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Island man

Pretty tough, too. He'll have seen some weather conditions that some of us wouldn't go out in, never mind camp out.

What an experience.
 
Back when I was running a Youth Hostel, many years ago, I had a guy turn up, about 12 O'Clock, one night, attempting a non-stop Munroe Bagging, for charidee. He hadn't booked, turned up with an entourage of young female helpers and expected me to drop everything, make room for him and generally bend over backwards. At least one of the young women was embarrassed enough to attempt to apologise for his rudeness and the astonishing size of his ego.

"Look here, matey," I said to him, "You may be out to make a record attempt, for charidee, but you are standing in about the most isolated Youth Hostel in mainland Britain, you didn't book beds, for yourself, or your support group and you turn up an hour after the official closing time, expecting me to jump to your tune. I've no spare beds and I'm not impressed."

I did let them stay in the common room, though. I wouldn't have let those poor misguided young women sleep out in the cold, the dark and the rain.
 
And Ill bag just one island...Brigadoon!

but I have no doubt hes seen many fortean places.
 
This bloke’s stories got me reading on Wikipedia about all these remote islands. Fascinating stuff! The lighthouse mystery on Flannan Isles, which I, being Swedish, had never heard of; the prehistoric ruins of St Kilda, unlike anything else in the world; and most of all the fact that every little rock and crag seems to have some kind of ruin on it – even something like Sula Sgeir saw attempts at habitation.
 
Yup, there are many little islands, and they all have a story to tell.

(but I bet there are those in Sweden just as interesting)

An island dwelling book you may enjoy is `Island years` by Frank Fraser Darling

Published in 1938 but there are many copies about so you will pick up one on ebay cheap.
 
Pshaw! Sleep on 'em? I lived on one for almost two years!

Seriously, for anyone interested in duplicating his feat, I own and can recommend Hamish Haswell-Smith's excellent book The Scottish Islands.

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Link: The Scottish Islands, by Hamish Haswell-Smith, at Amazon

maximus otter
 
And, I lived up on Orkney, for yonks, as well.

The long, dark, winters are moider, though. :(
 
I know some parts of orkney quite well as some members of my family either live there or used to (as you know, P_M).
 
H_James said:
I know some parts of orkney quite well as some members of my family either live there or used to (as you know, P_M).
H_J's dad was once my boss.

About the best job I ever had.
 
Thats nice.

Ive ordered that book from the library, its a complete encyclopedia...

its reference but they used their discretion and said I may borrow it.
 
I was lucky enough to visit all on the inhabited Shetland isles a few years ago and was struck by how different they all are from one another. My favourite was Papa Stour, but not sure if I could live there though.

I'm slowly but surely working my way around the Orkney isles too. Hoy is probably my favourite so far, but I'd like to go back to Sanday in good weather.

That's the problem with the Scottish islands you have to catch the weather right to really appreciate them. Some are better on wilder days, and others come alive in the sunshine.
 
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