Donovan's Isle of Skye bolthole is up for sale at £435,000

Isle of Skye bolthole where Mellow Yellow pop star Donovan hosted George Harrison and Pattie Boyd is for sale for £435,000

  • The 18th Century Boathouse was converted by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan into a home in the 1970s
  • It has views across Loch Bay on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, to the islands of Islay and Mingay and North Uist
  • Donovan had George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd to stay at his home in a sheltered bay in 1971 

An Isle of Skye bolthole where Mellow Yellow pop star Donavan hosted George Harrison and Pattie Boyd is up for sale at £435,000.

The 18th century Boathouse, which Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan converted into a home in the 1970s, is on the shores of Loch Bay, on the Inner Hebridean island.

It has views across the loch to the islands of Islay and Mingay and the distant mountains of North Uist can be seen.

In 1971, Donovan had George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd to stay at his home in a sheltered bay on the Waternish peninsula surrounded by wildlife, which has a waterfall behind it. 

The Boathouse on Loch Bay (pictured) in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, where Mellow Yellow pop star Donavan hosted George Harrison and Pattie Boyd is up for sale at £435,000

The 18th Century Boathouse was converted by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan into a home in the 1970s. Pictured: One of the Boathouse’s two living rooms 

The setting is so tranquil and romantic that it was chosen for weddings and many couples have had honeymoons thereafter as it was used as a holiday let.

The three-bedroom house, which was originally part of the Waternish Estate, is on the market for offers over £435,000.

It is within walking distance of the nearest village, Stein, along the shore, and has safe mooring for boats.

Seals and dolphins swim in the bay and animal lovers can spot sea eagles, otters and rabbits in the surrounding area.

In 1971, Donovan had George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd to stay at his home in a sheltered bay on the Waternish peninsula surrounded by wildlife, which has a waterfall behind it

The sun-trap house has two sitting rooms, a large kitchen (pictured), a family bathroom, and one of the bedrooms has an en suite bathroom

The home is located just down the road from the Michelin recommended fish restaurant Loch Bay. 

The sun-trap house has two sitting rooms, a large kitchen, a family bathroom, and one of the bedrooms has an en suite bathroom.

Phiddy Robertson of Galbraith said: ‘This is a truly spectacular setting to enjoy a tranquil island lifestyle or to take advantage of the many opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, water sports, wildlife watching or wild swimming.

‘The Boathouse has been modernised sympathetically, retaining all the character of a traditional building and making the most of the lovely outlooks.’

Donovan’s life and times: Who was the Mellow Yellow pop star? 

Donovan Phillips Leitch, better known by just his first name, is a Scottish singer-songwriter who came to fame in the 1960s for his eclectic-folk style

Donovan Phillips Leitch, better known by just his first name, is a Scottish singer-songwriter who came to fame in the 1960s for his eclectic-folk style.

In 1966 he released his most well-known track Mellow Yellow, which was arranged by Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones and reportedly features Beatle Sir Paul McCartney on backing vocals, though not in the chorus.

The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, number three on the Cash Box chart, and earned a gold record award for sales of more than one million in the US.

Born on May 10, 1946, in Maryhill, Glasgow, Donovan began playing guitar at the age of 14 and first started gigging in St Albans, Hertfordshire, near to Hatfield, where his family moved in his youth.

He earned comparisons to Bob Dylan in the early stages of his career in the early 1960s and became friends with Rolling Stones multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones while recording in 1964.

By 1966, Donovan had immersed himself in jazz, blues and eastern music, collaborating with British composer John Cameron on tracks including Sunshine Superman. 

As one of the first British artists to adopt flower power from the US, Donovan would go on to become close friends with the Beatles in the latter half of the ’60s contributing the line ‘sky of blue and sea of green’ to Paul McCartney’s Yellow Submarine.

He developed interest in eastern mysticism and claims to have interested the Beatles in transcendental meditation.

In late 1967 Donovan contributed two songs to Ken Loach’s film Poor Cow, including the track Jennifer Juniper, which was inspired by George Harrison’s wife Pattie Boyd’s sister Jenny.

Donovan taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968, which the Beatles singer would go on to use on songs including Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Julia and Dear Prudence.

In the late ’60s during the height of his fame, Donovan lived in the Boathouse near Stein on the Isle of Skye and named his actress daughter Ione Skye when she was born in 1970, three years after his first child Donovan Leitch. 

He married Linda Laurence in 1970 and had two children with her Astrella and Oriole.

Donovan continued touring through the 20th century and last performed live in the UK in October 2020 at a socially-distanced gig at the Cadogan Hall in London.

 

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