About this property
Logan Estate is without doubt one of the finest residential, agricultural and sporting estates in the south of Scotland, set within the productive lowland landscape of the Rhins peninsula. It is less than 3 miles, as the crow flies, from the coastlines of the North Channel and Luce Bay. Located within a Regional Scenic Area, the setting and scenery are stunning, with views of Northern Ireland to the west and the Machars peninsula to the east.
The estate extends to just over 1637 acres in total with Logan House at its heart. The agricultural landholding is managed in hand and extends to approximately 1158 acres, with a further 270 acres of woodlands managed for sporting and amenity purposes. Purchased by the current owners in 2002, Logan has proved to be a wonderful family retreat for entertaining, relaxation and the enjoyment of country pursuits.
The estate centres on Logan House, a Category A listed Queen Anne early classical mansion house, dating from 1702. Internally there are 9 bedrooms and 3 reception rooms with many fine features from cornicing and fireplaces as well as a wonderful sweeping, curved central staircase which extends from ground to second floor. The surrounding gardens envelop the property, providing perfect privacy and shelter, while preserving outstanding views east towards the coastline of Luce Bay. The grounds come alive in spring and throughout the summer with a stunning backdrop of rhododendron and azalea blossom which gives way to the cooling hues of a variety of trees as the season progresses. The garden boasts a variety of exotic plants which flourish in the warmth of the Gulf Stream and beautifully complement the displays within neighbouring Logan Botanic Garden (to which access for the owner of Logan House is freely permitted).
Garden – The gardens at Logan House extend to approximately 17 acres of rich woodland, rhododendrons and azaleas as well as many other plants native to regions throughout the world. It has developed over centuries thanks to the vision and ambition of various members of the McDouall family (who owned Logan for more than 700 years), most notably Kenneth and Douglas McDouall who, on inheriting their mother’s love of gardening, travelled the world in the late 19th century collecting plants from warmer regions and bringing them to Logan where they were able to flourish in the open air thanks to the mild climate. Extensive lawns are interspersed with ancient trees while a network of pathways leads to various areas of note providing a garden of good all-year-round interest, but with the greatest display of colour between April and August.
To the south of the garden is a wrought iron gateway to the original walled garden (now Logan Botanic Garden).
Sporting and Fishing – Logan is renowned for its high quality pheasant and partridge shoot which has been strategically planned using the estate topography and woodland placement to create a high quality driven shoot. In addition to shooting over Logan itself, there are a number of historical sporting leases across many former estate farms and landholdings which could be assigned to the purchaser of the estate.
Logan Loch also provides fantastic duck flighting and wildfowling. There are excellent opportunities for roe buck stalking between April and October.
During the current owners’ 22 year stewardship the primary focus has been providing driven pheasant shooting of the utmost quality which has provided a generous income to the estate from an established client base. There is a full time gamekeeper who manages the shoot and provides single, double and treble let days of mixed pheasant and partridge days of 150-300 birds per day.
In addition to the salmon fishing rights, the salmon netting rights in Luce Bay off the eastern boundary of the estate are also included in the sale, although not exercised in recent years. The waters off the west coast of the estate offer the potential for sea fishing. The long sandy beach running in an arc from Port Logan to Port Logan Fish Pond is the perfect place for impromptu barbeques and family picnics as the sun goes down on the long summer evenings.
Local information
- Dumfries and Galloway is the most southerly region in Scotland, providing the gateway to both England and Northern Ireland. The region incorporates the traditional counties of Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire, the former two being collectively known as Galloway. It has a rich history in agriculture and forestry, covering a magnificent landscape stretching from the western and southern coastlines to the southern upland ranges of hills including the Merrick and Cairnsmore of Fleet.
- Logan (meaning “hollow”) is situated on the productive Rhins of Galloway peninsula, the most southerly part of Scotland which is renowned for having a mild and favourable climate (warmed by the Gulf Stream); this is evident from the wide range of flora and fauna supported at Logan and elsewhere on the peninsula.
- Stranraer (13 miles) is the main town in west Galloway and provides a range of business services, supermarkets, shops, local community hospital, marina, leisure facilities, primary and secondary schooling and a railway station providing services north to Ayr (63 miles) and Glasgow (99 miles).
- Ferry services to Northern Ireland (Larne and Belfast) operate from Cairnryan, only 6 miles north of Stranraer. In addition to the train and ferry links at Stranraer and Cairnryan, the nearest international airports are at Prestwick (72 miles) and Glasgow (104 miles). Prestwick has regular flights to a number of European destinations and can also be used for chartering private jets. The A75 and A77 trunk roads are accessible from Stranraer and provide easy access to Glasgow, Carlisle (110 miles) and Edinburgh (144 miles).
- Dumfries and Galloway is an ideal destination for outdoor adventures and Logan is a natural base from which to explore the beautiful countryside and coastline that the area has to offer. The Southern Upland Way (a 212 mile coast-to-coast route) runs from Portpatrick on the west coast of the Rhins peninsula to Cockburnspath on the east coast of Scotland. Portpatrick itself is a bustling village port, immensely popular with locals and tourists alike having a range of hotels, restaurants, golf course and tourist attractions. Highlights of the calendar year include the annual Lifeboat week in summer and the Folk Festival in September. Other local attractions include the Stranraer Oyster Festival and the Wigtown Book Festival, both held annually in September. To the north, Ayr racecourse hosts the Scottish Grand National in April and the Ayr Gold Cup in September.
