A REMOTE Scottish island with 40 acres, free electricity and a seal colony is up for sale for half the price of an average London home.
The Holm of Grimbister, off the coast of Orkney, is on the market for the first time in 20 years, for just £300,000.
The island, once described as the “loneliest farm in Britain” also includes a one-bedroom cottage, as well as a mill and a stable.
Inhabitants of the Holm can reach the mainland by foot, via a seaweed covered causeway, or by car, when the tide is out.
Jamie Watson of Savills estate agents, who are marketing the island, said the property allowed a buyer to “get away from it all” whilst still being able to access amenities.
He said: “Attractions include seal colonies and a wonderful array of nature and wildlife.
“What makes this place special is that the usual drawbacks to island living, such as a lack of mains services, access only by boat or helicopter and then only in good weather […] simply don’t apply at Holm of Grimbister.
“It is only a short trip to Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall, which has all the modern conveniences required.”
The island’s remoteness was described dramatically in a 1948 magazine article.
The article stated: “In the Bay of Firth among the Orkney Isles is a speck of an island which is the loneliest farm in Britain.”
The name ‘Grimbister’ is old Norse for Grim’s Farm, and the land on the island is described by Savills estate agents as “arable”.
The land is currently well fenced into 9 separate enclosures.
The island was featured in the 1994 BBC television series ‘Island Race’ presented by Sandi Toksvig and John McCarthy.
In the show, the two presenters traveled Britain’s seas in a 1919 pilot cutter sailing boat, with one of their several stops being on the Holm of Grimbister.
The island also came to press attention in 2007, when it was discovered that a candidate for a seat in the Scottish Parliament was living there.
The 2001 UK census listed the island as uninhabited, but Mark Graham Jones, who was standing for the Conservative Party in the 2007 elections, listed his address as the Holm of Grimbister.
The cottage itself features a conservatory with views across the water on to the mainland, as well as a wood paneled living room.
