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OUTLIERS - S T KILDA - HIORT VOLCANIC ISLANDS of BIRDS T H

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OUTLIERS - S T KILDA - HIORT VOLCANIC ISLANDS of BIRDS T H OUTLIERS - S T KILDA - HIORT VOLCANIC ISLANDS OF BIRDS t h g female burial as well as steatite pots i r y p have been found. Many of the pla - o C n cenames are Norse, in particular w o r those of the hills and stacks. C Village Bay , on the east side, is well sheltered from the prevailing winds. The Street was built in 1860, and the ruined blackhouses behind about 1830, replacing earli - er houses which were considered too primitive. The hillsides are dotted with nearly 1,300 cleitan. These small drystone sheds were ST KILDA (ON Skjoldr, shield) Natural Heritage and the MoD in variously used to wind dry and is a fascinating and beautiful archi - partnership. St Kilda is a store birds, fish, dung, hay and The Village Street, Hirta pelago 66km (41mi) WNW of UNESCO World Heritage Site peats, preserve eggs and to protect early Christian stone crosses are with well over 250,000 breeding fer the Puffin areas to breed. Their North Uist which was formed by in recognition of its natural and lambs. There are also a large num - the only physical evidence. One is pairs of all species. shrill calls make them easy to spot volcanic action about 60 million cultural heritage as well as the ber of walls and enclosures. in the wall of house 16. in the old stonework. They are years ago. It is one of the ultimate marine environment. A warden, Wren The St Kildan Wren , a larger than those from the destinations for island lovers. The researchers and visitors are present Chapels Three chapel sites are Hills The steep hills offer exhila - subspecies, may be seen around Mainland and breed on Hirta, main island is Hirta (ON Hirtir , in summer. Missile Range radar recorded but nothing now rating walks which are rewarded the Village area, but seems to pre - Dun and Boreray. There is also a deer, G Hiort ), which was populat - staff may be present all year. remains. Christ’s Church was in by dramatic views, if the tops are ed from at least 1850BC until the graveyard, St Columba’s to the clear. Hirta tends to produce its 1930, when it was evacuated. Bronze Age burial cists have been west of the village, and St own weather. The main hills are found in Village Bay as well as an Brendan’s below Ruaival. A Oiseval (290m), Conachair Today the National Trust for Iron Age souterrain, suggesting Viking female burial was also dis - (426m), and Mullach Mor Scotland owns the group. It is that people were here at least 4,000 covered, but the artefacts which (361m). managed by NTS, Scottish years ago. Norse brooches from a were found have been lost. Two The jagged island of Dun protects Village Bay from Conachair (426m) with Dun in the background Village Bay from the south and west. It is home to huge numbers of Puffins in the Summer, and has The Street WWI gun emplacement a ruined dun on its south eastern tip. Soay is separated from Hirta by the narrow Sound of Soay with Soay Stac and Stac Biorach in between. Stacks About 7km (5mi) to the northeast, Boreray , Stac an Armin and Stac Lee rise steeply from the sea. They are part of the rim of the huge volcano that was here nearly 60 million years ago. Together these stacks host the world’s largest gannetry with over 60,000 pairs nesting. St Kilda is one of the world’s largest seabird colonies 188 189 OUTLIERS - S T KILDA - HIORT VOLCANIC ISLANDS OF BIRDS Dun from the southwest Stac an Armin (191m), Boreray (384m) and Stac Lee (165m) St Kildan subspecies of the Field thousands of seabirds, and, above phins, as well as sea birds such as To catch the birds the men had to Mouse which only lives on Dun . all, the sheer scale of the place can Gannets , Storm and Leaches be very agile climbers. They were only be described as awe inspiring. Petrel and Manx Shearwaters. on the craigs from a young age and A boat trip around Hirta and the The long trip over the open developed particularly strong feet. stacks during the breeding season Atlantic offers the chance to see Underwater, St Kilda is a sub-aqua Before a young man could marry, is an unforgettable spectacle. The cetaceans such as Minke or Killer diver’s paradise, as the volcanic he had to show off his prowess by jagged cliffs, lush grassy slopes, Whales, and various species of dol - rocks erode into wonderful sub - balancing on one foot atop the merged shapes and caves. The Lover’s Stone . One leg was out - clarity of the water means that vis - stretched over the