A trio of Highland farms have been launched to the market with a price tag of just under £8.5million.
The farms – Shandwick Mains, Wester Rarichie and Castlecraig – are described by selling agents Strutt and Parker as “one of the finest collections of farms in Scotland”.
Owned and run by the Whiteford family, which comprises brothers Stewart, Jim, David and Alan, the farms are situated in the Fearn Peninsula, near Tain in Easter Ross.
The family originally took on the tenancy of Shandwick Mains in 1950 and the tenancy of Wester Rarichie in 1973. They bought the farms from the landlord at a later date, and purchased Castlecraig in 1986.
The Whitefords say the farms are now being offered for sale as the four brothers are retiring from farming.
Stewart said: “My brothers and I have reached the collective decision to retire from farming. It has been an honour and a privilege to farm and live in this vibrant community amongst some of the most leading edge, co-operative farmers you could find anywhere. It has also been a wonderful environment in which to bring up our families and we have no hesitation in recommending this beautiful part of the world to any prospective buyers.”
Extending to 2,397 acres, the farms are offered for sale as a whole, as three individual farms, or 13 sub-lots.
The current farming enterprise includes 300 suckler cows plus followers, 1,400 breeding ewes, a 350-sow indoor pig unit, and arable crops.
Shandwick Mains is described as an “exceptional arable farm” with premium quality, mainly grade 2, landing extending to 370 acres. It includes a four-bedroom farmhouse, steading and grain store.
Wester Rarichie is a large arable and stock farm extending to 1,094 acres. It comes with a five-bedroom farmhouse, two cottages, and part of the land includes a 360-degree outlook across the Dornoch Firth, Moray Firth and Nigg Bay.
Castlecraig is an arable and livestock-rearing farm stretching across 933 acres. It includes a 350-sow indoor pig unit, forestry and a sandstone quarry. It also offers a seven-bedroom period home and two cottages.
It encompasses the North Sutor – one of two opposing headlands marking the entrance to the Cromarty Firth – and still carries remains of several former military buildings from World War I. The Whitefords said they have held discussions with a travel and leisure company and there is the potential to develop themed tourist accommodation and a visitor centre on the site, which is near the North Coast 500 route.
Strutt and Parkers’ Scottish chairman, Andrew Rettie, said: “It is the single largest farm instruction in Scotland for many years and, as such, will command a great deal of attention in the agricultural industry. I anticipate we will attract buyers from Scotland, the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe.”
The entitlements to the Basic Payment Scheme are included in the sale.