Conservation charities have failed in their attempt to buy what they described as the 'wild heart' of the Southern Uplands. The John Muir Trust (JMT) and the Borders Forest Trust had hoped to purchase the Talla and Gameshope Estate.
After the 5,000 acre estate was put on the open market with an asking price of £1.1m, the two organisations launched a public appeal to help raise funds. However it is now understood that the charities have been outbid and that their “race against time” to save the heart of the historic Ettrick Forest, which once provided sanctuary to William Wallace and also Borders Reivers, has been lost. It is not yet known who the new owner is.
The remote Talla and Gameshope estate borders the Carrifran Wildwood and consists of 5,300 acres (2,150 hectares) of spectacular hill country, including the summits of Great Hill, Molls Cleuch Dod, Carlavin Hill and Firthhope Rig. Although the land has been over-grazed and tamed by human needs the conservation charities had high hopes that much of the biodiversity could be restored and that the area could have become an important wildlife habitat.
Stuart Brooks, chief executive of the JMT said: “This was an opportunity to do something special with a beautiful and unique piece of Borders land, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Our staff and trustees, along with colleagues at the Borders Forest Trust, worked incredibly hard and we are very disappointed not to have realised our vision for the estate.
“We understand there was a lot of interest and although we managed to gather enough resources to put in a very credible bid we understand we were just pipped at the post. We’d like to thank everyone who gave such a great show of support. We continue to keep an eye out for special areas of wild land that could potentially come under our care.”
At the launch of the failed bid, a spokesperson for the JMT said, “If our bid is successful we will work together to manage the property with the help of volunteers. The wild character of Talla and Gameshope is under threat from a number of potential developments. If we acquired the property, we would aim to protect the area from inappropriate developments that would negatively impact on the wild land area and its wildlife.”