A sporting estate lying between Loch Moidart and Loch Shiel in the W of Highland Council Area, the Loch Shiel Estate extends to around 3560 ha (8800 acres) and was traditionally the property of the Clanranald MacDonalds, whose seat was at Castle Tioram. Ranald George MacDonald, 19th Chief of the Clan (1788 - 1873), sold his estates fund his lifestyle, although he retained the castle. Loch Shiel passed to Alexander MacDonald of Glenaladale. The only habitable property of any size was Dalelia House. The estate was inherited by Archibald MacDonald of Rhu, before being sold for £24,000 to the English barrister James Hope-Scott (1812-73), who built Dorlin House in 1864 and is credited with greatly improving the estate. Loch Shiel passed to his wife's uncle, Lord Howard of Glossop, son of the 13th Duke of Norfolk. In 1924, the estate was sold to industrialist Sir Alexander Maguire (1876 - 1947), who made his fortune manufacturing matches. Dorlin House was demolished in the 1960s but the estate village of Dorlin remains, 2½ miles (4 km) north northwest of Acharacle.
Today the estate's income comes from holiday lets of its cottages, fishing, stalking and shooting. It maintains its own salmon and trout hatchery to develop the fish population in its rivers and actively manages its red deer population.
