Northern Isles

Shetland, never ‘The Shetlands’

Bressay, East Burra, Fair Isle, Fetlar, Foula, Island enthusiast, Mainland Shetland, Northern Isles, Papa Stour, Unst, Whalsay, Yell

Viking heritage By Robin McKelvie The Shetlands are perhaps the most misunderstood island in Scotland. See what I’ve done there? They are never ‘The Shetlands’;…


Papa Westray – the ‘remote’ isle that does not feel remote

History & Heritage, Island enthusiast, Papa Westray, Westray

Robin flying to Papay Westray By Robin McKelvie Within my first half hour on the island I’ve already had real conversations with more people than…


Meet the Makers

Arran, Canna, Eigg, Harris, Island enthusiast, Islay, Mainland Shetland, Rum, Skye

By Robin McKelvie Much of our world today is dominated by retail hegemony and the mass-produced. We tend to slog through most of our shopping…


Getting away from empty beaches: A passport to real community

Arts & Music, History & Heritage, Lismore, Mainland Shetland, Press, South Ronaldsay

By Annie Delin. Published in Scottish Islands Explorer. February / March 2023. Everyone knows that Scotland’s islands are wild, deserted, spectacularly…


Artistic talents will ‘rub off’ on island tourists as passport stamps developed

Arts & Music, Mainland Shetland, Press

By Andrew Hirst. Published in The Shetland Times, Arts & Entertainment on Friday 27th January 2023. Dawn…


An introduction By Robin McKelvie

Arran, Coll, Fetlar, Island enthusiast, Jura, Lismore, Muck, Mull, Papa Westray, Skye, Ulva, Unst, Wyre

We’ve teamed up with talented travel writer Robin McKelvie to bring you a series of blogs sharing our mutual love of the Scottish Islands. Read…