The islands off the west and north of the main archipelago of the Outer Hebrides, Flannan Isles, North Rona, Sula Sgeir and the iconic Rockall, are not only a great place to enjoy some Western Isles wildlife watching buit also play an important part of our islands heritage.
The Flannan Isles is the site of one of Scotland’s great unsolved stories. Sitting 20 miles to the west of Lewis, it was here that an entire crew of lighthouse keepers disappeared at the turn of the 20th Century never to be seen again and the story captured the imagination of poets, songwriters, writers and filmmakers.
In Sula Sgeir, the traditional guga hunt takes place here each year. It is a tradition that was first recorded in the 16th century and still continues today. Lewismen from Ness traditionally have rowed or sailed out to Sula Sgeir in small craft, setting up a temporary home in stone bothies for about two weeks each year, to hunt the young gannets.
There are large nesting populations of Atlantic puffins, petrels, shags and kittiwakes and gannetries on these islands. Sailing off the Atlantic coast of the Outer Hebrides offers opportunities to spot Minke and pilot whales, as well as dolphins, which are commonly seen in the area.
