Huge chunk of remote Shetland island goes on the market for £600k after lying uninhabited for 80 YEARS (but you’ll still get a four-bed home in the deal)
The 98-hectare peninsula is described as 'arguably one of the most beautiful places in the UK' and could be yours
A HUGE chunk of a remote Shetland island could be yours for just under £600,000 if you truly fancy getting away from it all.
The stunning northern peninsula is described as "arguably one of the most beautiful places in the UK".
The 98-hectare Fethaland croft, in the village of North Roe, Shetland’s most northerly village, has belonged to David Murray's family for over 150 years.
He says it is "heart-breaking" to have to sell it.
It is on the market for £595,000 with Lerwick-based Neil Risk Solicitors, and boasts maritime and Viking history.
The sale also includes three smaller, tenanted crofts, one of which has a four-bedroom family home.
Fethaland, which is popular with walkers and tourists, boasts a rich heritage – with evidence of human settlement from prehistoric times – and incredible opportunities to see killer whales, puffins, and even ospreys.
It also includes the fishing station which was established in the 15th and 16th centuries, becoming "the biggest in Shetland", before it was abandoned in 1906.
Owner David Murray blames health reasons for the sale.
His family has owned Fethaland for over 150 years, and his father, Douglas Murray, was the last person to be born there, before moving to North Roe in 1944. Fethaland has been uninhabited since 1940.
The largest of the four crofts, or small arable farms, the Fethaland croft, is accessible only by a track leading from the end of the public road. It needs to be reached either on foot or with a 4x 4vehicle.
It encompasses the northern-most point of the mainland and contains a number of archaeological sites, including an Iron Age house and a Viking quarry.
The sale also includes the nearby crofts of Largarth, Houllsquoy and Hooplees, which comes complete with a four-bedroom family home.
Mr Murray, who said he is moving for health reasons, has expressed a preference for selling the entire estate as a whole.
“Fethaland itself is unimaginable – there’s no place like it,” he said, citing the unique history and remains on the land, as well as the interesting geography.
“The wildlife is just phenomenal. You quite often see killer whales, puffins, even ospreys…. I can’t do it justice.”
He said that the remains of 23 buildings are situated on the land, along with noosts for the boats.
A survey by Historic Scotland and Shetland Amenity Trust in 2010 found that a number of these structures were collapsing due to coastal erosion, with more thought to be at risk.
The peninsula is also part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, protected and administered by Scottish Natural Heritage. Part of the North Roe Coast site, this designation means that SNH’s consent must be sought for any development, including erecting or removing structures or modifying any features.
Although it is uninhabited, Fethaland is a popular place for scenic walks. The area is even explorable virtually, via a video-game style simulation in the Shetland Museum in Lerwick, which allows members of the public to "walk" around the landscape and learn about its history.
SIC councillor for Shetland North, Andrea Manson, described the area as an "outstanding piece of land", and called the news “a marvellous opportunity for someone to buy one of Shetland's prominent and much visited historical sites”.
MOST READ IN NEWS
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.