Representative Image of a beautiful Scottish castle surrounded by lush greenery and rolling hills, emphasizing its historic charm (AI Generated Image)
Lance Holmquist and his wife, Suzanne, purchased Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland for just under £3.9 million, describing their first visit to the Highland landmark as love at first sight, according to the BBC. Lance has spent 44 years in the maritime industry, including more than 30 as a captain based in Key Largo, Florida, while Suzanne, who was born in London and grew up in Glasgow, runs a boat charter business with him and previously worked as a TV editor before moving to the United States about 25 years ago.
The castle is known as the “Castle of Spite” because of the family dispute surrounding its construction, and it is also said to be haunted by a ghost called Betty. The couple have said they want the venture to preserve the history of the property and its surroundings. Suzanne said each of the castle’s windows has its own story. He also said he was looking forward to seeing his first deer in the Highlands and joked that his love of boats could lead him to take a small rowing boat onto a nearby loch.
A Florida sea captain has bought one of Scotland’s unusual castles after a three-year search for the right property. The Holmquists plan to begin by offering the castle for short-term stays before developing it into a boutique hotel. The couple have also received messages of welcome from the local community, while Lance plans to continue running his charter business in Florida. Lance joked that after decades of Florida sunshine, Scottish weather could mean finally wearing a jumper. In Florida, he is used to encounters with manatees, which are also known as sea cows.