The lodge was built in the 18th-century, but this head of the sea loch has been inhabited for millennia. In the burn next to the lodge Viking artifacts have been found and, on Seaforth Island, the remains of an ancient crannog, or fort, are visible.

The traditional crofting way of life has been practised on the islands for almost 300 years and still provides a living for many inhabitants. The wool produced by the crofters’ sheep is the key raw material used in the production of the world-famous Harris Tweed.

The wildlife of the Outer Hebrides is diverse, including the Golden Eagle, the Great Northern Diver, the Corncrake, the Great Skua and the Golden Plover. Marine wildlife includes species of whale, porpoise, and dolphin. An outing on Loch Seaforth offers a good chance of encountering a school of porpoises in front of the lodge.

Red deer are plentiful, as are red grouse. In the winter, large numbers of woodcock stop on Lewis and Harris for a rest on their long migration from continental Europe to its coastal fringes.

Aline Estate has approximately 5 miles of coastline on Loch Seaforth; from there the estate stretches westwards towards the famous salmon and seatrout fishery of Loch Langavat, which forms the western boundary of the estate for a similar 5-mile stretch. Aline has several steep hills, on which challenging stalking is conducted.

In addition to the subjects of sale, the stalking rights over circa 4,500 acres of the neighbouring North Harris Estate are let to the current owners and can be assigned to the purchaser. This dramatic and remote landscape includes Clisham, which rises to over 2,600 feet (799 metres) above sea level, the highest peak in the Outer Hebrides, visible from the lodge.

Stornoway, the administrative capital of the island, is 23 miles to the north and, in addition to providing a good range of services and amenities (including a general hospital), provides daily scheduled flights to Inverness, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. The flight to Glasgow takes a little under one hour and it is therefore possible to reach the estate in about four hours from London. Stornoway airport also accommodates private aircraft.

For those travelling by car, one uses the car ferry service from either Ullapool to Stornoway or Uig on Skye to Tarbert. Tarbert is 13 miles and about 20 minutes’ drive from Aline and has services which include a grocery shop, post office, two hotels/restaurants, the Harris Tweed shop, and the North Harris Whisky and Gin Distillery.

In addition to the sport and activity that Aline itself has to offer, the Isle of Lewis and Harris has unique neolithic sites, extensive and pristine beaches including the world famous Luskentyre, and one can travel by boat to the archipelagos of Skye, St Kilda, and the Shiants.

As an all-round sporting estate, Aline offers salmon and sea trout fishing, red deer stalking, grouse shooting, and mixed wild game shooting for woodcock, snipe, wild duck, and geese.

The estate is among the increasingly rare selection of Scottish estates where, given appropriate conditions and a measure of luck, it is possible to achieve a “MacNab” of shooting a brace of grouse, stalking a stag, and catching a salmon all on the same day. This has been achieved on several occasions at Aline. The recent sporting records reflect that Aline Estate has been used mostly for family holidays with little commercial letting.

Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing Aline Estate includes salmon and sea trout fishing on several separate river systems. The salmon and sea trout fishery of Loch Langavat forms the western boundary of the estate for about five miles. This loch is one of the most prolific salmon fisheries in Scotland. The estate owns two boats, which are moored at Cahabrock on the eastern shore. The estate has the only vehicular access to Loch Langavat via a 4-mile hill track that begins directly behind Aline Lodge.For deer extraction as well as for fishing, this track is invaluable, providing access to a beautiful and secluded part of the estate.

Flowing into Loch Langavat at the southern end is the Langadale River, which is a spate stream. Aline has about one mile of the eastern (right) bank, which provides additional fishing, particularly towards the latter end of the fishing season in early autumn. In practice, as a result of the wealth of alternative fishing options at Aline, the Langadale River has been little fished in recent years.

At the northern end of the estate is the Kintarvie system, comprising the Kintarvie River which drains Loch Tiorsdam (pronounced ‘George-am’) and flows for about 1.2 miles to its estuary at Loch Seaforth. The river is a classic spate stream equiring good water levels to hold fish, and fishing best in dropping water following heavy rain. In addition to the river, Loch Tiorsdam which feeds the river can be productive from the bank and by boat.

