Week 38 Upper Scone Salmon Fishings, River Tay, Perthshire PH2
Fixed Price £12,500

Overview

• Rural location
• Fishing

Tenure

Share of Freehold

Description

Two timeshare rods in perpetuity for Week 38 (early October) on one of the most favoured beats of the world-famous River Tay averaging 20 salmon/grilse for the week between six rods.

The Upper Scone Fishings
The Upper Scone Fishings comprise about 2 miles of single (left) bank fishing which is widely considered to be amongst the best fly fishing water on the Tay. The 10-year average for the beat is 182 salmon/grilse. The Upper Scone Fishings is split into two beats, each of which is about a mile long. The Upper Beat is called Pitlochrie and has 13 named pools whilst the Lower Beat is called Benchil and has 10 named pools.

A reciprocal agreement exists with the owner of the Benchil and Pitlochrie Fishings on the opposite bank. These beats are are also six-rod beats and the effect of the arrangement is that the Pitlochrie and Benchil beats are fished on alternate as double-bank beats giving the 6 rods on both banks of the river exclusive enjoyment of their fishing.

The Upper Scone Fishings include the following named pools of which the Pitlochrie pool has achieved legendary status due to its productivity:

- Pitlochrie Beat:
- Corner Pool
- Pitlochrie Pool
- Tail of Pitlochrie
- Dykeside
- Wash House
- Kirkie Stream
- Sluices
- Tar Tank
- Five Trees
- Cawnpore
- Woodside
- Minister's Pool
- Horsey

- Benchil Beat
- Skellie's
- Aitkenhead Pool
- Plane Water
- Shiplinn
- Toad Hole
- Long Shot
- Tail of Shot
- Ewe Lundy
- Little Shot
- White Craig

There are two ghillies in full-time employment both of whom make a significant contribution to the enjoyment and productivity of the fishings. In addition to their work assisting fishermen, the ghillies are responsible for the maintenance and repair of the riverbank and boats. The ghillies are jointly by the Upper Scone Timeshare owners and the owners of the Pitlochrie and Benchil beat on the opposite bank.

Vehicular access to Red Lodge on the Pitlochrie Beat existis and there is pedestrian access to the riverside at Benchil Beat from the public road close to the 'Tail of Shot ' pool.

The Season
The season on the River Tay opens on 15 January and ends on 15 October. The recent fishing records for Week 38 are as follows:

Year Salmon/Grilse
2010 26
2009 21
2008 23
2007 8
2006 10
2005 12
2004 43
2003 25
2002 15
2001 12
2000 20
1999 26
1998 19
3 year average 23
5 year average 20
10 year average 20
13 year average 21

Note: those are the catch records divided between all 6 rods on Week 38.

The cyclical calendar of fishing weeks for the Upper Scone Fishings are available on request from the selling agents. It should be noted that as Week 38 is the final timeshare week of the season, there are sometimes more than 6 days fishing available and occasionally less. For example, in 2010, Week 38 began on Monday 11 October and ran unitl the end of the season on Friday 15 October giving 5 days fishing. In 2011, Week 38 extends to Saturday 15 October giving all 6 days' fishing whilst in 2012, the season ends on Monday 15 October, giving 7 days fishing.

Situation

Situation
The Upper Scone Beat of the river Tay is situated close to the village of Stanley in an accessible location 6 miles north of Perth.

There are good travel connections to all parts of the country with a mainline railway station and connection to the national motorway network at Perth. Dundee Airport is 27 miles to the east and has regular scheduled flights to London city airport. Edinburgh Airport is 48 miles south and is within an hour's driving time under normal traffic conditions.

The River Tay
The River Tay is perhaps the most famous of all Scottish salmon rivers and is the largest river system in the British Isles. The river includes some of the finest salmon fishing in Scotland. It rises within 12 miles of the west coast of Scotland on the eastern slopes of the Argyll mountains. In all, it has some 2,800 square miles of catchment area with the main river itself flowing for 114 miles through some of the finest Highland scenery before entering the Tay estuary to the east of Perth. The rivers Tilt, Garry, Tummel, Lyon and Bruar join the Tay which meets the Isla, its main tributary (which has itself collected the Ericht, the Shee, the Ardle and the Dean Water from the vale of Strathmore)at Islamouth, three miles upstream of Upper Scone. The lower reaches of the Tay flow strong and deep and include many world famous beats including Upper Scone. The Tay has a spring run of salmon as well as a prolific run in the late summer and autumn. The autumn run, in particular, includes some very big fish of up to 30lbs every year with the occasional specimen even bigger than that.

Through the efforts of the Tay Foundation, there has been no netting in the Tay estuary since 1997.

Directions

Directions
From the Inveralmond roundabout on the A9 on the north western edge of Perth, follow the A9 north for about two miles. Take the exit signposted to Luncarty and Stanley and then follow the B9099 through Luncarty towards Stanley. On entering Stanley, after the sharp left hand bend in the road, turn right on to King Street signposted to the Stanley Mills. At the end of King Street, turn right and follow the road downhill towards Stanley Mills. On reaching the Mills, take the track to the left and follow this for about half a mile (passing Stanley House) to Red Lodge which overlooks the Tail of Pitlochrie Pool (see sale plan).