Sale of a sporting estate in Highland Perthshire

A sporting estate has been brought to market by Savills, offering buyers the opportunity to acquire a property in a beautiful area of Highland Perthshire. Here’s what the agents have to say about it. 

Kinnaird Estate occupies an outstanding elevated position in the heart of Highland Perthshire, overlooking the Strathtay valley and framed by some of Scotland’s most iconic scenery. From the house and grounds, the landscape stretches towards the Atholl Hills, with Ben Vrackie, Schiehallion and Ben Chonzie forming a dramatic, ever-changing backdrop.

Despite its spectacular rural setting, Kinnaird is highly accessible, just seven miles from Dunkeld and around 62 miles from Edinburgh airport.

History

The origins of Kinnaird can be traced to the early 1600s, when the estate was held by the Stewart family. It later passed through several hands, including the Grant family, before being purchased in 1798 by Chalmers Izzet, an Edinburgh hatter, who began constructing the earliest part of Kinnaird House that stands today.

Kinnaird House

At the centre of the estate sits Kinnaird House, a handsome B-listed property with origins in the late 18th century. The house retains elegant Georgian proportions, with later additions enhancing its character and functionality. Today, it offers six principal reception rooms and seven bedroom suites, having most recently transitioned from a country-house hotel to a private residence.

The house is set within beautifully maintained grounds, including sweeping lawns, a gazebo, tennis court and productive walled garden, all surrounded by mature woodland with notable specimen trees and an impressive conifer collection.

The estate

Complementing the principal house is a high-quality portfolio of 11 estate cottages, many of which have been refurbished and upgraded, providing a mix of long-term tenancies and holiday accommodation. Across approximately 5,771 acres, the estate brings together rich riverside farmland, wooded crags, heather-clad slopes, open moorland and hill lochs.

As well as shooting, fishing is a standout feature, with Kinnaird benefiting from some of the most desirable beats on the middle Tay, including a picturesque stretch of the River Tummel. The Lower Kinnaird fishings provide about two miles of double-bank salmon fishing, while Upper Kinnaird fishings extend to a further two miles of productive double and single-bank fishing.

The fishing performs consistently well, with a 10-year average annual catch of 93 salmon and 15 sea trout. A recently renovated and extended fishing hut serves both beats.

Further fishing opportunities lie across three secluded hill lochs, two with traditional bothies, offering excellent brown trout and pike fishing in a peaceful upland setting.

The woodlands at Kinnaird are a striking feature of the estate, sweeping above the River Tay and shifting with the seasons. Extending to about 2,075 acres, they comprise a diverse, naturalistic mix of native woodland, commercial conifer crops and open ground, balancing amenity with productive forestry.

Luke French, director, Savills Rural, says: “Kinnaird is a rare Scottish sporting estate, bringing together scale, quality and variety in a way few can match.

“It offers a genuinely complete package: a beautifully positioned principal house, a residential portfolio and, above all, outstanding sport. What makes Kinnaird so compelling is the breadth and calibre of that sporting appeal, from its established low-ground shoot to highly regarded salmon fishing on the Tay, alongside stalking for red, roe and fallow deer.

Opportunities to acquire an estate with such a complete and high-performing sporting mix, combined with privacy and accessibility, are increasingly scarce.

“For me, though, it is not only the quality of the sport that sets Kinnaird apart, but the beauty of the setting, whether on peg, hill or river, and the sense of enjoyment it offers throughout the year. From spring salmon and roe-buck stalking to the excitement of the autumn season, Kinnaird has a rhythm and richness that make it truly special.”

Savills invites offers over £10.5m for Kinnaird Estate.

Kinnaird Estate, Dunkeld, Perthshire, PH8 0LB | Property for sale | Savills

Pictured: Luke French