Rescue on St. Kilda!

Today I was up and out early for the day trip to St. Kilda. Three small boats sailed from Levenburgh Harbour at 0800 with 12 on board each one.

We were lucky to have a calm crossing with swell only occasionally. It takes about 2.5 hours each way.

How can one describe St. Kilda? On the main island you find The Street, where the houses were built in one long row. You see hundreds of cleits, the stone built storage huts where eggs or feathers were kept. You climb to The Gap, a steep walk to the top of sheer cliffs. The seabirds are nesting on the cliffs and the cleits of Hirta, but the largest gannet colony in the world is on one of the nearby stacks.

Why did people row here from Harris and set up such an isolated community? There is much more to say about the unique way of life lived here, but the information is easily available if you want to know more.

Now to the rescue! I was climbing steadily towards The Gap when I heard a plaintive bleating. It did not move and there were no sheep in sight. When I retraced my steps to investigate, I found a small Soay lamb who had fallen into a cleit and could not climb out. The mother was nowhere to be seen.

I climbed in and crawled towards it, hoping it would come to the entrance. It was too dark to really see. I managed to grab it and lift it out. I followed. I watched it stop to feed before making its way downhill to the main flock and hopefully find it’s mother. Ahh. Job done!

Extras are to try to show more of this unique and awe inspiring place.