Canadian family buys Skye's 20,000-acre Sleat Peninsula

A Canadian family have bought Skye's 20,000-acre Sleat Peninsula and the historic estate's ruined Armadale Castle.

The properties had been marketed separately, with the peninsula's South Sleat Estate on the market for offers over £6.7m and the castle and its grounds for offers over £2.7m.

The sale involved historic lands of the Clan MacDonald.

The Hutchison family said they were proud members of the clan and recognised the "unique cultural significance" of the estate.

The South Sleat Estate is mostly used by tenant crofters and farmers, and has a history as a game shooting estate.

But the sale came as a surprise to people living in the south of Skye, and some criticised the lack of community involvement in the decision.

A protest against the sale was held by islanders in Armadale in March.

The properties reached a closing date in August, and selling agents Strutt & Parker said at the time there was "significant interest" in the properties.

The Hutchison family said it had a portfolio of investments and holdings around the world, adding that heritage preservation and working with communities were at "the core" of its activities.

Through their company Armadale Estate Ltd, they said they would support the estate's crofts while protecting the castle's gardens and the wider natural environment.

They said they would work with the estate's former owners, the Clan Donald Lands Trust (CDLT), to help it move its Museum of the Isles to a new location.

In a statement, the family's Annelise Hutchison said: "We are pleased to be working closely with the Clan Donald Lands Trust during this important period of transition.

"It is a privilege to take on the responsibility of caring for these historic estates, and we are committed to ensuring that their heritage, landscape, and community remain at the heart of all future plans."

Ranald Macdonald, chairman of CDLT's trustees, said the trust wished the Hutchisons the best for the years ahead.

He added: "We see this as the start of a lasting friendship rooted in shared heritage and an enduring legacy, helping to shape a sustainable future for South Sleat and Armadale, and celebrating the Clan Donald story as it continues to inspire for generations to come."