Rum: One of Ten

Mark and Debs not only captured two fine examples of light on and over Rum, but have put together a Ten Islands in Ten Days blog that will stimulate many to make 2016 a year of Scottish Islands Exploration. Follow their journeys; dip into their tracks; be inspired by their images.

Scottish Islands Explorer - covers 165 islands of over 40 acres plus many islets

New Year; New Malt

During the recent festive season some interesting things were happening at the Harris Whisky Distillery. Catch up with the next phase in the process through the item in the Stornoway Gazette. The old hills of the island waited longer to be completed.

Scottish Islands Explorer - a new distillation every two months

Ready to Celebrate?

A pony regards some photographers close to the second highest sea-cliffs in Britain - on Foula. This is the Shetland island that keeps Christmas and New Years Day a little later. Read about it in The Scotsman and re-live the first of these celebrations ... tomorrow. The image comes from a website that's appropriately called Back from Beyond.

Scottish Islands Explorer - has something to celebrate daily

War and Peace

Meal Beach, Burra, Shetland presents an idyllic, peaceful picture. On Saturday afternoon a 'highly toxic' unexploded device was found washed up there. The area has been cordoned off and experts will arrive. Shetland News has more information.

Scottish Islands Explorer - covers bombs as well as storms

Undiscovered Scotland

Take the road across the South Lochs, on the Isle of Lewis; then make for Oronsay on the spur to the right as you approach Lemreway; park and climb the footpath and steps to the next inlet of Steimreway (above), often called a lagoon. It's worth the visit by being relatively 'undiscovered'. For hundreds of other comparable places throughout the nation, go to Undiscovered Scotland. A new feature of its website is that on the pages featuring the islands, there are links to this blog and to Scottish Islands Explorer. Please test them as you browse - for it's great to be making 2016 a Year of Discovery.

Scottish Islands Explorer - bringing the isolated into view

New Year; Old Dwelling

The website of Modern Scot presents an item on the 200-year-old Drovers Cottage for sale on the Isle of Tiree. Take a look at the article and if your resolutions for the new year include doing something different by way of residence, then go to estate agents - Bell Ingram - for further insights. The asking price is £70k - which works out at around £300 per year or £1 per day increase in value since its original construction.

Scottish Islands Explorer - looking out for properties to love as well as live in

Sweet '16

Morning has broken over the sands of Luskentyre, Harris, and this image by Robert Harding has that compelling effect. Do start the day with a gallery of his fascinating photographs. Best wishes for the New Year - may it be a 'Sweet '16'.

Scottish Islands Explorer - drawn to beaches

Mourning 2015?

The Mourning Dove is a North American specie, but one found its way to Shetland and was spotted last Monday. It was a first time sighting on the island group and only the fifth occasion that it has been seen in the UK. Read about it in the Shetland Times and then dip into a blog that gives it full coverage - The Randomness of Life.

Scottish Islands Explorer - focused on certain places, with a random element

Eat, Drink and Be ...

An article in The Times drew attention to the number of Outer Hebridean products that are often featured in the media and which attract gourmets.

By March, VisitScotland will have devised and be fully promoting the Eat Drink Hebrides Trail. So Eat, Drink and Be Merry for Tomorrow We Die-t!

Scottish Islands Explorer - for places, people and products

Contrast Control Settings

Consider this contrast. Here is a photograph taken by Ruth Fairbrother of the sunset at Scarista on the west coast of the Isle of Harris. Here in the Sunday Telegraph is an article about black & white television licences. Are some residents prepared to reject electronic hues in favour of actual ones?

Scottish Islands Explorer - founded in Jan 2000; full-colour from Nov 2002