A brace of dream sporting estates

In an increasingly hectic world, the idea of owning your own estate has an enduring appeal. Strutt & Parker’s National Estates & Farm Agency Department handles the purchase and sale of large country and sporting estates all over the UK and, as such, has the privilege of buying and selling some real gems for fieldsports enthusiasts.

 

Here’s our pick of the estates on the market at present which will have an appeal for the shooting community:

 

 

This is a secluded waterside estate with a shoot that has a reputation for producing drives of great variety, with coverts comprising a mixture of small conifer woods and larger areas of mixed species woodland. The proximity of the river provides the opportunity for excellent wild duck flighting, whilst the extent and variety of woods on the estate provide great roe deer stalking. The mild winter climate and combination of vegetation and ground conditions can attract significant numbers of migratory woodcock during the winter months. The wild sport this can provide is excellent.

 

 

With a number of areas of marshland, particularly around the fringes of Woodhall Loch and Loch Ken – the wild snipe shooting at Hensol can also be first class. The brown trout and coarse fishing, both within the estate and in the vicinity, is also a significant attraction.

 

This is beautifully positioned residential and sporting estate on the River Spey. The topography and mixture of woodland at Cairnty has meant that the current owners have been able to run a driven pheasant shoot. The combination of mature woodland and strategic siting of game crops enables Cairnty to produce very exciting driven birds which has given the current owners and their guests huge enjoyment over the years.

 

The backdrop of the River Spey and the combination of mature oak woods and young plantations makes for classic game shooting terrain and some of the drives have developed a reputation for the quality of their birds which rivals some of the best pheasant shoots in Moray. In addition to driven shooting, the roe deer stalking at Cairnty is particularly exciting, while the River Spey is a world-renowned river providing some exceptional salmon and sea trout fishing.

The country and sporting estate market is one where the input of an experienced agent is crucial, as a growing number of estate sales are taking place privately. Indeed, over the past 12 months, the number of country and sporting estates coming to the open market has fallen, but that does not mean that the market is not active.

 

If we look at Scotland - famed for the quality of its sporting estates - then 18 Scottish estates have sold or gone under offer in 2019, with a further handful still available. This compares to 21 sold in 2018. But while fewer estates have come to the market, there have been several very competitive closing dates, highlighting the strength of demand.

 

If you would like any further information about any of these properties or for a market update, please do not hesitate to contact Robert McCulloch on 0131 718 4593.