21 May 2025

From the edge of the world 2025 – part 1

Written by Sue Loughran, St Kilda ranger

A drystone cleit, with its little entrance facing us, stands on a hillside scattered with other similar drystone structures. Two kittiwakes perch on top of the cleit.

Cleits and kittiwakes on Hirta

Our St Kilda ranger returns for her sixth year on the islands and gets straight back into the busy daily life of caring for this remarkable place.

I had completely forgotten that feeling of the wind trying to turn your eyelids inside out! Having been away from the Outer Hebrides over the winter, the first thing I did on reaching Benbecula was to walk as far as I could along the airport beach. I just kept walking and walking – gulping in the fresh air and gazing at the huge skies and rolling waves. The winter has been busy and suddenly the day has come: I’m on my way back to St Kilda!

It takes a few days to transition from mainland to island life: ensuring that things at home are (hopefully) sorted for the next three months; saying goodbye to family and friends; packing for the season; and making final trips to real shops. I wonder what will have changed by the time I return. It’s a bit of an emotional whirlwind, but once I get to the Outer Hebrides, my focus turns westward and I get excited about the journey, meeting up with old friends, and looking forward to what the season will hold. It is also the official opening of the caramel wafer season – essential sustenance for the offshore ranger. A sturdy stock is needed at all times as emergency rations!

A white sandy beach lines a bay on a Hebridean island. The sky is heavy and grey. Grass dunes are in the foreground.

A selfie of a smiling woman, standing on a large beach with her arms spread wide.

A plane snack tray, including a carton of water, a packet of shortbread biscuits and a caramel wafer.

Nobody can deny that we have the best commute to our workplace! Catching a helicopter and flying 40 miles west of South Uist directly to St Kilda, the trip takes about half an hour. I feel myself straining to catch the first glimpses of Boreray, the stacs, Levenish, Dun and Hirta. I attempt to turn my head to get the best view, despite being encased in a dry suit, lifejacket and headphones, and strapped securely next to my fellow travellers.

A rainbow is seen through the window of a helicopter, flying over the sea. Island mountains can be seen on the horizon.

A view looking down a very steep rocky cliff, with the shadow of someone cast upon the rock face. The blue sea is far below with a small island out offshore.

Touchdown! There are extensive catch-up chats, as well as a real need to get out and see everything as quickly as possible. There is so much to see and do, and it’s a combination of familiarity mixed in with forgetfulness (eg how does the oven work again?). Fortunately, my two colleagues Craig and Clare are here too, so it’s a great reunion after so long apart. This will be my sixth season, and our fifth season together as a team (possibly a record), so there’s plenty of great banter!

This year, I’m here a week before the first visitors are due to arrive and it’s the usual scramble to get the buildings open for the public, the accommodation ready for people working on the island, safety checks completed, jetty safely scrubbed, shop up and running, minor repairs completed, larger repairs reported, and biosecurity measures set up. All was finally ready literally minutes before the first ship arrived!

Two women are at work scrubbing a stone jetty, with the blue harbour waters lapping beside them.

A woman wearing bright orange waterproof clothing walks along a path on St Kilda.

Although we haven’t had the heatwaves of the mainland at the beginning of the season, we have certainly had some good days, with many visitors arriving by day boat, charter, private yacht or cruise. Suddenly the pace picks up, and days can start with a 7.30am talk to cruise passengers, welcome briefs to all boats in the bay, looking after seasick visitors, managing the shop, cleaning and re-stocking … and if I’m really lucky, sorting out blocked drains at the end of the day!

As always, I’m indebted to our volunteers and was delighted that Jonathan came to do the PAT testing, and Marion came to help with the shop. Every day is so different and it’s great to be back in the swing of it!