Five days on Eigg gave us a taste of the island in all weathers and left us planning a return visit. Although the island is only five miles long by three miles wide, there’s a lot to explore.
It’s a beautiful place, fascinating in it’s natural and human ecology. Since a community buyout in 1997, Eigg has been owned by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust and managed on behalf of the local community. That community is now a diverse group of born and bred islanders and more recent arrivals, including smallholders and foresters, artists, musicians and craftspeople.
Among the successes of the first 25 years of community ownership have been the development of the island’s own electricity supply grid, 98% powered by wind, water and sun. I don’t have pictures of the solar panels, wind turbines and hydro power installations; you can read about them, together with Eigg’s history, landscape, wildlife and community here.
After a wet and windy night I was expecting a rough crossing but the sea had calmed before we caught the ferry. The cloud lifted from the Sgurr and blue sky showed through.
October 14, 2022 at 7:56 am
This looks paradise on earth. Though I dare say the weather, which makes it what it is, isn’t always human-friendly.
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October 14, 2022 at 9:56 am
Good waterproofs essential and don’t rely on the ferries running in winter!
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October 14, 2022 at 2:49 pm
And it’s not even winter yet.
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October 14, 2022 at 9:37 am
Looks great in your images, but have to agree with Margaret! I love that first photograph
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October 14, 2022 at 9:57 am
True, there is a reason why everything is so green!
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October 14, 2022 at 11:02 am
😄
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October 14, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Eigg is both beautiful and forbidding, but certainly worth a visit. The photos capture that very well. I was also struck by the way the island is owned and managed. It’s a creative arrangement that should help to preserve the island and its community for the long run.
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