Stunning at Scarista

Scarista in South Harris is a place to be. For tours and glimpses of the settings of three places of residential excellence go first to Oran na Mara to learn about 'The Song of the Sea'. When the photographer undertook a professional assignment there he took along his drone. The results sing for themselves.

In the same location, with high standards but a lower level of pricing, are Corncrake Cottage (above) and Otter Cottage (below). Their websites are worth that click - for here is an acclaimed destination with windows constructed for great viewing.

Scottish Islands Explorer - always incorporates choice
Digital Edition: available immediately in Scarista

Bosky Barra?

Barra has some outstanding features such as the view towards South Uist captured by Father Paul Hackett or the statuary on Heaval overlooking Castlebay, but trees are not part of the environment. A spokesperson for the mobile phone operator, EE, thought otherwise, according to a report in the West Highland Free Press.

Scottish Islands Explorer - not dependent for paper on island trees
Digital Edition: could be hampered by high points

Escape to the Edge

The house may look relatively-small and the ferry somewhat capacious on these images of the Out Skerries, Shetland. It's actually the other way around. Take a look at what's on offer by way of accommodation at the Rocklea Crofthouse and then see what you would get for your money were you to consider buying it through Mouseprice. It's been on sale for over two years at under £100k and that includes eight bedrooms. The 'Under Offer' appears on the promotion so be prepared for being too late.

Scottish Islands Explorer - likes to take readers the distance
Digital Edition: also at the bottom end for pricing

Roll The Heb Way

Follow Mark Beaumont cycling The Hebridean Way through the camera of Kieran Duncan on the BBC website. The Butt of Lewis can look savage, but when you have ridden from Vatersay it will probably appear welcome in any weather.

Scottish Islands Explorer - also the way to go
Digital Edition: at a faster speed

Something Special on Skye

It's a Bank Holiday Weekend and when better to engage in some speculating about property? Now here's a residence for fantasies of ownership. It has 3800 sq ft and 6.5 acres of land, is gated, has views and ...

... and is situated in a scenic part of Skye. Here is space, that feeling of living on a Highlands & Islands estate ...

... in a house that has been extensively renovated and which offers not only comfort and convenience for entertaining, but the provision of  six double bedrooms.

See more details on the Ballantynes website and consider the asking price of ... £650,000. It's by no means sky-high!

Scottish Islands Explorer - tell the agent where you first saw the property
Digital Edition: see more of Skye and beyond at speed

Mull 90

This view of Lochdon promotes Wild Cottage, which could be passed by teams of rowers circumnavigating the 90 miles of Mull. They are hoping for benign weather as part of their efforts to raise money for the re-surfacing of a community sports pitch at Dearvaig. See and hear more of the activity through the BBC website and for more aerial views of Mull go to the website of Robert Harding.

Scottish Islands Explorer - tends to drive, not fly or row, around Mull
Digital Edition: downloads 90 miles in a split second

Bear Back on Bike

When Hercules the Bear made international headlines in 1985 by escaping, for three weeks, from his owners and handlers while on North Uist, one islander, on Wiay, teased persistent press reporters by claiming over the phone that the bear was passing his croft on a bike! Now over 30 years later, the creature and cycling come together again. Read in the West Highland Free Press about the charity event to be held on Saturday 13 August.

Scottish Islands Explorer - would like to be recalled after 30 years
Digital Edition: there was no internet in the time of this Hercules

A Creative Conversion

Not an artist's impression, but images of creative workshop space in Innsbruck that could be achieved in a building vacated in Hellihole Road, Stromness (below). When the former library moved, a building became available and WASPS - Workshop & Artists Studio Provision Scotland - secured permission from Orkney Islands Council to convert it to 'Stromness Studios'. Completion is due in September and details are in The Orcadian.

Scottish Islands Explorer - the result of creative work from a space
Digital Edition: a modern way of publishing

Terns Return

Green for go; red to stop - particularly for the Little Tern of which 80 to 90 breeding pairs (5% of the British total) are to be found on the machair of the Western Isles. Read about this favoured habitat for these birds on the BBC website.

Scottish Islands Explorer - many readers keep returning
Digital Edition: journeys or waiting for copies avoided

Reviving a Racing Vole

Here is a photograph of an Orkney racing vole, The Skua, built in the early 1930s for the novelist Eric Linklater. The craft will return to being on display again at the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre after conservation. The full story is in The Orcadian, although googling the words 'skua' and 'vole' will bring up birds and beasts rather than boats!

Scottish Islands Explorer - googling will hit the spot
Digital Edition: just click on here without need of a search engine