The private Scottish island that could be yours for just £350k

A remote Scottish island complete with its own private pier and traditional bothy has been put up for sale for £350,000.

Situated off the west coast of Shetland, Hildasay covers 267 acres and can only be accessed by boat from the surrounding mainland and neighbouring islands.

The terrain features an extensive coastline, two freshwater lochs, and gently rising ground that reaches roughly 105 feet at its highest point.

A traditional bothy provides basic shelter alongside views across the surrounding sea and landscape, with the island also harbouring diverse birds and marine wildlife.

A spokesperson for Kelvin Anderson estate agents described Hildasay as a truly distinctive property offering solitude and heritage in a remarkable British island setting.

They said that the sale represented an "extraordinary" opportunity.

"Accessible by boat from the surrounding mainland and islands, Hildasay benefits from its own pier, providing a principal landing point onto the island," the spokesperson said.

"Its scale and unspoilt character create a genuine sense of escape, with open landscapes and uninterrupted views across the surrounding waters."

Hildasay also possesses a "fascinating" history, the spokesperson said.

"In 1891, the island was home to around 30 people, with granite quarrying and herring curing forming important local industries.

"Hildasay’s distinctive red-green granite was quarried on a considerable scale and transported to the harbour along a purpose-built railway before being shipped further afield, reportedly reaching destinations as distant as Australia.

"Remnants of this remarkable industrial past remain visible today.”

There are substantial abandoned granite blocks and traces of the historic railway still visible across the landscape, the listing says.

Those provide “a tangible connection to a time when this now peaceful island supported a thriving community”, it says.

"Today, Hildasay represents something increasingly difficult to find - the opportunity to own an entire island in Shetland."

In more recent years, Hildasay found itself in the public spotlight after hosting charity coastline trekker Chris Lewis during the Covid pandemic.

The 39-year-old had been sleeping in a tent on mainland Shetland when lockdown restrictions were introduced in 2020 to limit the spread of the virus.

He was later granted special permission to live inside the island’s single dwelling together with his dog, Jet. The pair only had 15 sheep for company and received shipments of coal and food by boat until the lockdown was lifted.

Lewis later published a book titled Finding Hildasay, documenting his remarkable journey around the UK coastline.