Journey to the Isle of Eigg
Sunday, July 14
Today we embarked on a journey to Eigg, one of the small islands in the southern hebrides. We had spectacular weather for our ferry crossings from the port of Armadale on the Isle of Skye to Mallaig on the mainland of Scotland and from Mallaig to Eigg. In the western isles of Scotland, one is forced to grapple with a different sense of time and reality. Most things don’t run according to any particular routine or schedule, and modern conveniences tend to be scarce. The absence of modern conveniences is particularly evident on the Isle of Eigg, which is off the grid and relies on renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. The residents of Eigg purchased their island through a community buyout in 1997, and their approach to life on the island continues to be an experiment in sustainable development. We arrived at the pier on Eigg in the middle of the afternoon and were greeted by the manager of our accommodation, who transported our bags to where we were staying at the Glebe Barn. We could see the Glebe Barn on the horizon from the pier, and we reached it by walking about a mile on foot along the coast, over a fence, and through a series of fields. We spent our first day orienting ourselves to the island—as well as some of the practical realities associated with a more eco-friendly living space.
On the ferry to Eigg
From the front of the ferry with Eigg in the distance
The Glebe barn where we are staying on the island
Mariana, Bryce, and Sarah outside the Glebe
View out to the Pier from the Glebe
