For those who are keen fishermen, there is nothing better than a day on the river: peace and quiet, harmony with nature and a fair fight on one’s hands. But its getting the sport in the first place which is the troublesome part for many, and properties with fishing rights are few and far between.
Those whose love salmon adore Scotland, and will pay anything it takes for a week on a decent beat on The Tweed, The Tay or the Spey, the wide slow moving rivers which are home to the big fish. Property with exclusive fishing rights is of course rare, but a spectacular country house, currently on the market with Knight Frank fits the bill perfectly. Fowberry Tower is a spectacular Grade II listed residential estate bordering the River Till, a tributary of the Tweed, and exists in records as far back as the 13th century. It is built of local Doddington pink sandstone and has extremely interesting gothic interiors: the dining room and drawing room have been described as ‘probably the finest examples of Strawberry Hill Gothic in the North of England.’
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The house, within easy reach of both Newcastle and Alnwick, has 10 bedrooms, five reception rooms, four bathrooms and a listed stable block, as well as separate cottage, and sea trout fishing on the River Till which includes single bank fishing rights within the boundaries of the property. The owner of Fowberry Tower also has the benefit of two rods on an adjoining stretch which in total includes 2.5 miles of single bank fishing. For wildlife lovers the property also has thriving colonies of red squirrels. The guide price has been fixed in excess of £2.5m, for further information, please contact Savills on 01904 617 817.
Moving south into England The Hermitage Estate, is a classic small country estate covering 11.5 acres situated on the Crook O’ Lune near Lancaster. It is currently undergoing a transformation into six properties which will all have game fishing rights.
The original house is Victorian and was built in 1849 for a former Mayor of Lancaster, and, situated just four miles from the M6 at Lancaster, it has the advantage of being close to good transport links. The properties will all have bespoke interiors and have been designed by well known architect Martyn Coppin. Many original features of this fine country house have been retained in the development and separate access to all the residences has been assured.
Summertime sea trout fishing is the big sport here, and is managed to provide up to eight rods for residents and their guests (two four-rod syndicates) with up to four rods fishing on any given day – each syndicate being allocated three days fishing per week. A daily roster system will also be in operation for upper and lower beats designed so as to avoid overcrowding. For further information please contact Savills on +44 (0) 1904 617 818 or visit www.hermitageestate.com.
For those who can’t stretch to an entire estate, and might need to be slightly nearer to London, Wiltshire is well known for its chalk stream fishing and an unusual proposition has arisen here in the form of a ‘timeshare’ in a stunning property with fishing rights. A flat sum of £14,750 buys you two rods for one week per year for nine years with a week’s fishing (on a different beat each day) along the Nadder plus accommodation in a charming, and beautifully refurbished, old mill house. The mill house is also available, with fishing included, for weekly rentals all year round at varying prices depending on the season. For non-‘afishianados’, there is plenty to see and do in the local area, including Stonehenge, Wilton House, Stourhead and Longleat. For further information please contact Graham Waterton at Strutt and Parker on 01772 344 011.
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If the idea of timeshare doesn’t appeal Strutt and Parker are also selling rods on one of the best fishing rivers in England. The Timsbury Fishery comprises four individual beats providing fishing for two rods per beat over 1.5 miles of both the River Test and two carrier streams. Ownership of a share will entitle the shareholder to fish one rod per specified day on a single beat every fortnight within the season and the price, subject to negotiation, is likely to fall between £20,000 and £25,000. For further information on this please contact Strutt and Parker on 01772 344 011.
