Farms new to Scottish market buck autumn trend

Mid-autumn typically sees fewer farm launches, but Scotland is bucking that trend with several that are new to the market, notably in Aberdeenshire.

An arable and livestock farm with considerable amenity value is for sale near Strichen. Old Mill comes with 373 acres of Class 3.2 and 4 land, a range of modern farm buildings and a four-bedroom farmhouse.

Selling agent Savills says that while it has been run as a successful farming business, conservation and habitat creation have been at the forefront of management decisions over the past 30 years.

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The land is a combination of arable and silage ground, permanent pasture and rough grazing, interspersed with 87 acres of woodlands which provide sport, shelter and commercial timber.

The buildings are well-equipped for housing and handling cattle, and there is grain handling and storage.

A number of development opportunities across the farm include planning permission for a house, along with traditional buildings that have conversion potential.

Old Mill is for sale at offers of more than £1.99m for the whole, and is also available in three lots.

Middletack Farm © Savills

Further north the same firm has another mixed farm with development opportunities.

Middletack Farm near Rathen, with 292 acres of predominantly arable and pasture land, has been farmed by the current owners’ family since 1954.

A traditional steading of buildings is arranged around a central open courtyard with potential for alternative uses.

In addition to the five-bedroom farmhouse there are five derelict cottages in need of full refurbishment.

Middletack Farm is being marketed by Savills for offers of more than £1.95m.

Blairston Mains © Savills

Bare land block

Savills is also the selling agent for a productive ring-fenced 130-acre block of farmland with two sheds in South Ayrshire.

Blairston Mains, a short distance from Ayr, was once part of Blairston Mains Farm but following the development of the farmhouse and buildings, this block was purchased as bare land in 2016.

The seller is looking for offers above £750,000.

The land is in nine fields and is mainly Class 4(1) with areas of Class 3(1) and 3(2) adjacent to the river, according to the James Hutton Institute classification.

It is all currently down to grass for mowing or grazing. Both purpose-built sheds have steel portal frames.

Pittenkerrie Farm © Galbraith

Galbraith has new launches in both Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire. In the Banchory region of Aberdeenshire, the retirement of the owners sees 190-acre Pittenkerrie Farm near Glassel being launched by Galbraith at offers above £2m.

This productive residential farm has been growing a wide range of crops, including potatoes, and is currently down to spring barley and grass leys.

Selling agent Tom Stewart says the land has been managed on a rotational basis for many years, benefiting from regular applications of dung and is therefore in excellent heart.

“The James Hutton Institute classifies the farmland as Grade 3(2), with high yields of spring barley and grass often being obtained,’’ says Tom.

A range of modern farm buildings includes a steel portal frame cattle shed, a grain store and a Dutch barn.

Executive home 

The five-bedroom farmhouse is seen by the agent as a major selling point of this ring-fenced farm.

“Pittenkerrie farmhouse is an outstanding executive home occupying a large site of around half an acre and was completed in 2014 to an exceptionally high standard,” says Tom.

Loch Mullardoch © Galbraith

In Inverness-shire, an upland estate overlooking Loch Mullardoch has come to the market – a property that has been in the same ownership for more than 40 years.

Selling agent Galbraith says a major focus of operations on the 4,262 acres of the Mullardoch Estate, near Beauly, has been conservation; it is also used for deer stalking, with a 10-year average of 10 stags and eight hinds.

Extensive hill ground rises to 1,101m above sea level at its highest point, including two mountains, known in Scotland as munros – Toma Choirnich and Toll Creagh – which sit partly on the estate.

Shelter is provided by two timber bothies, which have no electricity or water supply but offer spectacular views.

Galbraith is seeking offers of more than £2m for the Mullardoch Estate.