The Estate is located near the centre of the Cairngorm National Park one of the most fantastic areas of natural beauty in Europe. It extends some 6 miles along the south bank of the River Dee and some 5 miles at widest points southward towards Glen Muick. The B976 public road runs through the Estate parallel to the River Dee which together with a secondary public road and a good network of internal farm and hill roads allow easy access to all parts of the Estate.
A plan showing the extent of the whole Estate can be seen in the OS Estate plan (PDF). Please note that this plan shows the Estate boundaries delineated red and there are 17 properties within those boundaries delineated red which have previously been sold off from the Estate and which are not included in the sale. The locations of those 17 properties are available with the legal documentation package.
There are 34 residential properties on the Estate included in the sale. Please see the Properties page for more detail.
Please note that Abergeldie Castle and surrounding polices and the Lochnagar Distillery are not included in the sale, nor is the Baron of Abergeldie feudal barony title. A plan showing the excluded Abergeldie Castle and Lochnagar Distillery subjects can be seen in the Castle and Distillery exceptions plan (PDF).
The plan for registration of the subjects of sale is available with the legal documentation package.
Abergeldie Castle and surrounding policies will reserve a) an unrestrictive right to use the existing water supply from the three water pots on Creag nam Ban and b) a right of access for forestry traffic from the track leading through Clachanturn to Easter Balmoral in both cases with all necessary rights to maintain same.
The soakaway for Abergeldie Mains, Farm and the Grieves House which are included in the sale presently discharge in the Hen Croft field in the Abergeldie Castle and surrounding policies land. Any right to continue same shall be limited to a period of one year after which time any such right shall lapse. The purchaser shall be under an obligation to create a new drainage system for Abergeldie Mains, Farm and the Grieves House within the subjects of sale within said year.
The Lochnagar Distillery has a right to spread stillage on those parts of the Estate shown in the spreading area plan (PDF). Rights will be reserved in that respect in favour of the Distillery and to use the burn, lay a pipe, extract water and discharge same along with all necessary rights of maintenance and of access over the whole Estate roads both for the existing period of lease and any continuation and there will be restrictions on any action or development that might contaminate the water.
The Estate is sold subject to all existing servitude and wayleave rights, including rights of access and rights of way, whether public or private. The property is also sold subject to the rights of public access under the land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The purchaser will be held be satisfied as to the nature of all such servitude rights and others following their solicitor’s examination of the title deeds.
The low ground IACS registered farmland on the Estate extends to approximately 620 acres (which excludes some registered parcels of woodland) as shown in the 52.6.2 Field Identification location map (PDF) and 52.6.1 Field Identification location list (PDF).
All land is in grass and is farmed in-hand. The grass is regularly re-sown and is in good condition. The main home farm is at Abergeldie Mains with other land being located near Lochnagar Distillery and at Clachunturn, Tornuaran, Balnacroft, Dalraddie, Mill of Cosh, Girnock and Polhollick.
The Estate farming enterprise currently comprises a herd of 120 suckler cows and the land is well suited to livestock production and capable of carrying larger numbers of stock. Most fields are stock fenced. Much of the land is ploughable and could be planted with commercial crops. Access to the low ground is via the public road or good internal tracks.
The majority of the farmland is classified as Grade 4(1) or 4(2) according to the James Hutton Institute Land Capability for Agriculture plans with some outlying areas as Grade 5 or 6. It ranges in altitude from 260m by the River Dee to around 350m at Bualteach. Soils are primarily humus iron podzols and mineral alluvial.
Lochnagar Distillery spreads the effluent from the Distillery operations on the farmland which provides a good source of fertiliser and also an annual payment to the Estate of £6,760. A copy of the Agreement in this respect is available with the legal documentation package.
The farmland falls within a Less Favoured Area (LFA) and the Estate claims under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS). The farmland is registered for IACS purposes and claims Basic Payment Entitlements (BPE). The BPE may be included in the sale.
Farm Buildings – the main farm steading is located at Abergeldie Mains on the south side of the B976 opposite Abergeldie Castle. The buildings comprise:-
The purchaser may, in addition to the purchase price, be obliged to take over and pay for at valuation all sileage on the Estate at the date of entry. The grain silo and grain bruiser are the only items of equipment included in the sale.
There are 34 houses and cottages on the Estate of which 22 are let and 12 are currently vacant. Details of the accommodation of the properties and vacant/lease position can be seen on the Properties page.
A copy of all existing Leases for the above properties and EPC’s are available with the legal documentation package.
3 of the 34 properties are in an uninhabitable condition and those along with other properties requiring modernisation provide an opportunity to develop a diverse and flexible portfolio of properties to compliment the numerous possible developments at the Estate.
All of the let properties are let unfurnished and no moveables in any of the let properties are included in the sale.
This site is located around the Girnock Burn and comprises an area of ground that contains some aged timber sheds and some fish traps installed over the burn. The site is leased to the Scottish Government Freshwater Fisheries Department for salmon monitoring. The lease commenced in 1976 and now runs on a year to year basis with the current annual rent being £4,500. A copy of the Lease in this respect is available with the legal documentation package.
These are two former community halls located in the respective villages. Both are leased for storage purposes on leases that run year to year for peppercorn rents.
This is a former mill building located behind Mill of Cosh Farmhouse which is currently vacant.
A few disused steadings in the Estate which may be suitable for development subject to obtaining all necessary permissions.
The sporting rights are subject to a lease granted to the neighbouring Balmoral Estate in 1999, now running on a year to year basis until May 2022. The annual rent payable is £40,000. A copy of the Lease in this respect is available with the legal documentation package.