- Further outdoor pursuits including mountain biking are available in the Galloway Forest Park within close proximity to Newton Stewart. Galloway Forest Park covers a vast and sparsely populated landscape stretching to the north and east and was the first ever place in the UK to be awarded official Dark Sky status.
- There are a number of local golf courses at Portpatrick, Stranraer and Glenluce and more famously Turnberry (48 miles), Prestwick and Royal Troon (72 miles) which have all hosted The Open Championship.
- For sailing enthusiasts, nearby Loch Ryan is being repurposed as a distinctive and successful marine leisure destination. There is a marina at Stranraer with a quay and a finger pontoon for smaller recreational craft. Loch Ryan is a sheltered sea loch located at a convenient sailing crossroads giving access to the Clyde, the Solway, Isle of Man and the North Channel and beyond to the Irish Sea. Loch Ryan Sailing Club (LRSC) is the local sailing club for Stranraer and surrounding areas. Here you can make full use of the facilities with training, boat and equipment hire and safety cover all provided. Stranraer Water Sports Association also provides many water-based activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, power boating, sailing and coastal rowing. In 2019 Stranraer was chosen to host the World Championship for the St Ayles Skiff class of coastal rowing boats.
Additional information
- Farming – The farmland extends to approximately 468 hectares (1158 acres). It forms an enviable quantum of lowland ground which is predominantly Class 3 according to the James Hutton Institute Land Classification for Agriculture maps, capable of producing consistently good yields of cereal crops and even potatoes. It currently supports a predominantly arable and livestock grazing regime. The altitude ranges from 10m to 65m above sea level.
- The estate is farmed in-hand on a contract farming and agistment basis with three local contractors. The principle crops grown are winter and spring cereals, maize, potatoes and silage, with dairy heifers utilising grass parks.
- Logan Mains provides a base for the farming enterprise, where there are a range of traditional and modern farm buildings.
- The farm qualifies for and benefits from Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) in addition to Basic Payment Scheme receipts.
- Extending to approximately 109 hectares (270 acres), the estate woodlands provide shelter, privacy and amenity to Logan House and the farmland as well as being integral to the shooting enterprise. The woodlands are a diverse blend of native mixed broadleaves and commercial coniferous plantations.
- This part of Scotland is well suited for both native woodland creation and also conifer production. The region has some of the most productive timber forests in the UK, thanks to excellent climatic conditions with a long growing season and good soils for tree growth. The A716 and A75/A77 are agreed timber haulage routes and provide convenient access to a range of state of the art mills and timber processing facilities throughout southern Scotland and northern England. There is considered to be significant scope at Logan for native woodland planting which can generate woodland carbon credits which would provide future opportunities for carbon off-setting (either in house or to sell on to third parties).
- Estate Dwellings/Residential Portfolio – In addition to Logan House there are six residential properties located across the estate. The properties range from a handsome stone built farmhouse at Logan Mains to charming detached and semi-detached cottages within picturesque rural settings and a terraced cottage located in Port Logan village.
- Commercial Properties – There are some smaller properties let on a commercial basis. Most notably there is Logan Fish Pond which is let out and managed as a tourist attraction. Constructed in 1788 by the then Laird Colonel Andrew McDouall, a natural blow-hole in the rock was exploited as a larder to provide fresh fish for Logan House (which is connected to the shoreline in this vicinity by a woodland walk). The round pond was scoured from the surrounding greywacke coastline and is 9 foot in depth (measured from the circular walkway around it), enclosed by a castellated stone wall and stocked with sea fish. An inlet below the level of the tidal waters ensures that the pond does not dry out. The adjacent fish keeper’s cottage gives access to the pond as well as a small information centre and shop.
- Further small commercial lets include the Port Logan Shed (situated in the village), Port Logan Picnic Area which overlooks the beach and pier in the village, and New England Picnic Area which overlooks Luce Bay.
- Foreshore and Beach – Port Logan Bay, together with its pier and lighthouse and over 2 miles of craggy coastline with occasional sandy beaches, forms the western periphery of the estate.
- Barony Title – Logan Estate historically included the feudal Barony of Logan which was granted to John McDouall by Crown Charter in 1594 and may be available for purchase along with the Estate.
- Directions: Logan Estate is located in southwest Scotland, and can be accessed easily from the north and south. From Glasgow, head south on the M77 towards Ayr, thereafter continuing along the A77 to Stranraer. From Stranraer town follow signs for the A77/A716 which passes through Stoneykirk, Sandhead and Ardwell villages, before the entrance to Logan arrives on the right hand side (1.7 miles south of Ardwell village). From the M6/M74, take the A75 at Gretna and follow past Glenluce village. Take a left hand turning for the B7084 signposted to Portpatrick and Drummore. Continue on until the B7084 turns to the left (signposted Drummore). Follow this road to the junction with the A716 just on the edge of Sandhead. From here follow the A716 through Sandhead and Ardwell villages, with the Logan entrance being on the right hand side 1.7 miles beyond Ardwell. The postcode for satellite navigation purposes is DG9 9ND. what3words: runner.access.truck
- EPC Rating: F
