Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 7 on 7/3/2003.

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Living on an island

RODDY MARTINE GOES IN SEARCH OF ISLAND PARADISE AND SELECTS SOME TOP HOTELS

Stepping out into the winds of the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of the Scottish mainland, with the far-flung St Kilda group the nearest outpost to North America, are Scotland’s Inner and Outer Hebrides.

For lovers of islands, the Hebrides hold their own, incomparable enchantment. With a restless climate, wind, rain, intermittent sun and, always, ever-changing light, there is no formula to analyse the appeal of these islands with their seagull-circled ports, inland banks of dark peat, gneiss mountains, hearts of emerald green, and lonely beaches of pure white sand.

Individually beautiful, they have furnished a harsh living for their sons and daughters. Yet the Gael remains stoical, with a philosophy which is both exasperating and the envy of city-dwellers suffocated by the noise and pressures of compressed existence. Not for them the big sky and swell of the ocean.

The variety is enormous. Skye is the main island of the scattered Inner Hebrides. To the south lie the small isles: Canna, Sanday, Rhum, Eigg and Muck; further south, off the coast of Argyll, are Lismore, Coll, Tiree, Mull, Iona and Staffa, Kerrera, Seil, Eisdale, Lunga, Shuna, Torosay, Colonsay, Oronsay, Jura, Islay and Gigha.

The Outer Hebrides, sometimes known collectively as The Long Island, comprises a 130-mile long, jewel-like chain from Lewis in the north to Barra in the south. Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay are linked in this chain by the thin threads of ferry crossings and c.....

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By Roddy Martine

Section : Scottish Hotels

Page number : 66