The average fish caught in the Kintarvie system are grilse of 5lbs but, on occasion, fish of up to 10lbs are caught. Both salmon and sea trout run the system whenever water levels allow from late June onwards. Fishing by fly has been the custom under the current ownership.

To the south of the estate, and included within the subjects of sale, are the salmon fishing rights on the whole of the Scaladale River, which drains the North Harris mountains and flows for about three miles from Loch Vistem to the sea at Ardvourlie Bay. The river is fast flowing and runs through dramatic mountainous scenery. In a joint effort to improve the riverine habitat, Aline has recently planted over 12,000 trees along the banks of the Scaladale, in a grant project together with the neighbouring North Harris Trust.

The River Vigadale follows a steep and turbulent course for about a mile from the lochan of Loch Ruairidh to the sea about a mile from Aline Lodge. As with the Scaladale River, the Vigadale lies outwith the core estate with the salmon and sea trout fishing rights in perpetuity forming part of Aline Estate.

Aline also owns salmon fishing in the Red River, which runs partly within the estate and partly within the adjoining land owned by the Erisort Trust but, throughout its course, the salmon fishing rights belong to Aline. The Red River forms the headwaters of Loch Tiordsam and the Kintarvie system and is seldom fished, considered more a spawning sanctuary than prime fishing location.

Brown Trout Fishing and Sea Fishing There is good fishing for brown trout on Loch Aline, Loch Leithe, Loch Rathaid in the north-eastern corner of the estate together with the hill lochs close to the eastern shore of Loch Langavat. While most trout average two or three to the pound, several fish around the 2lbs mark have been caught in recent years, and in 1996 a brown trout of 10lbs 4oz was caught on Loch Langavat from the Aline Estate boat.

In addition to the freshwater fishing on the estate, there is excellent sea fishing available on Loch Seaforth and the open sea. This includes a variety of species including mackerel, codling, wrasse, and pollock. Crab and prawn potting is also a popular pursuit at Aline. The estate-owned boats include a 25-foot, 300 hp engine ocean-going Botnia Targa. It should be noted that, unusually for Scottish coastal estates, the foreshore contiguous with the circa 5 miles of coastline along Loch Seaforth forms part of the Aline Estate Title and is not owned by Crown Estate Scotland, as is customary.

Red Deer Stalking Aline offers classic island red deer stalking. On Aline itself, the majority of the stalking ground is southwest of the Loch Langavat hill road around Carn Liuthaid, Mullach Vigadale and Mullach a’Ruisg. The estate also conducts stalking on its 617-acre Seaforth Island. In addition, the estate has a lease of the stalking (for an agreed annual total of 20 stags) over about 4,500 acres of the North Harris Estate immediately to the west of Aline, belonging to the North Harris Trust. The current lease, which is assignable to the purchaser, runs from July 2023 to October 2029. As part of the agreement, the tenant is encouraged to achieve a target cull of 20 stags per annum. Stalking on Aline does not begin in earnest until September. Peak season is during the rut in the first half of October. The average weight of culled stags is about 86kg (13½ stones) and extraction from the hill is by ATV or Argocat. The recent stalking records for red deer on Aline Estate are as shown in the table of sporting records.

Grouse and Mixed Game Shooting Aline offers a variety of game shooting between 12 August and 1 February each year. In September, there is grouse shooting for small parties of guns over pointers. There are five recognised grouse beats on Aline. When grouse stocks allow, these beats will each be walked once. Unusually, this includes Seaforth Island in Loch Seaforth, which is reached by boat.

