This Easter, give the gift of a small Welsh island
In the heart of Eryri National Park, Ynys Gifftan is the very definition of privacy in natural beauty.
If you want to get away from it all, the uninhabited island of Ynys Gifftan on the rugged north Wales coastline certainly takes some beating.
Set within the Dwyryd Estuary in Snowdonia National Park, you can walk to the 17-acre private island from the mainland in about five minutes – but only if you time it right. For Ynys Gifftan can be reached on foot for up to three hours either side of low tide, according to Discovering Britain — it’s one of 43 unbridged tidal islands in Britain.
Reports suggest the island was in the hands of the Royal Family until the 18th century, when Queen Anne gifted the rocky outcrop to Lord Harlech. In a nod to its history, the island’s name means ‘Anne’s gift island’ in English. Ynys Gifftan is believed to have remained in the Harlech family ever since. Now, a new owner is being sought and Ynys Gifftan has been put up for sale, via Carter Jonas, for £350,000.
A view of the estuary, which you can walk over to the mainland should you need a pint of milk (and it's low tide).
This looks like a real off-grid adventure. For starters, Ynys Gifftan is not connected to electricity. And while mains water was connected in the 1980s, Carter Jonas does not know if it is still active. There are two buildings on the island. A stone farmhouse on the eastern shore, which is believed to have been derelict since the 1960s, needs ‘comprehensive renovation throughout’, says Carter Jonas.
The two-storey house comprises two reception rooms, a kitchen, bathroom, pantry, and a bedroom with an ensuite.
The estate agency describes it as ‘an exciting and rare opportunity for a purchaser to restore and enhance a characterful dwelling in an exceptional setting’ (subject to getting the green light on any necessary planning consents). There’s also a stone outbuilding next to the farmhouse that has the potential to be converted for storage or ancillary use.
Beyond the bricks and mortar, the land — rocky grassland and permanent pasture — would benefit from grazing and general land management, Carter Jonas advises.
The island is a stone’s throw from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Harlech Castle and Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, the Italianesque village of Portmeirion, and Royal St David’s Golf Club.
The main farmhouse needs a little bit of restoration work. Nothing that Kevin McCloud can't handle.
‘Ynys Gifftan presents a truly unique opportunity for a buyer who appreciates its exceptional location and potential,’ says Hugh O'Donnell, partner at Carter Jonas’ Bangor office.
‘We expect interest from buyers looking for an exciting lifestyle project in one of Wales’ most beautiful coastal landscapes or someone who is looking for their very own secluded haven.’
Ynys Gifftan is for sale with Carter Jonas. For more information and images, click here.
