For the price of a London townhouse, you could own an entire Scottish island—castle ruins and all. The 1,100-acre Shuna Island, about 160 kilometres northwest of Glasgow along Scotland’s rugged west coast, is now available for the first time since 1946 with a price tag of £5.5 million (about $7 million or INR 70 lakhs). Knight Frank holds the listing. Located about 30 kilometres south of the scenic coastal resort town of Oban and a quick 10-minute boat ride from Craobh Haven Marina, Shuna is that rare unicorn in private islands: completely private yet surprisingly accessible. (A sports a pontoon that doubles as a helipad makes getting there even simpler.)
Shuna’s human history is as rich as its landscape. Once part of the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata, it later came under the Lords of the Isles before Robert the Bruce granted it to Clan Campbell in 1321. The Macleans took over in the 15th century, and by 1787 it had passed to Major Alexander MacDonald. The island is also teeming in both wildlife and lore—9,000 years’ worth, to be exact. Among its many claims to fame are Stone Age burial mounds, Iron Age votive swords, a starring role in early Christian legend, and a grand castle commissioned by an Ernest Shackleton-era explorer whose architect went down with the Titanic.
But let’s start with the scenery. Shuna is classic Hebridean drama—rocky cliffs, quiet coves, sandy beaches, and sweeping views of the western isles from its 295-foot-high summit. Its location in a protected bay keeps it protected from Atlantic squalls. A farm is home to around 220 sheep, some very photogenic Highland cows, and enough red and fallow deer to keep a seasoned stalker busy all season.
Then there’s the architecture. The island has at least eight houses, including a traditional stone farmhouse, several timber-framed cottages, and one with 12 bedrooms, all ideal for visiting friends and family or as holiday rentals. The crown jewel, of course, is the hauntingly romantic Shuna Castle. Built in the early 20th century by New Zealand adventurer George Buckley—fresh off Shackleton’s Nimrod expedition to Antarctica—the 50-room, turreted mansion was once grand enough to warrant transatlantic architectural plans. Sadly, those plans sank with their architect on the Titanic. The castle was occupied until the mid-1980s and now sits in ruins, waiting for someone with creative vision and an ample budget to bring it back to life.
Buckley bought the island at auction in 1910, envisioning it as his ancestral retreat. Shuna later passed through the hands of film and shipping magnates before becoming the romantic escape of the Viscountess Selby and WWII Pathfinder Donald Wells. Her son, Edward “Eddie” Gully, now in his ninth decade, farmed the land, raised his family, and ran a successful holiday rental business but is now prepared to pass it on.
“Islands always have their draw, and Shuna is no different. It is the most beautiful place with stunning views, diverse landscapes, an abundance of wildlife, and everything you would expect from the glorious west coast of Scotland,” says Will Matthews, head of Farms and Estates at Knight Frank. “The opportunities are endless, and particularly with the scope that the old castle offers, it would be the most incredible project!”
