It is one of Scotland’s most picturesque stretches of river with some of the best salmon fishing in Europe.
Featuring leafy embankments and waters brimming with otters, lampreys and beavers, the world-renowned River Tay is an angler’s paradise in the Scottish heartlands.
And now nature-lovers can secure their own private retreat on the river – for a cool £1.1 million.
Two “beats” – Dunkeld House Water and Newtyle Water – are being offered for sale in a rare opportunity to purchase the fishing rights to the section of river.
The beats, set on either side of the impressive seven-arch Thomas Telford Bridge in Dunkeld, Perthshire, are being sold by estate agents Strutt & Parker.
The picturesque fishing spot on the River Tay
Robert McCulloch, head of Strutt & Parker’s Estates and Farm Agency in Scotland, said: “There have been no prime stretches of the River Tay available for sale for a number of years and the market for rural assets and natural capital investment opportunities at present is buoyant.
“The combination of these two beautiful beats gives purchasers the opportunity to enjoy and earn income from the traditional sport of salmon fishing whilst celebrating and benefitting from the other leisure and recreational opportunities that ownership of this glorious stretch of world-renowned river provides.
“We expect a busy few weeks of enquiries after the sale is launched.”
One of the beats, Newtyle Water, comes equipped with a timber fishing hut, complete with a verandah and barbecue area, offering wannabe river owners the chance to relax and take in the majestic mountain view.
The Tay – the longest river in Scotland – also offers potential owners the chance to kayak, paddle board and canoe down their very own stream.
It is also home to some of the country’s rarest species, including freshwater pearl mussels.
However, it is salmon fishing that draws most visitors to the Tay.
The river is world-renowned for its fly fishing, as well as spinning and tactical boat sport.
It was also home to the UK’s biggest ever rod-caught salmon – a 64lb monster caught by Georgina Ballantine in October 1922.
Ms Ballantine was fishing with her father, a local ghillie, and took over two hours to land the fish, which was caught in the boat pool of the Glendelvine beat.
The prize catch was taken to Perth where a cast was made of the creature before it was gifted to Perth Royal Infirmary and eaten by staff and patients.
At the time, Ms Ballantine – who became the talk of gentlemen’s clubs up and down the country – writing in a local newspaper: “Once I struck the nail on the head by remarking that if I successfully grassed this fish he [her father] must give me a new frock.
“’Get ye the fish landed first and syne we’ll see aboot the frock,’ was the reply. (Nevertheless, I have kept him to his word and the frock has been ordered.)”
Experts believe the feat is unlikely to be matched as salmon tend to be much smaller in size now.
There is also currently a 100 per cent catch and release policy in place while the local fisheries board looks to tackle diminishing stock.
The land up for sale also includes one of Scotland’s oldest and most iconic trees – the Birnam Oak – thought to be one of the sole surviving remnants of the great forest which once straddled the banks of the River Tay.
The forest is referenced in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the section of the Scottish play when the branches of trees from great Birnam Wood camouflage the advancing army.
The bard is believed to have been inspired on a visit to Perth in 1599 as one of a troupe of comedians.
The tree, one a list of 100 Scottish heritage trees, has a hollow trunk and gnarled branches which now rest on crutches.
A short distance away, the neighbouring village of Birnam also has links to another famous author – Beatrix Potter.
While the writer is most commonly associated with the Lake District, the Perthshire town was a favoured holiday spot of Miss Potter.
It was in Scotland that she wrote a ‘picture letter’ which provided the basis for her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
While a later book – The Tale of Jeremy Fisher – features characters clearly based on her study and exploration of the banks of the River Tay.
Another famous title, The Tale of Mrs Tiggy Winkle, published in 1905, is also almost certainly based on the author’s old washer woman at Dalguise, near Birnam, Kitty MacDonald.
Anyone interested in enquiring about the sale should visit www.struttandparker.com/properties/river-tay.
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