Uninhabited island made famous by the BBC reality series is in ‘safe hands’ after being sold to a family on neighbouring Harris
The uninhabited Hebridean island of Taransay, made famous by the reality television series Castaway, has been sold to a local family only a fortnight after going on the market for £2m.
Taransay, with its herds of sheep and wild deer, as well as cottages and a bunkhouse, was put up for sale late last month by owners Angus and Norman MacKay, brothers who live on the neighbouring island of Harris.
Taransay is one of the largest islands in Scotland left wholly in private hands. It was made famous by the BBC series Castaway in 2000, and has lochs “teeming” with trout, “first-class” coastal and sea angling and abundant deer stalking.
The island, one of the least spoilt and most beautiful places in the Western Isles, appeared to be a perfect purchase for a rich buyer interested in country pursuits. But instead it has been snapped up by another family on Harris. They are friends of the MacKays and already have “a long association with Taransay”.
John Bound, from the selling agents CKD Galbraith, said the new owners – who have not been named – had no plans to change Taransay’s current use, mainly for self-catering holidaymakers and sheep farming.
“Given its exceptional beauty and outstanding setting, it was no surprise that Taransay attracted so much interest and been sold in less than two weeks. The existing owners know the purchaser and all involved are delighted with the outcome and the island passes into safe hands,” Bound said. “There will no doubt be a number of disappointed parties who would have liked to bid, but it is fitting that Taransay is now in the new ownership of somebody closely acquainted to the area who will preserve the current management of the island.”
The best-known castaway, the television presenter Ben Fogle, said on Twitter he was “gutted” by the sale of Taransay. Fogle, who has already tried but failed to buy Hebridean islands, had been fund-raising to buy Taransay and said he had reached £1.5m.
In his Twitter feed, Fogle said: “Gutted. It feels a little like being dumped. I was up to £1.5m too and working with the West Harris Community Trust. My thanks to you all.” And: “Taransay Isle sold to private landowner. Bitterly disappointed and sad as I hoped to help buy it for the local community. At least I tried.”
The island, which is effectively two smaller islands connected by a sandy isthmus on the edge of the Atlantic, comprises about 3,445 acres. Unusually, every part of the island and building is owned solely by the new buyers, including a recently upgraded farmhouse, the old school chalet and a bothy for holiday use.
The BBC series transformed Taransay from a little-known holiday destination to one of the most recognised names in the Hebrides. Up to 9 million viewers watched for a year as an initial group of 36 “castaways”, including families with children, tried to survive unaided in the harsh landscape and grow their own food.
The film-makers refurbished derelict buildings, allowing the MacKays to turn the properties into holiday lets after the series ended. Their father, John MacKay, bought Taransay in 1967 for £11,000. It was once home to hundreds of islanders and three townships but has been uninhabited for decades.
Builder Alan Rowing on White Van Man
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011The banter in this sitcom about a painter and decorator and his assistant is quite true to life, finds builder Alan Rowing
I did laugh a few times while watching this sitcom, about a guy called Ollie (played by Will Mellor) who takes over his father’s painting and decorating business. Like me, Ollie drives a white van, though I’ve had lots of different coloured vans over the 40 years I’ve been a builder. The dashboard of his van is covered with litter – food cartons, bits of paper. Mine’s not quite as messy as that, but it’s getting there.
The banter between Ollie and his assistant, Darren, is quite true to life: we do like to have a laugh, and we’ve all got nicknames, though I couldn’t possibly divulge what mine is. But I’m not sure I’d take that level of lip off anyone I work with. The fact that Ollie’s living in his father’s shadow feels quite real, though. I work with my son, and I do always check up on what he’s doing.
In the second episode, a turf war develops between Ollie and some other builders. I have seen that sort of thing happen. I once worked in the north of England, doing shop-fitting, and it was pretty clear that they weren’t that keen on us southerners. There’s also quite a clash in London between British builders and those coming over from eastern Europe.
In one of the houses Ollie’s working in, a couple starts having sex while he’s there. I’ve had that happen a few times – you just have to pretend you can’t hear them. And I’ve also met quite a few old ladies just as eccentric as Irene, the woman Darren takes out from the old people’s home for a ride in the van. One 80-year-old woman I worked for was a complete alcoholic, and another had Alzheimer’s and would sometimes walk into the room stark naked. That wasn’t at all funny, though – just sad.
It is good to see a programme that shows a white van man as more than just someone who cuts you up on the road. I don’t think of myself, or other builders, as white van men, though – I tend to use that term for courier drivers, or people in hire cars. They’re the ones you want to watch out for.
White Van Man is on BBC3 on Tuesdays at 10pm.
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