As on many moors, both in the Outer Hebrides and on the Scottish mainland, breeding conditions for several successive seasons have been inclement and shooting has therefore been deliberately light. Snipe are shot both on grouse days during the autumn and later in the season when woodcock is the prime focus. Following the arrival of the first flight of woodcock migrating to Lewis from northern and central Europe, woodcock shooting becomes the key sporting feature of the estate during the winter months. The open moorland is attractive to woodcock which can be shot over pointers. In the evening there is challenging flighting of woodcock as they make their way from the forest to the surrounding moorland. With so many lochs, lochans, splashes and pools on the estate, wild duck shooting is also a feature. Loch an Rathaid, close to the main road, which has been fed in the past, is well suited for dusk flighting during the autumn and winter. Duck species are mostly teal and mallard; with wild geese (mostly Greylags and Pinkfeet) being seen from time to time.

Built Property Aline Lodge is screened from the nearby public road by a stand of woodland. It has one of the most spectacular outlooks of any sporting lodge in Scotland looking south down Loch Seaforth towards the Sound of Shiant and the Minch. There is no road between the lodge and the sea, and the house’s garden policies lead directly to the shore. Originally built in the 18th century, Aline Lodge is a traditional Highland sporting lodge constructed with thick stone walls to protect from the wilds of the Hebridean weather. It was thoughtfully renovated and modernised in 2010, retaining its original charm and character whilst offering contemporary standards of comfort and amenity. With 3 reception rooms and 6 bedrooms (of which 4 are en suite), Aline Lodge can currently accommodate a house party of up to 10 people (plus a further bedroom dedicated to a cook/chef). Additional guests are housed in the 3 adjacent cottages. There is a large reception room, a study, and a dining room. One of the particular features of the house is the sunroom which maximises the views, while the billiards room and nearby sauna complex (with table tennis) offer entertainment in the evening. The gun and rod room with wood stove and seating is also a gathering point.

Laid out over two floors, the dimensions of the accommodation are as shown on the floor plans within the brochure. The services to the lodge include a mains water supply, oil-fired central heating, private drainage to a septic tank and mains electricity. Broadband internet connection is currently received via EE. With ample parking for several cars adjoining the lodge, the gardens comprise lawns fringed by mature trees and shrubs. An outdoor terrace enables al fresco seating during favourable weather. Aline Lodge has been used by the owners when in residence and not often let to holiday and sporting tenants. It is available to the purchaser with vacant possession.

Additional Houses/Cottages These are summarised as follows:

Keeper’s House Situated at the northern end of the estate overlooking the Kintarvie estuary, the keeper’s cottage is a bungalow of harled block construction under a pitched tiled roof. It is on a small hill facing due south and overlooking the A859 public road. The house has benefitted from recent improvements. It has 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, sitting room and bathroom over two floors. The cottage sits within an enclosed garden and is occupied by the estate gamekeeper under a service occupancy.

Tarbert and Clisham Cottages Situated a short distance from Aline Lodge, this is a semi-detached pair of traditional stone cottages which are harled and painted white under a pitched slate roof. Situated close to the shore of Loch Seaforth, the cottages face east towards the lodge and estate buildings. Both have been renovated and modernised during recent years to provide comfortable living accommodation. Tarbert Cottage, a few yards from the beach, has 2 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms. It is often let as a holiday cottage and is appropriately licensed as such.

Clisham Cottage adjoins it and has 2 bedrooms. The current owners have used it for overflow and for a seasonal ghillie. Both cottages have an area of enclosed garden to the rear and each is available to the purchaser with vacant possession.

Seaforth Cottage Also situated a short distance from Aline Lodge, even closer to the shore of Loch Seaforth, this is a single storey stone cottage under a slate roof, with a walled garden to the front. Seaforth Cottage possesses one of the finest views on the estate toward the sea, Seaforth Island, Mount Clisham, and the Eishken hills to the north. Renovated by the current owners, the accommodation includes an open kitchen, dining and living area together with a double bedroom. The cottage is used as overflow for lodge guests and is also offered for let as holiday accommodation. It is available to the purchaser with vacant possession.

Outbuildings The estate is well served with a range of functional outbuildings to support its present use as a traditional sporting estate.

