A beautiful Scottish estate in the Angus Glens is now on the property market.
Auchavan Estate, located within the Cairngorm National Park, is a diverse Scottish estate providing traditional sporting and farming opportunities, forestry, conservation and leisure interests. It is presented for sale by Galbraith.
Bounded by the River Isla, with Glen Beanie bisecting the estate, Auchavan has a wealth of Scottish wildlife including red and roe deer, red and black grouse, brown and blue hares, curlews and barn owls with golden eagles, osprey and ptarmigan having also been seen from the estate.
In recent years the low ground was subject to a grazing lease to a neighbour, which has now ceased. The current emphasis has been on developing and enhancing the landscape to provide good habitats for the diverse variety of wildlife and to encourage the increasing breeding success, particularly amongst the wading birds.
The estate extends to some 2,299.25 acres (930.48 hectares) with two farmhouses and three cottages, of which three are holiday let properties generating a useful annual income. There are both modern and traditional estate outbuildings which include a game larder, machinery shed, general storage and agricultural buildings.
The lands at Auchavan comprise permanent pasture, rough grazings, hill and woodland rising from 1056 feet (322 metres) above sea level alongside the River Isla to 2647 feet (807 metres) at its highest point at the top of Monamenach.
Auchavan combines some exciting stalking with a five year average of 10 stags and 41 hinds, walked up grouse shooting together with the opportunity to develop a low ground shoot including duck flighting.
A stock farming enterprise could also be re-established at Auchavan utilising the useful range of outbuildings at Presnerb which includes a cattle court.
Auchavan Estate has a number of woodland areas through the estate including mixed and coniferous blocks. There has been a recent programme of felling with a proposed new planting scheme in place, but not yet finalised, giving the opportunity to develop conservation, forestry and sporting activities.
Auchavan Estate is available for purchase either as a whole or in two lots.
Lot one – Auchavan.
Auchavan forms the largest part of the estate and extends to about 1902.31 acres (764.84 hectares).
Auchavan Farmhouse, together with the two semi-detached houses, lies to the most northerly end of the estate resulting in all three houses enjoying a southerly aspect. They benefit from a useful outbuilding lying to the north of the farmhouse. The land is predominately hill ground with permanent pasture, rough grazings and woodlands found to the south of the farmhouse.
The subjects comprising Lot 1 are detailed as follows:
Auchavan Farmhouse is a traditional farmhouse with a harled and painted exterior under a pitched slated roof. It enjoys a southerly aspect and provides the following accommodation over two floors – Ground Floor: Porch, lobby, kitchen, dining room, hall, cloakroom, sitting room, bedroom 1. First Floor: Two bedrooms, family bathroom.
Auchavan Farmhouse sits within a garden lying predominately to the south which is principally down to lawn. To the rear is a gravelled parking area leading directly to the Auchavan outbuilding, together with giving access to both The Stables and The Hayloft.
The Stables and The Hayloft lie immediately to the north of Auchavan Farmhouse and were developed from a former outbuilding. The conversion was very sympathetically achieved and has resulted in two very well-presented houses which form part of the holiday letting portfolio from Auchavan. They are both of stone construction under slated roofs.
The accommodation for The Stables over one floor comprises – Hall, open plan kitchen with dining area, family room, laundry room, sitting room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms.
Immediately to the south of The Stables is a delightful flagstone terrace enclosed by a stone wall giving an ideal area for outside dining. To the west is a private garden.
The accommodation of The Hayloft over two floors comprises – Ground Floor: Hall, kitchen with dining area, bedroom, bathroom with sauna, cloakroom, laundry. First Floor: Sitting room with gas fired stove, bedroom two with en-suite.
Lying immediately to the south of The Hayloft is a terraced seating area. To the east is a private garden.
Auchavan outbuilding, lying to the north of Auchavan Farmhouse, is a recently constructed outbuilding of block construction with a box profile roof, harled and painted exterior with a concrete floor, three electric roller doors, two storerooms and loft area over.
Lot one of Auchavan extends to about 1902.31 acres (769.84 ha) and is classified as Grade 5.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 by the James Hutton Institute.
The farmland is designated as being predominately in payment Region 2 with the lower lying fields being Region 1. The land is all designated as being in the Less-Favoured Area.
Lot two – Presnerb
The subjects forming Lot 2 are known as Presnerb and extend to about 396.94 acres (160.64 ha). Presnerb Farmhouse, cottage and outbuildings lie to the north-east of Lot 2 and immediately to the west of the River Isla.
