River South Esk, Finavon, Angus

The subjects of sale comprise 2 miles of double bank fishing on the South Esk – a well renowned spate river in Angus. Finavon Castle Water provides a wide range of magnificent pools, with
huge variety for all levels of angler. The beat is subdivided into 2 beats – firstly Milton, upstream of Indies, the larger of the 2 beats that offers 16 pools of idyllic fly water from fast flowing
stretches in high water, to magnificent glassy pools. Under the current ownership there has previously been a suspension bridge that crosses the river between Castle stream and Craigo stream, providing a central crossing, which has allowed easy access to all pools. In lower water conditions, there are several places that provide easy wading to access the opposite bank, allow access to Tyndalls, Willows and the bottom of the Flats. The Milton beat has one of the most famous pools on the South Esk, Red Brae. Split into 3 parts, the neck, the wall and the tail, which is
referred to as ‘Kirkinn’. Known for its variety, Red Brae is known to produce some wonderful salmon and is relatively easy to fish, even for novice anglers.

Downstream of the Milton beat is Indies beat and, like Milton, it can accommodate 3 rods omfortably, with a further 9 pools to enjoy. The upper boundary of the Indies beat is the concrete
aqueduct footbridge which crosses the river between the tail of Beeches and the head of Haughs. The lower boundary is the tail of the House pool where Finavon Castle Water ends. This water provides a mixture of deep holding pools and smooth gliding pools which can fish well in both high and low water.

Indies has 2 well thought out crossing points, one being the aqueduct and the second being the ford across the river at the tail of Indies pool. Indies pool itself is the centrepiece of the Indies beat and is regarded as one of Finavon Castle Water’s finest
pools for both salmon and sea trout. The tail of Indies is excellent for salmon in spate and the run at the top of the pool has always been a great place for salmon or grilse throughout the season.
The lower section of the Indies beat is single bank only, although there is an informal arrangement with the proprietors on the north bank, in which they do not fish their bank for the stretch in question. In return, Finavon Castle Water has not fished the bottom pool of the beat, Breadalbane, although the ownership extends to the upper part of this pool, on the south bank. Any new purchaser will be able to fish from the south bank from the tail of the Tollmuir pool down to the House pool.

Historically the Finavon Castle Water beat has been fished by up to 6 rods, allowing each angler plenty of space and flexibility during their day on the river. The beat is currently let as two
separate 3-rod beats. Rods are available to rent through and from 16 February until 31 October. Although the beat attracts anglers from all corners of the globe, its accessibility – being a little over an hour and a half drive to Edinburgh and an hour to Aberdeen –
makes it particularly attractive to those interested in day tickets and groups of anglers from within Scotland.

Finavon Castle Water employs one ghillie serving the beat, who has been employed since 2013 and is both experienced and highly regarded by the vendors. The ghillie currently manages bookings
for the beat and can also provide tuition for guests that would like it. As well as the fishings, the ghillie is also responsible for the upkeep and aintenance throughout the beat. As an integral part of the beat, it is our clients preference for the ghillie to be transferred to the new owner under TUPE.

The Finavon Castle Water LLP
Legal Title to The Finavon Castle Water is held by the Finavon Castle Water LLP. This is a Scottish-registered Limited Liability Partnership with 3 Partners. The vendors are a couple who each own a 25% share in the LLP and an individual who owns the remaining 50%. Having enjoyed ownership of the beat for many years and invested significantly in both maintaining and improving it over many years, they are seeking a purchaser for
100% of the shares. One of the vendors will wish to reach an agreement with the new purchaser for the use of half of the fishings (3 rods) in certain weeks in the second half of the season when he is in Angus.

Further information about both the LLP and the Partners is available on request from the selling agents.

South Esk
Rising in the foothills of the Grampian Mountains, the South Esk flows through Glen Clova and into Cortachy, before meandering through Inshewan and Craigeassie before passing under the A90 at Finavon, down to Brechin and through Kinnaird before discharging into the tidal waters of the Montrose Basin. The catchment of the South Esk is 218 square miles and travels 49 miles from headwaters to the North Sea. The South Esk is
often cited as one of Scotland’s premier sea trout rivers and is a major draw for anglers around the country. The fishing season on the South Esk extends from 16 February until 31 October, plenty
of time to enjoy the abundance of sea trout and salmon fishing.

Fishing huts
Throughout Finavon, there are a total of 5 high quality fishing huts with 3 on the north bank and 2 on the south bank. The Milton beat has one fishing hut on the south bank, known as Red Brae Hut, located just upstream of ‘Red Brae’, with the
other known as the Milton beat treehouse on the north bank, located upstream from ‘Pheasantry’. The Milton beat treehouse is known as ‘David’s Tree House’ that has been renovated to a high standard and does include living accommodation, whilst also providing a perfect setting on the veranda to observe those fishing Pheasantry – a pool where fish have been known to rest.
The Indies beat has 3 additional huts, 2 on the north bank and one on the south bank, providing comfortable settings for anglers to enjoy their lunch in a wonderfully secluded setting. The 2
huts on the north bank are situated by Melgund and Indies pool, well positioned to enjoy the pools further downstream, such as Tollmuir and ‘The Steps’.

Riverbank and access
Included in the subjects of sale are approximately 72 acres of land, with 34 acres of mixed woodland species with additional land, providing an opportunity to erect temporary living accommodation, or glamping pods – subject to obtaining the necessary planning consent. Finavon Castle Water has well maintained access tracks, on both the north and south banks, allowing easy access for all anglers throughout both Milton and
Indies. There are 2 access tracks on the south bank, one from the village of Finavon that brings you to Tyndals, and another further east, bringing you to the beat at Alder Stream. The access north
is from the A90, through the Haughs of Finavon, bringing you to Haughs and Harry’s Bar – the start of Indies Beat.

Leisure and amenity
Water sports in the form of kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and inflatable rafting are alternative activities that are undertaken on the South Esk, where reasonable access to the
river is granted in favour of the general public in Scotland by law.

As with all rivers in Scotland, there is a generally respectful interaction between those enjoying these alternative activities and anglers, allowing both to enjoy their chosen pastime without
disturbance by the other.

Finavon Castle Water is located 5 miles to the northeast of Forfar and is easily reached via the A90. The beat is located between Inshewan, located upstream of Milton, and Careston located
downstream of Indies. The beat is located approximately 9 miles to the northeast of Forfar and 7 miles to the southwest of Brechin and is a short distance from the village of Finavon - known
for its picturesque surroundings and historical significance – characteristics that have transferred to the Finavon Castle Water.