1,841 glorious acres of pristine Scottish forest have come up for sale
With timber and forestry enjoying a boom, a rare opportunity has arisen in the Scottish Borders. Carla Passino takes a look.
'In my 28 years in the industry, I cannot recall a time when there has been so much demand for forestry and woodland.' So says Jon Lambert of Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, who are currently marketing a huge new forest for sale in Scotland called Ramsaygrain East Forests.
'The market continues to perform extremely well, with emand far outstripping supply and a seemingly insatiable appetite for timber.'
Buying forest has long been popular for all sorts of reasons: some emotional, some commercial, some to do with the various (if rather complicated) tax benefits that are attached to woodland. So those looking for an investment will likely be interested in this large tract of prime commercial forestry in the Scottish Borders which has just come to the market. The Ramsaygrain East Forests extend to 1,841 acres, for which Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group is seeking offers over £14 million.
Situated 12 miles from Hawick, these conifer forests, which are part of the Teviothead Forest Complex, comprise 92% Sitka spruce with some native broadleaves to boost biodiversity and add diversity to the landscape. The Sitka spruce are a mix of age classes, thus providing a regular income.
‘We are delighted to bring these outstanding forests, which include second rotation crops planted with improved seed stock, to the market,’ says Lambert.
'The results speak for themselves with exceptional growth rates and superb yields. They occupy a prime forestry location, benefitting from an excellent internal forest road network and access to major timber processors via agreed timber transport routes. From the road network to the youngest crops, The Ramsaygrain East Forests are of a very high calibre. I can’t think of a comparable forest in terms of age and quality.’
Goldcrest say they are 'expecting significant interest’ for what ‘a premier division property’. The Ramsaygrain East Forests are available as a whole or in three lots: the 369-acre Commonbrae, for offers over £2.5 million; 602-acre Ramsaygrain East, offers over £4.5 million; and 870-acre Rashiegrain, with offers sought over £7 million.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Credit: Savills
A charming former manse house in a vibrant Aberdeenshire village
Carpe Diem House brings together the best of modern living, period details and a private, verdant setting at the centre
Carla must be the only Italian that finds the English weather more congenial than her native country’s sunshine. An antique herself, she became Country Life’s Arts & Antiques editor in 2023 having previously covered, as a freelance journalist, heritage, conservation, history and property stories, for which she won a couple of awards. Her musical taste has never evolved past Puccini and she spends most of her time immersed in any century before the 20th.
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: A snob's guide to meeting your in-laws for the first timeThere's little more daunting than meeting your (future) in-laws for the first time. Here's how to make the right kind of impression.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
-
Farmers of Britain, go forth and grow prawnsA new study has proposed that farmers could start growing king prawns to diversify income streams.
By Julie Harding Published
-
'A masterpiece of timeless elegance' for sale on the charmed Surrey estate once owned by Henry VIII and the Guinness familyThe Manor House in Burwood Park is a grand, enormous and undeniably impressive. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A grand hall in Yorkshire with 400 years of historyCarlton Hall is a wonderful family home amid glorious gardens in a quaint village location. Penny Churchill looks inside.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Why don't more of us live in brightly coloured homes?It's not often that you see a home sporting the colour palette that you'd get if you hired a four-year old as your interior designer. But why not? The Blue House in Bethnal Green asks this and many more questions.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Five magnificent mansions, from a former monastery to an Art Deco wonder in the South Downs, as seen in Country LifeWonderful homes, including a superb beach home in Cornwall, all fresh on the market via Country Life.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A 14-bedroom 'miniature Downton Abbey' to call your own — and there's not a penny of Mansion Tax to be paidNorton Manor is an incredible period home that's on the market for £1.3 million.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The dream ski chalet for sale: Plan world domination and ski Japow at the same timeEach week, James Fisher fantasises about a dream ski chalet he'd like to buy, but can't — from architecturally striking marvels, to cosy mountain retreats, and everything in between. This week, we are off to the top of the Rusutsu resort in Japan.
By James Fisher Published
-
A country home that comes with a perfect lifestyle business: one of Britain's oldest vineyardsAstley Vineyard in Worcestershire, and the lovely house that it comes with, are looking for a new owner.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Magna Carta Island for sale on the Thames, complete with the stone tablet on which Magna Carta itself is said to have been sealedThis beautiful house on a private island on the River Thames isn't just a charming home — it's one with an extraordinary tale to tell.
By Toby Keel Published
