Residents of the small Hebridean isle of Eigg hope to attract a new resident after putting a former shepherd’s bothy up for sale – but it comes with some conditions.
Eigg, off the west Highlands coast, is home to about 100 people.
The island’s community-run heritage trust is seeking offers of over £65,000 for the stone-built Sandamhor Bothy.
However, the trust have said that the quaint bothy may not be sold to the highest bidder.
Extensive renovations and improvement
The property has a single room divided by a low wall, an outside toilet and a cast iron wood-burning stove for heating and cooking.
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust said the bothy, which has been used as holiday accommodation in the past, required “extensive renovations and improvement”.
The home, which is accessed by a rough track, has a sea view to the Highlands mainland and comes with a quarter of an acre of land.
The trust said it was looking for a purchaser who wanted to live on Eigg full-time and be “an active contributing member of the community”. It said it would not necessarily accept the highest offer.
Community Land Scotland, an organisation that supports community ownership of buildings and land, has praised the initiative.
The island, one of the Small Isles south of Skye, is about five miles (8km) long and three miles (5km) wide.
The community-led Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust famously bought the island for £1.5m in 1997, largely funded by a donation from a mystery millionairess.
A lack of home and business security, unemployment and poor housing and infrastructure influenced the decision to launch a buyout.
Global fame
Said to be Scotland’s greenest isle, the Hebridean idyll of Eigg recently found new global fame alongside the likes of Arizona and Belize.
For the tiny island is mentioned in a top travel guide’s list of places on the planet plotting a greener future.
Eigg gets a specific mention on why Wanderlust chose Scotland in its list of 26 places around the globe making a difference.
“While travel is on hold, enlightened destinations are looking towards more responsible forms of tourism. We look at those vowing to build back better,” said Wanderlust.
“In late 2020, Scotland became the first national tourist board to Declare a Climate Emergency, signing up to Tourism Declares, a collective hoping to shrink tourism’s hefty carbon footprint.
“Visit Scotland’s vision includes encouraging accommodations to use more local suppliers and improving the nation’s public transport network – ideal for slower, more authentic experiences. Flight-free travel operator By Way – launched in 2020 – can arrange a seamless, low-carbon rail and ferry Scotland adventure, whisking you from Glasgow’s bars to eco isolation on the off-grid Isle of Eigg.”
The closing date for applications for the bothy is November 1.