Fara lies between Flotta and Hoy in Scapa Flow. It, a fertile and cultivated Orkney island, was occupied until the 1960s and here, photographed by John Bulmer, are its last residents, Gordon and Ina Watters. Apparently there is no full publication dealing with this settlement that features on the Lonely Isles website, which includes Dave Simpson's photograph of an abandoned house.
Scottish Islands Explorer - a full publication
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Gordon & Ina were one of three subjects of an article entitled The Lonely islands in the Sunday Times 1-11-64 written by Eric Newby with photographs by John Bulmer.
I discovered the magazine on sale in a flea market in Lewes East Sussex in 2004. It changed my life. When I read the story of their life, I felt compelled to visit Orkney and their former home. Since then it has been a voyage of discovery, meeting & emailing former residents - one who lives just 20 miles from me in Surrey and now the current owner who has an interest in Orkney.
Before WWII there were 25 people on Fara but there were six men who never married.'Bachelors: The Ruin of Fara' said Mrs Watters.
There was a private book published by the current owner John D M Robertson- called South Fara 1739 - 2008.
I was one of a group of Surrey TA soldiers deposited on Fara in 1977, on a survival course. We split into groups on 2's. We survived a life time of memorys of this enchanting island , that did'nt like to give up its nature food. Paul Wood 221 Surrey Field ambulance Kingston
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