St Kilda and the Western Isles, May 2002

Several Jacobites (Sean Canavan, Gordon Crawford, Tracy Gorman, Liz Howard, Mary Inglis and Guy Wimble, along with Bill Rennie, a friend of Sean), chartered the yacht Annag from Berneray. With Donald (skipper) and Iain (yacht owner and cook) they were aiming to reach St. Kilda. Whilst this was primarily a sailing trip, there was plent of interest the mountaineer, with opportunities to explore remote islands, and sites with potential for good rock climbing identified.

The yacht was forced to shelter in the Monach Isles for a day and a half, before the weather relented enough for a night crossing to St Kilda. By morning the sea was rising again, forcing a departure from Village Bay without a chance to land on Hirta, the main island of the archipeligo.

The island ahead of the yacht is Dun, at the entrance to Village Bay.

After a sailing part way round Hirta, a short, but rough, sea crossing took us to the spectacular island of Boreray.

Boreray itself is 384m (1259ft) high. The stacks on the left, Stac Lee (covered in nesting gannets) and Stac an Armin (its summit is just visible behind Stac Lee), are the highest in the British Isles. As a measure of scale, the vessel in front of Boreray is a cruise liner.

Viewed from another angle, Stac Lee shows a different aspect. Hirta is visible in the background.

At 196m (644ft), Stac an Armin is the highest stack in the land. Landing on the stacks, or on Boreray itself is difficult. Not only are sea conditions difficult (even calm seas give a two metre swell), but nesting birds and nature reserve restrictions must be considered.

Eight hours on rough seas took us to the seldom visited, but beautiful, island of Scarp.

Time ashore, the next day, gave an opportunity to for good views over to Harris, from the island's 308m summit. Before returning to the yacht, several of us took a swim from the beach.

We returned via the once obscure island of Taransay (below).

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