The Estate includes salmon fishing rights on the River Dee providing good sport for salmon and sea trout. The fishing is not run on a commercial basis by Balmoral Estate and there is scope for developing the River Dee fishing and also the stunning 10 acre Loch Ullachie.
The main area for stalking lies to the south of Lochnagar Distillery up the Scarnach Road and down towards Glen Muick and along to Girnock. It is a good hind wintering ground and the hinds come down and feed at Buailteach and Loinveg. There used to be good stalking on the Estate with ponies bringing in stags and birds up the Scarnach Road and back to Girnock. As with the fishing, the stalking is not run on a commercial basis by Balmoral Estate and there is scope for development. In particular Roe stalking could be substantially developed in the flat land and afforested areas.
The Estate has a five-year average annual cull of 75.6 stags. A summary of the sporting returns provided for the Estate is:-
Although no returns have been provided for the Estate, with its gullies, ridges and undulating terrain all easily accessible, the Estate also offers opportunities for grouse and pheasant shooting and wildfowling.
The seller sees further afforestation and carbon capture potential as the main attraction for a purchaser of Abergeldie Estate.
At present the Estate has approximately 2,683 acres of woodland divided into 19 different areas. The woodlands have been mostly established since 1950 and many areas have been planted by the current owners. The woodlands are predominantly made up of Scots Pine with some areas of European Larch and Sitka Spruce and smaller areas of Silver Birch, Rowan , Oak and Hazel which offer cover and shelter for the farming and sporting enterprises. The density is generally high.
There are beautiful areas of Old Scots Pine with different age spans at The Knock, the tops of Creag nam Ban and Creag Ghuibhais, behind Lochnagar Lodge by the Distillery and above Littlemill.
While some of the plantations were grant funded, there are no remaining grant payments to be made in relation to existing or established woodlands.
The Estate has considerable further woodland creation potential on both low and hill ground. A large proportion of the Estate is identified in the current Forestry Grant Scheme as a target of the Cairngorm National Park Woodland Expansion area with climatic site suitability as very suitable or suitable for planting native woodlands within the Cairngorm National Park.
Details can be seen by searching on the Scottish Forestry Map Viewer:
- for the postcode AB35 5SY
- By selecting the FGS Target and Eligibility Area - FGS Target CNP Woodland Expansion Area
- Or by selecting FGS Climatic Site Suitability - various tree species
Based on current grant rates a planting project could achieve a substantial grant income. A full site survey would be required to identify this afforestation potential more accurately along with any constraints such as archaeology, peat depth, vegetation, soil conditions, local breeding birds and preferred fence lines.
Newly planted woodlands are also eligible to enter into the Woodland Carbon Code. This allows the owner to sell carbon credits accrued during the lifetime of the woodland. An average native woodland can sequester approximately 350 tonnes of CO2/ha. Such a scheme over its lifetime could generate considerable carbon capture.
There may also be a further opportunity for peatland restoration on the hill ground which again could be registered on the peatland carbon codes and the associated carbon credits sold.
Survey and feasibility work would be required to identify suitable sites for such schemes.
Whilst there are a number of telephone lines, pylon lines and electricity distribution lines crossing the Estate there are no wayleave payments of any significance.
There are no employees of the Estate which the purchaser will be obliged to continue the employment of in accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE).
The Estate lies within the Cairngorms National Park. The Estate is also subject to the following environmental designation:-
The Estate is great for wilding and includes designated areas of Old Scots Pine and outstanding flora and fauna and wildlife including Capercaillie. Aspen and Birch woods show the good Estate foundation for native species. The Estate also includes a number of listed buildings as follows:-
The moorland stretches from Lochnagar Distillery up the Scarnach Road and down towards Glen Muick and along to Girnoc in a picturesque landscape often set against the iconic backdrop of Lochnagar.
The mineral rights insofar as the seller has right thereto together with all standing and fallen timber are included in the sale.
By mutual agreement.
While these particulars give a fairly detailed description of the Estate, further information on certain matters will be made available in the legal documentation package to parties who have viewed and formally expressed their interest. Details on how to access this are available from the selling agents.
These are based on the Ordnance Survey and are for reference only. They have been checked and computed for the selling agents and the purchaser shall be deemed to be satisfied as to the description of the property and any error or mis-statement shall not annul the sale nor entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof.
Any offer by a purchaser who is resident outwith the United Kingdom must be accompanied by a guarantee from a banker who is acceptable to the sellers.
It is intended to offer the property for sale as a whole but the seller reserves the right to divide the property into lots, or to withdraw the property or any part thereof from that detailed herein.
Council Taxes and all other outgoings and income shall be apportioned between the seller and the purchaser as at the date of entry.
Photographs depict only certain parts of the property. Nothing within the particulars shall be deemed to be a statement as to the structural condition, nor the working order of the services and appliances.
These particulars shall not be binding on the seller whether acted on or otherwise, unless the same is incorporated within a written document, signed by the seller or on their behalf, satisfying the requirements of Section 3 of The Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995.
A Closing date may be fixed. Prospective purchasers who have notified their interest through solicitors to Fraser & Mulligan, in writing, will be advised of a closing date, unless the property has been sold previously. The Seller will not be obliged to accept the highest, or indeed any offer and has the right to accept an offer at any time or withdraw the property from the market. The Seller will not be liable for any costs incurred by interested parties.
Formal offers in the acceptable Scottish form should be submitted to Fraser & Mulligan, 1 Carden Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1UT.
Details prepared August 2021. Photos taken by Ray Smith 2021.
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