For offers over £850,000, you could own a third of this spectacular Highland estate, known for its superb fishings.
Gualin lies around 100 miles north west of Inverness in what is a designated National Scenic Area, in the utterly unspoilt and dramatic surroundings of Sutherland.
Home to some of the very best fishing in Scotland, this is a land of majestic mountains and beautiful rivers, and Gualin Estate, Durness, includes both in its 6,239 acres.
The real jewel in the Gualin crown is, however, the 7.5 mile stretch of double bank fishing on the River Dionard, a ‘must fish’ destination for keen fly fishermen the world over.
The river extends from Loch Dionard, which forms one of the beats and is described as “a wonderful and immutable place. . . perhaps the best salmon loch in all Scotland,” by Trout and Salmon Magazine which has also praised the 60 acres of deep water as one of the nation’s finest sea trout lochs.
Ending at the Kyle of Durness (where the Estate also has netting rights and a boat for catching migratory fish), the river is classic Highland water, with fishing at its best when the rains have been heavy and the river is in spate. When this is the case, the fishing is deemed both hugely exciting and brilliantly challenging for those passionate about salmon fishing.
The Gualin fishings comprise the upper reaches of the river from Rhigolter Bridge to Loch Dionard and are divided into 59 named pools. Each of the six beats (rotated on a daily basis) has its own unique character and there is a mix of slow and fast water.
Serviced by five fishing huts, there is also a bothy on the shore of Loch Dionard for up to three fishermen. Catches are impressive, with an eight year average of 219 salmon and 255 and 297 sea trout caught in 2014 and 2015 respectively. If the rain has been lacking, there is always good sea trout fishing to be had on the loch.
Gualin operates as a successful commercial sporting estate, with Gualin Lodge at its heart. This handsome white harled Victorian lodge was originally built as an inn for the Duke of Sutherland in 1833 and now provides comfortable self catering accommodation for up to nine guests.
The house enjoys a spectacular outlook over the hill lochs and Strath Dionard with the majestic Foinavon beyond; it is an outlook that is ever changing, as weather fronts ebb and flow from the sea, revealing and then shrouding in mist this extraordinary landscape.
The best place to appreciate this, and the deer grazing at dusk and dawn in the grounds of the lodge, is from the bay window of the fine drawing room where guests can also enjoy a dram and share stories of the day’s sport by the open fire.
Owned by a trio of partners, each with an equal share, the management of the estate and the letting income is shared between the three members of the partnership. Savills is now actively seeking a new owner to buy a one third stake from one of the original investors.
Savills director, Evelyn Channing said: “I think the notion of a part-share in a Scottish estate is excellent: by pooling resources and sharing the running costs, you still get to enjoy first class sport – in this case, salmon fishing on a stretch of river revered by generations of fishermen – but without the full time sole responsibility for land, upkeep and staff. Gualin is an exceptional estate, and this is an unusual and wonderful way to be a part of it.”