Opportunities Opening

Things are happening in Stornoway. The development of the Victorian Lews Castle is in the hands of the construction company, Graham; the servicing of its accommodation, catering, retailing and events will be undertaken by Natural Retreats, now recruiting; the College, based in the building, is driving the move for the main settlement on Lewis to become a 'university town'. See the Stornoway Gazette item.

Scottish Islands Explorer - focuses on opportunities taken
Digital Edition: evidence of the magazine's move into the 21st Century

Part of Power Hub?

Yesterday's blog focused on the powerful Northern Lights; today's is on the prospects of a powerful super-grid hub centred on Shetland through the North Atlantic Energy Network. The details are in Shetland News.

Scottish Islands Explorer - would like to be a powerful hub
Digital Edition: has already achieved that status

Green 'Un & Pink 'Un

Late Saturday afternoon sports editions of the evening papers in major British cities were either called the Green 'Un or the Pink 'Un. This photograph of the Northern Lights, taken at Uig, Skye, appears in a BBC Gallery of Aurora Borealis images and the hues of green outnumber those of pink.

Scottish Islands Explorer - represents a full range of island colours
Digital Edition: comes quick as a flash

The Shepherdess

Visit The Shepherdess, meet Alison and consider joining the adventure!

Scottish Islands Explorer - worth a visit as well
Digital Edition: joining is particularly easy

In Days to Come

In days to come the Shetland Crofthouse Museum may be displaying material about the 2016 innovation of EE providing 4G networks for much of the archipelago. Read about the soon-to-be-available service on Shetland News.

Scottish Islands Explorer - all copies available at the British Library
Digital Edition: Shetlanders will be able to access copies at speed

Registration Time

Whether the bowler-hatted teacher at the school on St Kilda had to call the register or whether it was immediately obvious as to which pupils were missing is unknown. However, this week the names of the final 16 householders on the island, evacuated in 1930, were released with the update of the Valuation Rolls. Discover more on the BBC website.

Scottish Islands Explorer - released every other month
Digital Edition: available for immediate release

A Fossil Find

Here's a high point - at the 620' marker on Kerrera - where scientists have recently found a fossilised fungus that is probably the oldest land-dwelling species ever recorded. At 440 million years of age it could have heralded the beginning of life that led to human existence. Go to the Daily Telegraph for a full account or go to the island and stay, after Easter, at the Kerrera Tea Garden and Bunkhouse.

Scottish Islands Explorer - tries to avoid becoming fossilised
Digital Edition: leads the way into a new era

Below the Surface

Scapa Flow looks relatively benign in this photograph. However, beneath the surface things lurk. A German torpedo has just been detected about 100' below the surface. See the video on the website of The Orcadian.

Scottish Islands Explorer - benign beneath its surface
Digital Edition: lies ready to be brought to attention immediately

Fair and Fast

Here's a narrow way to the North Lighthouse, Fair Isle, that, in a sense, heralds the rolling out of a 'superfast' connection to broadband. The 33 properties on the island will soon be linked by Community Broadband Scotland following £250,000 funding. This could help to stop the population decline by attracting people who thrive on the new technologies. The details are in Shetland News. Fair Isle is one of the two remotest, permanently-settled islands in Britain and was, incidentally, where Scottish Islands Explorer magazine began life on Sunday 2 January 2000.

Scottish Islands Explorer - take a look at our on-line edition below
Digital Edition: it's superfast, too

In and Beyond

You are invited to take a YouTube trip with Declan O'Byrne. It will take you on a fine voyage of discovery through Scottish islands, including a stunning visit into Fingal's Cave. Give yourself a 'Tuesday Treat'.

Scottish Islands Explorer - ready to journey
Digital Edition: great Staffa images in the free edition