These buildings are close to Aline Lodge and include:

• Large modern steel-framed general-purpose machinery and equipment storage shed built in 2009/10 featuring deer larder and chiller. • Modernised kennels for estate and guest dogs. • Large boathouse leading to concrete slipway providing access to Loch Seaforth. • Games room and sauna building with lofted former ghillie’s bothy above.

Seaforth Island Situated in the middle of Loch Seaforth directly opposite Aline Lodge, this uninhabited island extends to about 617 acres and rises to 217 metres (723 feet) above sea level. There is no jetty on the island and access is via the beach on the southeast shore. The island makes an enjoyable picnic outing; the estate also conducts shooting and stalking there.

Additional Assets Loch Seaforth Pier Fish Farm Servicing Site Situated about one mile northeast of Aline Lodge, this is a concrete and stone jetty with former workshop building/office unit, and extensive concrete apron and industrial scale pier. Access to the site is via a hardcore track leading for a third of a mile from the A859.

The workshop and office building are now redundant and that portion of the site no longer used. The pier is leased to salmon farming company Mowi Ltd for a 10-year term commencing July 2022. Income is also generated by granting access to a local seaweed harvesting company. A copy of the agreements and confirmation of the rental income is available on request from the selling agents.

Telecom Mast Situated on the east side of the public road just north of the Loch Erisort Woodland (which is independently owned and excluded from the subjects of sale) is a steel lattice telecom mast which is leased to Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd (CTIL) and generates useful income for the estate.

Solar Array A solar array on the roof of the modern general purpose shed generates annual income as part of the UK feed-in tariff scheme.

Peatland Restoration Potential With encouragement from NatureScot’s Peatland Action programme, the vendors commissioned a feasibility study to identify the extent of degrading peatland across the estate. The study was done during the autumn of 2023 by specialist peatland restoration consultancy, Caledonian Climate, and involved probing the peat to calculate depths. The feasibility study identified circa 1,497 acres (606ha) of degrading peatland divided among six different assessment areas across the estate. Three of the assessment areas were situated towards the northern end of the estate, with a further three situated around the central and southern parts of the estate. The study calculated that the total Cumulative Carbon Emissions Reductions (tCO²e) for a combined Peatland Code project at Aline Estate of all six individual assessment areas would be 76,131 tCO²e with a project length of 65 years.

Aline and an interested party commenced discussions about launching a peatlands restoration project. There appears to be the possibility of generating income for the estate in future, if desired.

Renewable Energy On the Isle of Lewis, there are a number of operational wind farms together with others atvarious stages of the planning and development process. Among the latter are the 25-turbine/165MW Uisenis Wind Farm on the nearby Eishken Estate and a circa 79MW scheme with up to 12 turbines on the adjoining Sobhal Estate Aline’s owners have been resistant to the approaches of wind farm developers because their priority has been enjoying the tranquillity and beauty of the estate. Notwithstanding this, the sellers acknowledge that potential future development of wind energy exists on the estate. In the consideration of offers to purchase the estate, they expect this to be acknowledged either by way of a premium which recognises the hope value for development or by way of a clawback agreement which enables the sellers to receive some financial benefit from a future wind development.

This property has 8202 acres of land.

Situation

Aline Estate is situated on the mountainous border of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides, 40 miles off the northwest coast of Scotland. The lodge sits at the head of Loch Seaforth, a fivemile long sea loch fringed by hills and cliffs and leading to the open sea. The views from the main house are dramatic, wild, and undeveloped.

Directions

From Stornoway ferry terminal head north on Matheson Road and turn right onto Macaulay Road at the roundabout. Take the next left signposted for Tarbert and the A859 and continue to follow these signs until you leave Stornoway heading south. Continue on the A859 for approximately 30 minutes (22 miles) until you reach the Loch Seaforth Viewpoint. Aline Lodge is located a short distance ahead on the left-hand side.

From Tarbert ferry terminal head north towards Stornoway for approximately 17 minutes (13 miles). You will see Loch Seaforth and island on your right-hand side. After the sharp right-hand bend at Bogha Glas, Aline Lodge is on your right-hand side below the road.