‘Idyllic' Scottish island with ruined castle up for sale

Independent

24-06-2025

A breathtakingly-beautiful private island featuring sandy beaches and a now-ruined castle within the Scottish Inner Hebrides has been put up for sale, providing a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' for the successful buyer.
Shuna Island, or simply Shuna, a 1,110-acre of rugged island in Loch Linnhe, provides picturesque views and a chance of complete seclusion, says estate agents Sotheby's International Realty, which is marketing the island for a cool £5.5m.
It includes the castle, built 114 years ago by former owner George Alexander MacLean Buckley, who found fame in the Antarctic voyage on Nimrod with Ernest Shackleton just three years before.
The crumbling stone structure is just one part of the rich history attached to the island, with the first settlement on the island dating back to 9,000 years ago.
Today, it is owned by the Gully family, after the Dowager Viscountess Selby bought the island from a London-based estate agent in 1945, despite never having seen it. She then passed it on to her son, The Hon. Edward Gully, who has farmed and managed it for the past 80 years.
As well as hosting visitors in six holiday homes, the family's farm looks after a flock of 220 Beulah sheep, while there is also 'renowned' woodcock shoots and deer stalking in the autumn.
The island is accessed via a private pier after a10-minute boat ride from the mainland. There is also a helipad on the land.
Speaking to the BBC, Jim Gully, who is the son of Edward, said: "He's had 80 years of stewarding and looking after Shuna and trying to get all sorts of businesses going and has absolutely loved it the whole of his life
"My brother and I grew up on Shuna. We were home schooled by our grandfather [Donald Wells] on the island. It's idyllic for a childhood being taught there, running the farm and the holiday cottages, and we still do that."
He added: "It's been a huge part for all of our lives and definitely sad that all of that is coming to an end, but tinged with relief for my father that it's going to be slightly easier not having to manage all of that and getting over to the island three or four times a week.'
On the island, the archaeological sites include Stone Age burial mounds and Iron Age ritual hoards, with three rare swords discovered in 1875.
Later in its history, the isle belonged to the Gaelic kingdom of Dal Riata before being passed onto the Maclean clan after Robert the Bruce gifted it to Clan Campbell in 1321.
By the 18th Century, it was a thriving lime production centre with kilns and up to 100 living there.
In 1910, it was purchased by Mr Buckley, before soon finding itself in the hands of the Gully family.
With its eight houses, Sotheby's International Realty say the island is ideally suited for hosting larger groups or retreats, and would be 'perfectly suited' for a boutique hospitality venture or a wellness destination.
Viewings start later this week for those lucky enough to be able to consider buying the island.