Loch Lomond conservation estate for sale for £4m

An estate on Loch Lomond's eastern shore which has been transformed from a bracken covered farm into a native woodland has gone up for sale, with an asking price of £4m.

The Cashel Estate, which lies between Balmaha and Rowardennan, was bought in the 1990s by a trust which wanted to recreate the ancient forests that once covered Scotland.

The trust said it now felt it taken the estate as far as it could and was looking for a custodian to protect it for the future.

Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, which is arranging the sale, said there was scope to develop it further as a tourist destination, from restaurant and retail offerings to glamping opportunities.

“This is an exceedingly rare and desirable opportunity to purchase a stunning wild estate that has international importance and continue the excellent stewardship shown by Cashel Forest Trust,” it said.

The estate covers 1,242 hectares (3,069 acres) of hillsides, moorland and native woodlands.

It was bought by the Cashel Forest Trust in 1995 with a grant from the Millennium Forest for Scotland Trust.

It planted a large native species woodland on a former hill farm as a demonstration forest to show best practice.

The estate now has 300 hectares of new native woodland, including oak, birch, ash, aspen, alder, gean, hazel, holly, juniper, willow and Scots pine.

These stand alongside significant areas of ancient oakwood.

The trust has also developed five picturesque walking trails, of which three are wheelchair-accessible.

There is also a visitor centre which includes education displays and recent works have included the rebuilding of a wildlife dipping pond and installation of a viewing hide for red squirrels.

Nander Robertson, operations director of Cashel Forest Trust, said “We are immensely proud of the woodland we have created at Cashel, transforming it over 25 years from a bracken covered farm into the stunning amenity it is today.

“However, we feel we have taken it as far as we can. We hope stewardship will pass to a buyer who will be equally passionate about this land and build on the conservation work carried out to date.

"We are looking for a custodian who will further enhance this legacy and protect it for the future.”