A SCOTTISH estate covering 20,000 acres which was once owned by one of the designers of the Forth Bridge has been put up for sale.

The Inverbroom Estate in the Highlands was previously owned by Sir John Fowler, most famous for the iconic rail bridge crossing over the Forth.

Speaking to The Herald, Patrick Porteous of chartered land and forestry agency Landfor said the estate represented an “outstanding opportunity” for potential buyers.

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He said it features “a traditional style lodge and cottages” as well as opportunities for “deer stalking, fishing, farming and great potential for native woodland and peatland restoration in one of the most spectacular areas in the Scottish Highlands”.

The agent added: “Inverbroom Estate lies just eight miles south of the well-known coastal town of Ullapool in the north west Highlands of Scotland.

“The estate commences at the head of Loch Broom, virtually at sea level, and extends down the highly picturesque Strath More valley towards the Corrieshalloch Gorge and out across a dramatic plateau to the stunning wilderness that surrounds Loch a’Bhraoin and the Fannich Mountain ridge at its highest point.”

The estate has been put up for sale as a whole at offers of more than £15,950,000.

The property agent added: "Inverbroom offers a great variety of game and sporting activities with excellent deer stalking, salmon and sea trout fishing on the rivers and brown trout fishing on the many lochs on the estate.

"For those who prefer more tranquil pursuits, there are some lovely riverside walks and pools for wild swimming and picnics. As well as some great hiking, Inverbroom is well positioned to explore all that the north west coast has to offer.

"Few Highland estates have such variety with the opportunity to significantly enhance the estate's biodiversity with further woodland creation and peatland restoration.

"The farm is currently managed on a contract farming arrangement and unusually there are no agricultural tenancies or crofts, simplifying the management of this classic west Highland sporting estate."

The agent also said: "There are two elaborately designed bridges on the estate that were built by Sir John Fowler, chief engineer for the Forth Rail Bridge construction, during his period of ownership on Inverbroom.

"The largest of the two is the Auchindrean Bridge which crosses the river Broom and is believed to have been built around 1870 and is A-listed. A more remote bridge crosses the river Cuileig gorge above a spectacular waterfall which is B-listed and also dates back to 1870."