The Lodge

Built as a shooting lodge, the Sustainable Living Centre, nine years ago and on the Buildings At Risk Register, was purchased by a young couple for a nominal fee to be restored and run for the community as an example of sustainable living and a base for a multitude of courses on sustainable living.

Here they have solar panels to generate power and heat water (indeed, the island is self-sufficient in electricity, with wind turbine, hydro-electric and solar power generation); they are experimenting with Sempatap, a fibreglass insulating material to line the walls, painted with Thermilate, for heat conservation and to reduce condensation; lean-to greenhouses protect north-facing walls to retain heat; having purchased a planking machine, they now use fallen trees to provide wood for repairing rotten door- and window-frames. The grounds are laid out to orchard and vegetables fertilised by compost and seaweed, bees have been introduced to fertilise the fruit trees. Many other schemes are under consideration.

The weather had broken overnight, with strong wind and lashing rain so, after a visit to a deserted village, we returned to the hostel soaking wet, for another delicious meal followed by a ceilidh led by Donna MacCulloch, a local piper with her 'singing' dog, Pibroch.