Approaching St Kilda 20 May 2013
St Kilda emerged out of the cloud and misty horizon at about 6 am. I was on the bridge of the Quest for Adventure and the tears streamed down my cheeks. To experience these islands appearing from such a huge seascape was utterly extraordinary and unforgettable.
The clouds stayed low as we slowly sailed into Village Bay and anchored off the main island of Hirta. Although it was windy and chilly we were able to go ashore on the tenders which was such good fortune as it is often too dangerous to land on these islands.
I walked up behind the village amongst the hundreds of cleits, stone and turf storage buildings. At the top of the stac, once the edge of a volcano, I had the fantastic panoramic view of the village below. A sheer drop on the other side as I lay down to peep over the edge and saw nesting birds clinging to their ledges as they kept their eggs warm from the cold blustery wind.
The community that inhabited these islands until the 1930's were truly remarkable and having visited this place my admiration for them has multiplied.
Watch this space for images inspired by this wonderful visit to a Scottish jewel in the Atlantic.
