreted mansion there – though it’s rumoured that the blueprints (and even the architect himself) were lost during the sinking of the Titanic. 

Image courtesy of Knight Frank

While it could be reimagined as a wellness destination, a rewilding project or simply a family retreat, Shuna currently serves as a working farm, holiday let and game shooting business. It boasts eight residential properties in total – the charming Shuna Farmhouse has traditionally been used as a private home, while the remaining properties (including an impressive hillside retreat at the southern end of the estate) can accommodate a total of 52 guests.

Image courtesy of Knight Frank

At the heart of it all, of course, is Shuna Castle, which was once the island’s principal residence until it fell to ruin in the 1980s. It stands within rolling hills, sheltered bays and coastal hideaways, where fallow deer graze and eagles soar overhead. Beyond the island, Scotland’s west coast beckons. (There’s plenty to explore, including the famous Corryvreckan Whirlpool.) A private pier and a helipad provide easy access to Shuna from the mainland; the coastal hamlet of Arduaine is just a 20-minute boat ride away.

Image courtesy of Knight Frank

It all sounds almost too glorious to be true, to say nothing of the island’s sustainability efforts: namely its impressive renewable energy system, which includes photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, battery storage and back-up generators. If you’re looking to get back to nature, Shuna certainly fits the bill.

Shuna is available through Knight Frank and UK Sotheby’s International Realty for £5.5 million.