edge and the ibility is often exceptional, while suitor had then to bend over and divers may be accompanied by touch his toes with his fist. curious Seals or Puffins. Mortality There was a very high Survival The St Kildans survived infant mortality rate which was by using Nature’s bounty to the previously thought to have been full, harvesting thousands of caused by typhus. Recent research Gannets, Puffins and Fulmars has shown that the high consump - every year. They also kept the tion of seabirds, including their liv - primitive Soay Sheep and later, ers, resulted in a toxic overload of Blackfaces. Although there would heavy metals. This was made have been plenty of fish available, it worse by the fields and gardens did not feature much in the peo - being contaminated by discarded ple’s diet. Perhaps they preferred it carcases. The islanders were also St Kildan “Parliament” on the late 1800s after avian processing. prone to imported diseases such as Stac an Armin (191m) smallpox and measles. One of the many cleits Soay Sheep Natural arch in Glen Bay Ultimately, the St Kildans decided that life was no longer tenable and they asked to be evacuated in 1930. Today many people visit by yacht, motorboat or cruise ship. Few leave disappointed and most have a yearning to return one day to this unique and fascinating vol - canic archipelago. 190 191 OUTLIERS - F LANNAN ISLANDS THE WESTERN OUTPOSTS t h g to house its equally impressive lens. secure a box in which the mooring i r y p The shore station was at Breasclete ropes, landing ropes etc. were kept, and o C n in the west of Lewis. But for the which was secured in a crevice in the w o r events soon to unfold, it would be a rock about 110 ft (34 m) above sea C quite obscure light. level, and that an extra large sea had rushed up the face of the rock, had gone On 15 th December 1900 SS Archtor above them, and coming down with noticed that the light was not in immense force, had swept them com - operation. A few days later the ten - pletely away.” The FLANNAN ISLANDS der Hesperus made a routine visit (after the 8 th century St Flann ) are only to find all three keepers were The lighthouse was automated in situated about 33km (21mi) missing. They were assumed to 1971, and has now been converted The Flannans from Gallan Head in Lewis have been washed away by to electric power with a large bank WNW of Gallan Head on Lewis. arches eroded into fantastical extremely large waves piling up at of photocells ranged along the Also known as the Seven Hunters, shapes which can be observed from the West Landing. south side. The accommodation they are another bird paradise in a boat in settled weather. summer, with many breeding block is well appointed to cater for The official explanation was less visiting engineers and NLB staff. seabirds, including Puffin s, Geology The islands are volcanic fanciful than many of the theories Fulmars, Gannet s, Storm and and consist of Gabbro and Dolerite put forward. Robert Muirhead of On Eilean Mor (G, Big Island) Leaches Petrels. Minke, Killer and which have intruded the basal the NLB reported, “From evidence below the lighthouse, there is a Pilot Whales, as well as Risso’s and Lewisian Gneiss. These rocks have which I was able to procure I was sat - small stonebuilt chapel, dedicated to other Dolphins frequent this area. eroded into fantastic shapes, but are isfied that the men had been on duty St Flann, and on the western head - hard on the hands. The soils are fer - up till dinner time on Saturday the 15 land a series of bothies (Bothain The lighthouse was first lit in 1899. tile and there is a rich covering of December, that they had gone down to Chlann ‘ic Phaill, ( G McPhail’s It has an especially large lamproom grass, with a carpet of wildflowers The East Landing Bothies) attributed to the Clan and lichen in summer. MacPhail. There are remains of a possible domestic building on the Getting Ashore on Eilean Mor is top of Eilean Tighe (G House possible at either the East or West Island). Landings, though care must be taken on the slippery steps, many of The gannetry is on the south end of which have been washed away. All Roareim , and should not be closely of the other islands are easily acces - approached to void disturbance. sible in fine weather. Various boat Between Roareim and Eilean operators run trips to the Flannans, a’Ghobha (G Blacksmith’s Island) which are very subject to weather there are rock stacks and natural St Flann’s Chapel (8 th century) and the lighthouse (19 th century) and sea conditions.
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