Sitting in London on a warm summer’s day, it’s easy to fantasise about enjoying a slower pace of life somewhere else. Somewhere remote, perhaps, with private beaches and acres of space.
The Shetland Island of Vaila, Scotland, might be your answer. With its rugged cliffs, caves and pebble beaches, the entire island — complete with 17th century mansion — is currently on sale for £1.75 million.
Located at one of the UK’s most northerly points, Vaila is accessible by a 10-minute boat journey from mainland Shetland.
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“I can think of fewer nicer places in the world,” former poet laureate Sir John Betjeman once said of the island. He has a point. At 757 acres, Vaila has 6.5 miles of coastline, 142 acres of grazing land (there are 200 Shetland ewes for company) and 518 acres of wild heathland to the south of the island.
Whipped by the Norwegian and North seas, Vaila has a rugged landscape: green, rocky and weather-beaten, surrounded by inky blue water.
Read more: Evening Standard
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