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5 Aug 2025

Landslip on St Kilda after Storm Floris hits

Image of St Kilda from the sea. Birds fly around the rocky cliffs.
St Kilda
Heavy rainfall associated with Storm Floris has caused a significant landslip on St Kilda World Heritage Site.

The remote archipelago off the west coast of Scotland is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland and is the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated for both its cultural and environmental significance.

Tons of mud and stone were swept down the hillside, damaging some of the unique cleits and demolishing drystone dyke enclosures at the bottom of the slope.

Expand image 1: A wet and muddy hillside, with the landslide heading towards a stone wall in Village Bay. Expand image 2: A hillside on St Kilda, showing a large landslip running down the full length of the slope. A drystone circle can be seen in the foreground. Expand image 3: A small drystone structure with a turf roof stands in a field, with a landslip on a hill in the background.

A full assessment of the damage will be undertaken by Clare Henderson, St Kilda Archaeologist, when it is safe to access the area later this week.

Quote
“Landslips like this are rare on St Kilda and we have not seen anything on this scale in recent decades.”
Susan Bain
Property Manager, Western Isles

Susan continued: ‘Sadly, as we continue to see the impacts of changing weather patterns through climate change, heavy summer rainfall events are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity, so it may be something that happens more frequently. 

‘We will work with our partners, including Historic Environment Scotland, to repair damage and investigate future mitigation.’

Almost all National Trust for Scotland properties were closed on Monday 4 August due to Storm Floris. Teams are now clearing up after trees have come down, leaving some sites without power. 

We remind visitors to check our website and property social media channels before travelling.

Donations to support our charity’s work to care for St Kilda can be made at our Caring for St Kilda appeal page.

Caring for St Kilda

Help us care for St Kilda’s history.

Donate today
A view of a large cleit (a stone-built structure used for storage) on a hillside on St Kilda. >

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St Kilda

Fragments of the past haunt these islands, now home to the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins

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