Sula Sgeir guga hunters

The departing Guga hunters by Donald Morrison

The men of Ness, on Lewis and Harris, have hunted guga (gannets) for centuries on the remote island of Sula Sgeir, 40 miles north of the Butt of Lewis. The rocky stack supports thousands of gannets, of which 2000 can be culled for the cooking pot by the Ness community. Donald Morrison was lucky enough to witness the tradition living on in the new millennium. His pictures on Flickr offer a fascinating insight to the hardship of harvesting, and are recommended viewing. Take a look, here.

Island Fact - no.4

Wild Cat Island, the magical location featured in Arthur Ransome's book Swallows and Amazons, is based on Peel Island on Coniston Water in the Lake District.

Island fact - no.3

According to UK Coast Guide there are 291 inhabited islands in the UK. To find out more, visit www.ukcoastguide.co.uk

Top 10 hit

The Shetland isles have been voted 'one of the top 10 regions in the world to visit' by Lonely Planet. The archipelago is made up of more than 100 islands, and is rich in wildlife and history.

To find out more, visit The Lonely Planet. 

Island cottages for sale on Colonsay

If you've ever been on holiday and felt like never leaving then Colonsay Estates may have the answer, but only if you have £200K to spare. The Scottish island of Colonsay has two ex-holiday cottages available for purchase...

Port Mhor

Garta Ghoban

"In a magnificent location with outstanding views over the sea to the west, these cottages are in excellent condition and are amongst our best holiday letting properties. Both properties are on approx 1/4 acre plots.  More photos and details on our website. Offers over £195,000 for each property.  We are looking for a completion date in early October."

There is also a "1/4 acre building plot on the west coast with detailed planning permission for a 5 bedroom zero carbon house with outstanding views over the sea to the west. Offers over £95,000.

Further details are available from the Estate Office on 01951 200211 or to jane@colonsayestate.co.uk or alex@colonsayestate.co.uk

Dark Chamber at Dimbola Lodge

Dark Chamber is a group exhibition of pinhole photography at Dimbola Lodge on the Isle of Wight. The Open View takes place on Saturday 2nd April from 4 - 7 PM.

The exhibition will run between Friday 1st April until Sunday 26th June, (Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 5pm).

Nhung Dang is one of our favourite photographers, and co-authors the brilliant blog: The Lost Promenade. Dimbola Lodge is a remarkable gallery/museum on the wonderful Isle of Wight. It is a veritable 'match made in heaven' and well worth a trip over to the island, especially if you have a spot of lunch at Dimbola.

More island explorers

As much as we enjoy our own method of exploring the Scottish islands (a combination of Shanks' pony and public transport), we can't help but feel we might be missing out sometimes. Two different blogs cover alternative transportation that sets the mind a dreaming. Click the links below for a few minutes of happiness...

By motorhome on Travels with Ian and Sue

By sea kyak on SeaKyakPhoto

Outdoor Photography: Island Journal part 12

 

In Outdoor Photography magazine, Issue 137, March 2011, T writes about Berneray.

Islands, encapsulated

D E Allen sums up the lure of islands in Flora of the Isle of Man.

"All islands have a special fascination: they can be an adventure to get to; they are liable to harbour entities that occur nowhere else; they are satisfyingly well-defined areas, "

An island definition

There are many definitions of what makes an island, but one in particular still seems to hold sway:

"the 1861 Census decreed that an island is 'any piece of solid land surrounded by water which affords sufficient vegetation to support one or two sheep, or is inhabited by man'."

BERRY, R. J., 2009. Islands.

This works for us. It makes it easier to find the cut-off point between a rock and an island. M. Shea agrees:

"If a piece of land will support a sheep, it is an island; if it will not, it is a rock."

SHEA, M. 1981. Britain's Offshore Islands

Outdoor Photography: Island Journal Pt 11

In Outdoor Photography magazine, Issue 135, January 2011, T writes about our stay on Benbecula.

D's three favourite islands of 2010

1. Harris
For the stunning journey from Berneray to Tarbert that begins with the slaloming ferry to Leverburgh, followed by the winding coastal road along sandy beaches, before rising up and over the strange, blunted mountains.
 
2. Shiant Isles

What began as a compromise after missing out on St Kilda, became one of our best island trips. The sun shone, puffins bobbed and sea cliffs reared. As we returned to the boat for coffee and cake before departing, a white-tailed eagle glided above us.

