Solitude on St Kilda

At the end of June last year I was fortunate enough to travel to St Kilda, a set of isolated islands 40 miles off the west coast of the Outer Hebrides for a commission. The islands are not only a dual UNESCO world heritage site, but they are also home to over 1 million birds, making it one of the most important bird colonies in western Europe. With over 50% of boat journeys from Skye and the Outer Hebrides cancelled each summer due to the weather, I was incredibly lucky to not just get onto the island, but to get off when the weather was good, making the journey as calm as I could have hoped for. Sunburnt in Scotland, who would have thought!

After a four hour boat journey, I arrived and met the National Trust rangers who call the islands home for 6 months of the year. Owned by NTS, the islands also have an MoD facility, meaning there are workers all year round on Hirta, the main island. After setting up my tent (I camped on the island for four nights, a night longer than intended due to the weather), I realised I was going to be the only person camping on the island for my duration, which I looked forward to in such a beautiful part of the country. Being the only person to explore for nearly a week, what a treat.