Next Stop, St Kilda!

Boreray, by Sea Harris

This month, I’m travelling to the edge of the world.

Well, almost.  I’ll be setting off to explore an archipelago at the edge of the Atlantic, often referred to as ‘the islands at the edge of the world.  Lying 40 miles to the west of the Outer Hebrides, the isolated islands of St Kilda are a dual World Heritage site, home to the highest sea cliffs in Britain and over one million birds, including the country’s largest colony of puffins.

St Kilda has an intriguing history too.  It was once home to a small community of hardy islanders who for half the year were cut off from the rest of the world due to the severe winter weather.  The last of the St Kildian’s were evacuated in 1930, and their lives have been the subject of countless books, novels, and plays – even an opera.

People travel from all over the world to visit St Kilda, and in just under two weeks (weather permitting!) I’ll be sailing out with Sea Harris for a few hours on the main island, and a tour of the cliff stacks.  The boat journey itself looks set to be an experience; even on a good day the seas are never completely calm.

Seeing St Kilda after hearing and reading so much about it is going to be surreal. I’ll have the chance to get a glimpse of the islands’ past, and soak up the incredible natural environment.  I’m getting my waterproofs and walking boots ready: soon I’ll be standing at ‘the edge of the world,’ and I can hardly wait!

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Have you ever been to St Kilda? Would you like to visit the ‘islands at the edge of the world’?

Update: here’s the full story of what happened when I sailed to St Kilda!