St Kilda

Lying 40 miles to the west of the Hebrides, St Kilda is an island group which has fascinated travellers, historians and dreamers for centuries. This small archipelagos group of islands consists of the Isles of Boreray, Soay, Dun and Hirta. It is the most important sea bird breeding station in North West Europe and is Britain's remotest inhabited island and Scotland's first World Heritage Site.

It has been said that St Kilda grips the emotions and doesn't let go, possibly due to the sheer prehistoric beauty of the black cliffs which rise over 1300 feet out of the Atlantic. There is also a sense of poignancy and loss in these islands from which the last survivors of this pre-industrial society accepted voluntary evacuation over 70 years ago.

Owned and regulated by The National Trust for Scotland, St Kilda has over one million birds breeding on its incredible cliff faces. With the highest sea cliffs in the UK, St Kilda is the romantic rendezvous for the largest colony of guillemots in the world and the biggest colony of puffins in Britain. Visitors must notify the National Trust,which owns and maintains the abandoned village, nestling in the only landing point, Village Bay. Dolphins and porpoises share this bay with random trawlers and sailing vessels, seeking shelter from the fierce Atlantic storms. A rare breed of wild sheep and wren live here.

On 29th August 1930, the last 36 remaining inhabitants left St Kilda left forever after their traditional lifestyle was corrupted by the outside world. For centuries St Kildans had lived a self sufficient community lifestyle, scaling cliffs with their legendary long toes to catch sea birds. These people lived under their own form of democracy with a parliament meeting held every morning in the village street. They made shoes out of Gannets and considered boiled puffin with their porridge a great delicacy. Life was never easy, with hunger and hard work being commonplace. Developing a taste for earning and an easier life, the islanders were evacuated to various places, with the elderly left to survive on meagre charity handouts.. Many were disappointed with their promised Utopia and petitioned to be returned to their islands. The Government however deemed this too expensive and made sure they signed over their crofting rights.

St Kilda is not uninhabited by any means:other than the birds and wildlife that are now rule the islands, a small group of soldiers continue to man the army radar base, which was built in 1957. Originally staffed by 30 civilians, the small group left to staff the base are the new St Kildans and have formed their own unique relationship with the land, thankfully with the addition of amenities like a sauna and their own bar 'The Puff- Inn'.

St Kilda means different things to different people. Divers come in awe of the crystal clear water and incredible marine life, in the deepest kelp forests in Britain. Nature lovers dream of the incredible wildlife and bird life to be found, while historians and sociologists are fascinated by the cultural history and archaeology which prevails on our 'Ulitma Thule.' For many there is a haunting longing, which they just cant explain, to visit these solitary,moving islands.

People who are keen to visit should be aware that it is impossible to guarantee a trip due to erratic weather conditions and the sheer distance from the mainland Hebrides. . St Kilda is one of Britain's greatest natural treasures and efforts have to be made by the National Trust to protect them from visitor saturation and disturbance. Luckily it is generally the case that those who are prepared to make the trip have a deep respect for these islands and do not wish to impact upon them in anyway. For those of you who are lucky enough to reach the shores of St Kilda, it is an experience never to be forgotten.

Getting there:

It is possible to arrange day trips and longer stays with local speedboat yacht and cruise operators, see the list below:

Wilderness Scotland is Scotland's leading specialist adventure tour operator, offering walking, sailing and adventure holidays, and tailor-made experiences, in the most remote and beautiful regions of Scotland.

It is running 3 sailing trips to St Kilda in 2005 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the island's evacuation.

It has run trips to St Kilda since May 2003. Wilderness Scotland prides itself on responsible tourism and won the Shell Livewire Award for Best Business Demonstrating Ecological Sustainability in 2003. It also won the Highlands & Islands Award for 'Most Promising Newcomer' in 2003.

The 9-night 'Island Odyssey including St Kilda' trip cost £945 per person. This includes accommodation aboard the yacht, all meals, all group sailing equipment, the services of a knowledgeable and experienced skipper, first mate/cook and walking guide. The trips start in either Mallaig or Oban, depending on the dates. The trips all finish in Mallaig. The group size is either 7 or 8 clients, depending on which of our yachts we are using on that trip. The trips are open to anyone to join - individual bookings ARE accepted.

The 'Island Odyssey including St Kilda' trips are running on the following dates in 2005 (we currently have availability on all dates but these trips are popular and tend to book up);

- 28 May - 6 June
- 22 June - 1 July
- 10 August - 19 August

For more information on this trip and an itinerary, visit Wilderness Scotland or telephone 44(0)131 625 6635

See our list of boat charters and the National Trust has list of charter boats that will travel to St Kilda here: www.kilda.org.uk/charterboats.htm

Staying there:

The National Trust for Scotland (01631 570000) www.nts.org.uk takes parties to St Kilda between May and August to work on restoration or archaeology. A two-week camp, with full board in the restored cottages costs from £450. Places are in great demand and volunteers are accepted on the basis of an application.

You can also stay independently on the NTS campsite, which has a wash block but no other facilities, you must take food. For info send a SAE to the National Trust for Scotland, Lochvoil House, Dunuaran Road, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4NE.

Reading:

St Kilda by David Quine (Colin Baxter Photography)
The Life and Death of St Kilda by Tom Steel (Harper Collins £8.99)
Scottish Island Hopping by Vivien Devlin (Polygon £36.99)