3. St Mary's

We had our doubts (cost, scarcity of accommodation, smugness) but we were wrong. We found what everyone else finds: a beachy paradise of warm air and cold, clear water. Despite the chill, it was the perfect place for our first snorkelling experience.

Outdoor Photography: Island Journal Pt 10

In Outdoor Photography magazine, Issue 133, December 2010, T writes about South Uist.

Outdoor Photography: Island Journal Pt 9

In Outdoor Photography, Issue 131, October 2010 we've got to Barra.

Isles of Scilly - day 14 - St Mary's to Penzance

Scillonian III docked at Penzance

Clean and tidy the flat, ready for departure — leave bags for pick up by the gate — bus to Hugh Town — a dull day waiting — queue for boarding passes in the Harbour Master's Office — rocking Scillonian home — hood up, reading on deck as the sun sets — three porpoises round off the trip

Isles of Scilly - day 13 - Bryher

Hell Bay, Bryher

Choppy sea, rocking boat, leaves T waving from the quay — solo mission to Bryher — rapid climb up Samson Hill — dramatic Rushy Bay with its string of rocky islets — round stones stacked on wooden posts along Great Popplestone — wave battered coast, turf peeled back like grazed skin — remote, blustery Shipman Head — Hangman Island — roadside produce store guarded by a cat — early trip back on the Sea King — join T scribbling notes at the museum — stuffed birds and ancient finds — visit the brilliant Rat Bags: makers of all things involving sail cloth — first time snorkelling at Pelistry Bay

Isles of Scilly - day 12 - Eastern Isles

dinghy to Nornour, Isles of Scilly

Hugh Town via Holy Vale nature trail — board the Blue Hunter for a trip to the Eastern Isles with historian Katherine — patched-up rubber dinghy landing on Nornour — diminishing prehistoric settlement — breaking of a hundred cobwebs to ascend Great Ganilly — dinghy to Little Arthur — crossing the stone strand to Great Arthur — cairns and Iron Age pottery

Isles of Scilly - day 11 - St Mary's

cream teas and swing bands on St Mary's

Slow start, missed bus — coffee at the quay from The Pilchard Pit — Heike, the famous vet, sells calenders from a stall — sunny, clear views over to The Western Rocks — amble around the walls once again — slow walk home — quick change and down to Pelistry Bay — T dons the wetsuit, I struggle in without — spurred on by a pensioner and her dog who make it look easy — kelp forests and fish — a revelation — shivery exit, warming walk home

Isles of Scilly - day 10 - St Martin's

floating in Great Bay, St Martin's

Early bus to the quay — return to St Martin's, docking at Higher Town — Little Arthur's is closed — pass the Dr Seuss Day Mark — over Burnt Hill to St Martin's Bay — wetsuit swim in the turquoise water — weary walk along St Martin's Flats — hedge defended campsite — shaven-headed skipper of the Guiding Star talks non-stop into his mobile phone — amusing fish and chip 'raffle' from the van at Hugh Town — another swim for T — ladies gig race — night walk home

Isles of Scilly - day 9 - Tresco

Kettle Point, Tresco

Gloomy day — meet our neighbour and her dog Kai as we wait for the rickety bus — miserable bus driver, even here — his cardboard sign reads: "I despise 1ps, 2ps, 10ps and 20ps with a passion bordering on obsession" — boat to Tresco — submerged field walls revealed at low tide — stroll the long dunes of Pentle Bay — an amateur sound recordist sits on a bench — water colour islets in a gauzy sky — the ruined Old Blockhouse overlooking Old Grimsby — take advantage of the extreme low tide and walk with shoes off to Bryher — just enough time for a sandwich before walking back as the tide surges in — the final participants of the inter island walk follow —  scale Plumb Island, covered in a hottentot fig hat — fancy pants Tresco Stores — explore Cromwell's Castle — round the rocky northern coast to Old Grimsby

Isles of Scilly - day 8 - St Marys

palm tree, blue sky, St Mary's

Packed up and expelled from paradise — bags left for pick-up — look round the excellent Phoenix Craft Workshops — great prints, stained glass, paintings and jewellery — trudge across the island to T & I's next stop: The Moos — a circuit around Toll's Island — cider and crab sandwiches at Juliet's Garden — more Troy Town ice cream — wave the family off — night walk to Porth Hellick — "Please do not ride horses over this scheduled ancient monument" — up into the early hours working on a feature for B+W Photography