Presnerb offers the opportunity for a livestock enterprise with a good range of outbuildings, permanent pasture, rough grazings and hill ground, together with a small area of woodland. In addition there are two ponds which, together with the future replanting scheme over recently felled woodland areas, could provide the opportunity for the establishment and development of a varied low ground shoot to complement the established stalking over the hill ground of the subjects.
Presnerb Farmhouse is a traditional former farmhouse of stone construction with a harled and painted exterior under a pitched slated roof. It enjoys a southerly aspect and is practically positioned immediately to the south of the farmyard and buildings. The accommodation over two floors comprises – Ground Floor: Hall, sitting room, open plan kitchen with dining room, laundry room, shower room. First Floor: Three bedrooms, bathroom.
Lying immediately to the south of Presnerb Farmhouse is an enclosed garden down to lawn and edged by borders. Presnerb Farmhouse has undergone refurbishment by the current owners and is currently let as a holiday let unit throughout the year as part of the holiday letting portfolio of Auchavan Estate.
Lying immediately to the north-east of the farmhouse is Presnerb Cottage. It was recently constructed and completed and is subject to a Section 75 Restriction. The cottage provides an immaculate one bedroomed accommodation with easterly views towards the river. The accommodation comprises: Hall, sitting room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom. There is a garden area lying to the rear with parking within the yard.
The range of estate buildings at Presnerb lie immediately to the north of the farmhouse and comprise a range of both traditional and modern outbuildings. The buildings can be summarised as follows –
Traditional Outbuilding (14.3m x 5.2m): Stone construction under a corrugated iron roof. Within the building is a traditional threshing mill which will be removed and retained by the seller.
Cattle Court/Hay Store (26m x 17m): With earth floor, corrugated roof, part brick and box profile walls, sliding doors and electrics.
Agricultural Store (22m x 6.5m): Attached to the rear of the cattle court is an agricultural store with box profile walls, box profile and corrugated asbestos sheeting roof, sliding door, electrics, earth floor. This has been used as kennelling and has a substantial solid fuel incinerator which provides heating.
Game larder (16m x 6m): Box profile walls and roof, concrete floor, electric roller door, ceiling hooks, electric ceiling winch, refrigeration unit, washroom off with pedestrian door leading to:
Machinery Shed (16m x 10.9m): Box profile and corrugated walls under a corrugated roof with sliding door and earth floor.
Presnerb extends to about 396.94 acres (160.64 hectares) comprising permanent pasture, rough grazing, hill and wood. It is classified as Grade 5.2, 5.3 and 6.1 by the James Hutton Institute.
The farmland is designated as being predominately in payment Region 2 with the lower lying fields being Region 1. The land is all designated as being in the Less Favoured Area.
The subjects of Auchavan historically ran a traditional upland livestock farming unit. The buildings at Presnerb form the core of the farm, with a former cattle court, storage shed and traditional outbuilding, together with the game larder and machinery shed attached. The land rises from the permanent enclosures and rough grazings to hill ground providing both summer and winter grazings.
Deer stalking is a core sporting activity enjoyed at Auchavan and with the topography from the lower slopes to the higher tops providing a varied and exciting day’s stalking. The ground provides good grazing and shelter for the Red deer. The deer are removed from the hill by ATV/Argo cat and quadbike. In recent years the estate has had a part time stalker with the stalking mostly being retained for the owners enjoyment with some commercial stalking being offered periodically.
Auchavan Estate is part of the East Grampian Deer Management Group through which the member estates co-operate to ensure a sustainable population of deer is maintained.
In addition to stlking, Auchavan Estate offers walked-up grouse shooting which has been very much enjoyed by the current owner, with family and friends, over many years. An average day, in recent times, has been about 10 brace with six guns. There is active management undertaken with both medicated and non-medicated grit being put down together with vermin control in order to assist grouse numbers.
The woodlands and low ground are home to Roe deer which offer additional stalking throughout the year. Further a low ground pheasant and partridge shoot could be developed in conjunction with the replanting of woodlands following the recent felling of coniferous trees. Within Lot 2 of Presnerb there are two ponds which have potential for duck flighting.
The estate enjoys trout fishing rights on the River Isla which forms the eastern boundary of the estate. Angling activity has been low in recent years and no formal fishing records are available.
There are areas of woodland throughout Auchavan Estate including more open and recently planted mixed woodland areas, together with more established coniferous blocks. They provide shelter and structure to the lower parts of the estate.
The estate has recently completed a programme of felling of a number of blocks of coniferous woodland. Prior to the felling licence being granted, a proposed replanting scheme was prepared and is available upon request to the selling agents. The proposed scheme is for four blocks of mixed broadleaf woodlands.
The agents will consider offers over £2.85million.
For more details, visit HERE.
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