Another Needing Residents

One of our readers responded to yesterday's Fair Isle appeal for new residents to voice concerns for the eighth largest of the Shetland group, Papa Stour. The population has slumped from a 19th Century high of 360 to either just above or below single figures. There are residencies waiting for occupants. The island's heyday for numbers was when there was a demand for herring, but no refrigeration. Consequently the processing plants had to be close to the fishing-grounds. The pier now awaits arrivals; the airstrip functions; the school mothballed; the church intact.

Scottish Islands Explorer - encourages settlers as well as explorers

New Harbour and Home?

If you are looking for a new harbour and home ... for the next phase of your life ... then consider what Fair Isle has to offer. The population has fallen to 55 and a plan to attract ten new residents over the next three to five years - 'Securing Fair Isle's Future' - has been launched. Find out more through the websites of the BBC and The Press and Journal . Improved ferry services from the North Haven (above) are proposed and increased trade for the Fair Isle Shop (below) will result.

Scottish Islands Explorer - where the magazine started, on 2 January 2000

St Magnus Scan

This image of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, at sunset shows it reflecting the final rays of light of the day. From next week it will be laser scanned to give opportunities of observing many more aspects of the intricate 12th Century building. Exterior and interior states of the fabric as well as seldom seen architectural features will be revealed. Discover more through The Orcadian.

The interior view of the Cathedral by Cody Duncan indicates how strongly an interior can be presented when the light is right.

Scottish Islands Explorer - has a digital version through pocketmags

 

A Singular Achievement

Raasay is obviously special and attracts those with singular interests - such as the construction of Calum's Road. One man who falls into this category is island resident, Andrew Gillies, who was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. He served as a special constable on Raasay for 36 years and his achievement is featured in the West Highland Free Press.

Scottish Islands Explorer - attracts people with special interests

Fast and Furious

The religious festival of Ramadan means fasting from food for the hours of daylight. As it falls in June / July that puts pressure on the lifestyles of devotees who live in the higher reaches of the northern hemisphere. Think of the extent of daylight in Shetland, for example. Consumption is, understandably fast and furious after sunset and supermarkets in those areas of Britain with a high density of Muslims report a trade in food comparable with the December and New Year period. The BBC website carries more information.

Scottish Islands Explorer - food for thought at all hours

Largest and Least

Yesterday's blog presented a question concerning the largest of the Scottish islands never to have been inhabited. The ever-resourceful, Andy Strangeway - 'The Island Man' - (below)  soon responded with a number of contenders and the one that hits the top-spot in this category is

Seaforth Island which is wedged, 712' high, between the sides of Loch Seaforth on the Lewis / Harris boundary. It's 675 acres in extent and despite two ruins it has not had permanent residents during recorded history. The winds that are funnelled through the fjord-like landscape create difficult waters for access despite the proximity of the shores. So little wonder that with poor soil it is the largest island with the least number of permanent residents - nil.

Scottish Islands Explorer - enjoys facts and figures, concepts and characters

No Residents Recorded

Switha, Orkney, consists of 101 acres and a highest point of 95'. Sheep live off its land, but there has been no permanent human settlement here in recorded history. However, there are references to it in the Norse sagas and Neolithic men left two standing stones. A problem is access, with the tidal races in the Sound of Hoxa. It would be interesting to know which is the largest Scottish island never to have had residents.

Scottish Islands Explorer - residents make readers

Distress Calls

This image of the farmhouse on Calve Island in the south-eat of Tobermory Bay, Sound of Mull, looks idyllic enough. However on Monday 1 June the yacht below (photographed by the Tobermory lifeboat) was in trouble there and was towed to safety by the RNLI. Then just before midnight on Friday 19 June another yacht put out a distress call there with two adults and four children on board. The report is on the BBC website.

Scottish Islands Explorer - has never featured Calve Island

A Monday Bagging

Mondays sometimes have that daunting feeling - just as harvesting seabirds and collecting eggs on the formidable sea-stacks of St Kilda must have meant to those local men - the Hiortaich - who went there to work. Two men completed what is for them a pastime - climbing all 1556 'Marilyns' in the UK - on a venture to St Kilda on a Monday - 13 October 2014. It's late, but great news, and can still be seen in detail on the BBC Website.

Scottish Islands Explorer - contains many items that do not date

Go Eynhallow

The population of Eynhallow, between Orkney Mainland and Rousay, declined from 26 to zero, from the 1841 Census to the one ten years later. The church (below), which had probably been a monastery, dates from the 12th Century and the myths about the island of 75 hectares still resonate in local folklore, in general, and about the Finfolk, in particular. There is only one regular ferry service and that's an annual trip organised by the Orkney Heritage Society. This year's excursion is on Wednesday, 15 July and tickets go on sale on Thursday 2 July. It is usually over-subscribed. For more details of the island go to an account by Sean McLachlan and for an in-depth study go to The Eynhallow Landscape Project of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Scottish Islands Explorer - likes windows of opportunity to visit