The Appeal of the Hebrides

The Scottish islands of the Hebrides first came to my attention when I was roughly nine years old when I happened upon an old documentary about the evacuation of St. Kilda. A little later I saw the Ealing classic "Whisky Galore!". In my early teens I saw the movie Wickerman which was somewhat based upon the Scottish islands (and has since become a cult classic and theme for the most excellent music festival of the year). When I first set foot on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides in the very early 1980's these three films were literally my only reference point and I really did not know, fully, what to expect, other than something "a little different".

For a teenager from the city the Western Isles (as the Hebrides are also known) were a culture shock. To come from a place where corner shops had their wares glass/perspex or some form of surveillance it was somewhat alarming to find myself alone in a fully stock store with shelves of high cost goods, such as whiskey, within arms reach. As I stood waiting for the shopkeeper to arrive I began to realise that had I been foolish enough to take any goods without paying the culprit would not be too difficult to find. As I walked back over a large hill to where I was staying I began to think that trust is something lacking in modern society and I imagined that, maybe in the 1950s, all of Britain may have been this way. Nearly three decades later and the islands still display many of the aspects that stood out so strongly then but, sadly, even the Hebrides is, sometimes, forced to move with the times and security is becoming more of a concern, though thankfully mainly confined to the summer months.

Hebridean tourism has been on the increase since the beginning of the last century when those with the means could visit this "third world on our doorstep" and while it was welcome many would say it led to the destruction of the fragile society on St. Kilda. Today the Hebrides have all of the modern facilities of any town or village on the mainland but, somehow, the islands have managed to maintain a unique way of life. While many push for stores to open on a Sunday and scream out for ferry and flight access on the Sabbath others plead that the status quo remains. While I fully understand the need for change (tourism is now a vital part of the economy of the Hebrides) I too would not like these islands to change too much.

Describing what makes these islands unique brings forth many problems most of which relate to my lack of knowledge of the English language. One of the most distinctive things I notice is that children are still allowed to have a childhood here. Where many children in cities find themselves confined to their homes for the sake of safety here they can roam freely and safely. The islanders are amongst the most friendly folk you are ever likely to meet but in the last few decades the proportion of incomer's has dramatically increased and this is beginning to have a slight impact not least in the variety of accents you are likely to hear. Where once you were guaranteed to hear the soft tones of the Gaelic you are now almost as likely to hear broad Glaswegian, Scouse or even Cockney. Thankfully the vast majority of folk are still of strong island stock but due to the lack of work many of the younger folk are being forced to move on elsewhere to make their mark.

Sadly this article is nowhere near sufficient to explain the multitude of reasons why the islands of the Hebrides are so appealing, I have touched upon the unique aspects of island life and the folk who live here but the most obvious appeal is the astounding countryside. The Hebrides has some of the finest beaches in the United Kingdom, some of the most important historical sites are to be found here and the various aspects of flora and fauna that are truly unique have been the topic of many books. If you would like to find out more about these wonderful islands and their way of life please take a look at the many community web sites and maybe take a look in your local library as they often feature books with fantastic photography. You may even find some of my other articles here of interest.