£500K Will Buy You Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Hideaway

History tells us that Bonnie Prince Charlie (The Young Pretender) probably hid  away in several places during his quest to stay one step ahead of government forces, who were interested in “having a quiet word” with him. One such hideaway was the beautiful Hebridean island of Wiay, which having been put on the market for sale, can be yours for the “princely” sum of £500K

Wiay, close to the more famous Skye

Whilst raising the obvious question as to why these remote and rugged islands are only placed on the market in fine weather, the historical connection will play a part in the marketing tactics, even if Charlie only stayed in a cave on the island for a few days, after the defeat at the Battle of Culloden. As  a prominent figure in the failed Jacobite rebellion in 1745,  a cave on a remote island was pretty much par for the course.

Having been uninhabited for over a century, the current owners, a family from England who purchased the island in 2003, have used the island for holidays and summer camping. There is a ruined croft which can be redeveloped, and would provide spectacular views of the island’s surroundings when completed.

Mark Mitchell, head of selling agents Bell Ingram, said: “An area of land with as much history and beauty as the Island of Wiay does not come up on the market very often. It has a fantastic back story, once being the hidey-hole for Bonnie Prince Charlie, which is paralleled by the stunning views of the surrounding Benbecula and South Uist islands, making it the ideal location for those looking to totally escape the rat race.”

So it looks as though the agents will be playing the historical card for all it’s worth,  although the 970-acre island also has sporting rights, and has, over recent years been used for woodcock and duck shooting. There is also red deer stalking and fishing.

You are just half a mile south-east of the more famous Benbecula, and Wiay is reached by private boat from Petersport to a sheltered bay close to the ruined cottage on the west side of the island. Mainly heather clad, Wiay has a small number of freshwater lochs, rising to 335ft at Beinn a’Tuath.
Charlie’s involvement in the area was part of his elaborate escape plan that resulted in the journey immortalised in the Skye Boat Song.

Scottish islands represent a sound investment on the property market at the moment, while in 2011, Taransay, also one of the Western Isles, and the largest unpopulated island in Britain, was put up for sale. It benefitted from the fact that it featured on the reality TV show Castaway which obviously gave it a bit of cache,  but a bid to buy it by TV personality Ben Fogle, who appeared on the show, was unsuccessful after it was bought by a local landowning family on Harris for £2 million within two weeks.

Balnagowan, near Oban, stretching to just 36 acres and with planning permission for a bothy, sold last year for £300,000.

    http://www.bellingram.co.uk/latest/news/2804_own_a_slice_of_history_with_island_treasure