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Hard Times

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The story of the forced abandonment of St Kilda is a poignant reminder of the fragility of small communities living on the edge of the world. Archaeologists have found evidence that the island had been inhabited since the Bronze and Iron Ages. In 1930 the remaining 36 St Kildans were finally forced by illness and migration to leave their lonely, beautiful home to the teeming wildlife and feral sheep.

In fact, the population of St Kilda had never risen above 200 people. In 1727, the community was devastated by smallpox and of the 30 survivors, most were children. Eleven of the survivors were men and boys who had been put on Stac an Armin to catch birds. When the epidemic struck, no boat could be sent to rescue them. They did escape almost certain death, but were marooned for six months in appalling conditions. The island was repopulated to a certain extent by migrants from various islands of the Outer Hebrides, but from 1850–1930 their numbers never rose above 100. The remaining three dozen souls in 1930 asked the British Goverment to move them to the larger Western Isles.

Today, most of the small, two-room cottages in the ‘village’ are derelict, but six of them have been restored and are now used by academics visiting the islands. One has been converted into a small, but fascinating museum. The old village is a sad place, rather like a graveyard, with the names of the previous occupants of the cottages immortalised by the large pebbles left in the old fireplaces bearing their names. The islanders did return for short holidays, occasionally, and the dates of their return are noted also on the pebbles.

Need to know

Boats: Since the Cuma’s departure, there are no vessels sailing to St Kilda from Mallaig. Most charters leave from Oban.

*MV Cuma is now owned by Murdo Macdonald, who has fished all round the islands of St Kilda for years for lobster and crab. The Cuma has six double cabins, each with a wash basin, and there are two showers available. St Kilda trips are for six days, between May and October, and possibly at other times. Contact Island Cruising, 1 Erista Uig, Isle of Lewis. Brochure available. Tel: 01851 672381, fax: 01851 672212. (Travel is up past Mallaig, to Ullapool, then by ferry crossing to Stornoway (three crossings a day in summer, twice a day in winter) and the boat leaves from Maivaig, off Uig on the west coast of Lewis).

*Sue Scott recommends the Poplar Diver, (out of Oban) owned and skippered by Bob Theakston. Tel/fax: 01740 620562; or contact on the boat, tel: 0831 270892. A 22m converted lifeboat, 12 berths in 4 cabins (heated, wash hand basins), 2 electric flush toilets, a shower and bidet. Prices this year are £500 per person for a week’s trip.

Other boats bookable from Oban include:

* MV Chalice, The Northern Light Cruising Company, Ben Buie Cottage, Lochbuie, Isle of Mull, Argyll PA62 6AA. Tel/fax: 01680 814260, e-mail: wilddive@aol.com. Brochure available. Purpose-built, takes 12 divers, six trips planned to St Kilda for this year, between May and September.

*MV Jean De La Lune, JDL Marine Ltd, 75 Oxgangs Road, Edinburgh EH10 7BA. Tel/fax: 0131 445 4686. The only working square-rigger in Scotland, offering 7–10 day voyages around the Western Isles. Deckhouse redesign has cut number of St Kilda trips from three to one this summer – and sadly, it’s fully booked. But the new brochure should be out shortly, so phone and leave your details in time for next year!

Scottish Tourist Office: Tel: (Edinburgh)

0131 332 2433; or London 0171 930 8661 (calls transferred to Edinburgh at busy times, but still charged at local rate).

Shops: None on St Kilda, take everything you need with you.

When to go: Any time between May and October, but St Kilda has no shelter so the weather is a gamble at any time. The end of May or June is probably the best time, but you can have good weather in September. Water temperatures may reach only 13°C, even in summer, so drysuits are best.