Puffin Croft
John O' Groats, KW1 4YS
A unique lifestyle property combining a family home, established visitor
attraction and hospitality business in the Highlands of Scotland.
Freehold. Sold as a going concern. By Private Sale.
OITRO £400,000
Set on approximately one acre at the very edge of mainland Britain with views over the Orkney Islands, Puffin Croft offers a rare opportunity to embrace a richer way of life — one rooted in community, nature, and the rugged beauty of John O' Groats.
This is more than a home. It's a lifestyle.Puffin Croft is offered as a going concern, allowing a new owner to step directly into an already established, fully operational business with loyal customers, strong visitor numbers, and multiple income streams, whilst providing plenty of opportunities for further growth and development.
The Farmhouse and B&B
The farmhouse balances rustic charm with modern comfort. A log burner in the living room and the kitchen's log‑burning stove (2019) adds to the cosy Highland character. There is also an air‑source heat pump installed in 2019 and a new front door fitted in 2024.The property consists of 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large kitchen diner, living room, bakery, pantry and living room.
Outside there is a private garden with well established shrubs, willow and fruit bushes and trees. At the front of the farm there is a large car parking area used also by visitors to the farm with spaces set out for 8 vehicles including a disabled parking space.
The house is currently divided into two halves via a doorway that locks on the owner side separating the B&B side from the owners living quarters. On the owner side is one bedroom, bathroom with bath and separate shower, kitchen diner with Belfast sink and an antique pine dresser, pantry, bakery and living room. The attic hatch is located in the kitchen with space above to convert into another room subject to planning.
The guest accommodation is full of charm, with B&B rooms that feel both private and connected to the wider croft with solid oak doors and new carpets (2019).The B&B has its own separate entrance and has 2 bedrooms upstairs with a shared bathroom and the breakfast room downstairs (formerly a bedroom). The B&B is currently open from March to the end of September with an 85% occupancy rate. Listed on; Booking.com with a score of 8.9, Airbnb where it enjoys super host status and via Puffin Crofts own website offering the most competitive pricing.
STL License for the B&B: HI-00604-F
Recent Reviews:
The Farmhouse
The B&B and Garden
The Petting Farm: A Popular Visitor Attraction on the NC500
At the centre of the croft is the much‑loved petting farm, ranked No. 3 on TripAdvisor for things to do in John O' Groats. Families, travellers, and locals alike can feel how special this place is with friendly animals who love to interact with everyone.
Visitor pathways are laid to gravel, with safety signage, bins and hand-washing facilities available. There are two picture boards for photo opportunities as well as benches to sit and rest in the courtyard.
There are several traditional large stone barns, one where work benches, shelving, feed bins and tools are located and the others used for animal housing. In addition, a collection of wooden outbuildings with solid stone floor and box profile roofing, most built within the last 6 years offering flexible spaces for livestock, storage, workshops or other creative projects.
Opportunities exist for additional animal experiences, educational visits & children's parties etc.
Entertainment license for the petting farm: C/PE/126
Animals included in the sale:
2 donkeys 2 ponies
6 pigs 16 rabbits
8 sheep 7 goats
2 guinea pigs 2 geese, 3 ducks and approx. 10 chickens
Recent Google Reviews:
Petting Farm & Barns
Farm Shop
The refurbished farm shop (2021), in a traditional stone outbuilding, complete with its own log burner (2022), is ready for trading — whether that's local produce, handmade crafts, or a new venture entirely.
The sale includes all fixtures and fittings and the Point Of Sale System. In the back of the shop is a storage area with shelving, storage and a chest freezer.
Additional Exterior
A 30‑foot commercial‑grade polytunnel frame (requiring a cover) adds potential for horticulture or sustainable growing.
Large garden shed with stone floor base and box profile roof is dry and spacious to store lawnmowers, strimmer and other tools.
Two caravans (one four‑berth, one two‑berth), both connected to mains water and electricity and sheltered within a wooden enclosure, provide additional potential.
The large old peat store at the front of the farm is full of potential to turn into a café, pizza place or other creative enterprise.
Puffin Croft was de-crofted by the crofting commission in 2012 lifting crofting limitations on the use of the land.
Goodwill
As well as the established reputation as a family attraction in John O'Groats the sale also includes:
-
The Puffin Croft trading name and Miss Puffins logo.
-
Email address and phone number
-
Website and domain which includes the online shop and accommodation booking system.
-
Social Media pages (Facebook 16k followers, Instagram 4.8k, TikTok 1k)
-
Google Business Profile (4.8 stars out of 5)
-
Booking.com and Airbnb accounts for the B&B
-
Supplier Contacts and transference of accounts
-
Operating Procedures for the petting farm, farm shop and B&B
-
Handover and training as necessary after completion
📍 Key Details
Contact
For more information, please email: Cara — puffincroft@yahoo.com
For Sale
The Surrounding Area
Set in the heart of John O'Groats village close to the Post Office and with the Duncansby Lighthouse and Stacks at the end of the road. The croft sits within walking distance of the harbour, the famous signpost, and the sweeping views of the Pentland Firth.
John O'Groats benefits from
-
The NC500 – With year-on-year growth of the success of the NC500 brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area, Puffin Croft is located directly on one of Scotland's best known touring routes.
-
LEJOG end to end travellers, thousands of cyclists who complete the Lands End to John O'Groats route each year making John O'Groats a particularly valuable visitor attraction.
-
Highland Games - The Mey Games takes place each year over the road from the farm famously attended by King Charles and drawing large crowds to the area.
-
Continuing public investment in tourism and infrastructure
-
UNESCO recognition for the nearby Flow Country
-
Wider Highland economic investment worth over £300 million in public funding with much larger sum associated with private investment.
A Wildlife Paradise
John O'Groats is one of the U.K's premier wildlife destinations offering unforgettable encounters with some of Britains most iconic species
-
Orcas – the Pentland firth is one of the best places in mainland Britain to spot orcas, the annual orca watch event based in John O'Groats every May drawing wildlife enthusiasts from across the U.K.
-
Atlantic puffins – from May to July the Duncansby cliffs at the end of the road become home to thousands of nesting puffins alongside guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars providing exceptional birdwatch and photography opportunities.
-
Whales and dolphins - the waters around John O'Groats regularly host minke whales, harbour porpoises, Risso's dolphins, white beaked dolphins & common dolphins.
-
Grey seals and otters – seen throughout the year.
-
Northern Lights – with its low levels of light pollution vast open skies and uninterrupted views, Puffin Croft has a front row seat for the northern lights and is one of the best places in the U.K to experience the magic of the aurora.
Locally
-
Wick and Thurso are the nearby towns with shops, schools, supermarkets and train and ferry links. Buses and trains go to Inverness and Edinburgh. Wick also has an airport to Aberdeenshire.
-
Gills Bay a few miles down the road from John O'Groats has daily ferries to Orkney.
Location
John O'Groats,
Scotland
Acreage
Approx. 1 Acre
Includes
Farmhouse, Petting Farm, Farm Shop, B&B
Goodwill
Websites, social media accounts, email address etc.
Price
Offers in the region of £400,000
(£365k bricks & mortar
£35k business)
Water & Sewerage
Scottish Water
Broadband/Mobile
High Speed Internet
Limited 3G, 4G, 5G coverage
Council Tax
Band C
Sale Type
Sold as a going concern