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Eigg is an excellent option for those who enjoy outdoor living.
Item information
- Author: Hugh Tucker
- Roll, BBC Earth
November 11, 2023
There was a delay in disembarking passengers as the ferry rocked against the concrete pier on the Isle of Eigg.
Sailors carried boxes and packages from a boat to the ship and doublechecked the bow to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything.
The final order was a bundle of rolled up and individually labeled newspapers. As the newspapers moved back and forth, one of them rolled toward the steps leading to the water. A ferry worker’s boot stopped him just before he reached the edge.
Although it was only a newspaper, the newcomers recognized the risk of losing it and shared the islanders’ relief when they saw it had been recovered.
Eigg is part of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, the socalled Little Isles. It is located 24 kilometers from the mainland and has a ferry that runs several times a week for supplies and transport, depending on the weather. In this place, waste is not an option and sustainability is a necessity.
“Sustainability has always been a part of life on the island and on the farms here,” explained Norah Barnes, ranger at the Scottish Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust in Eigg.
“You become a little more conscious of what you’re wearing. You can’t just walk into a shop on the street to buy something. Everything we want, we literally have to check in.”
The islands are Eigg, Canna, Sanday, Rum and Muck. Together they have a population that fluctuates between 150 and 200 people.
Eigg measures eight by five kilometers. Although it is the second largest, it is by far the most populous, with around 110 residents, which has helped them create a community that collectively takes control of the island’s future.
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The island, which has wind energy, is part of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland or the Eastern Isles of Scotland.
community life
After getting off the ferry I walked a short distance to An Laimhrig. The resort has recently been expanded and remodeled to accommodate the growing number of residents and visitors. It is the center of community life.
As I orientated myself using a map, residents came and went, picking up packages, delivering letters and buying supplies at the island’s only supermarket, which also serves as a post office.
In addition to a cafe and grocery store, the complex houses a craft shop, bike rentals, and public restrooms and showers for those camping outdoors or staying in communal tents. And there is also the stone monument commemorating the collective purchase of the island in 1997.
The mysterious donor
With landowners absent or having no interest in the island, Eigg residents were convinced that community ownership was the only way to secure the island’s future.
“Residents realized we wouldn’t have a great community if we hadn’t created it ourselves,” said Maggie Fyffe, secretary of the organization to which Eigg is a part.
When the island was put up for sale in 1996, locals began raising money.
“The residents donated and we held a big fundraiser. We had the famous mystery donor who ended up giving more than a million dollars, and that’s why we closed the deal.”
Although visitors come for a variety of reasons, Eigg is ideal for those interested in outdoor activities.
The most famous areas are the Singing Sands beach in the north of the island, where the movement of the quartz sand creates a characteristic sound, and the imposing rocky ridge of An Sgurr, which was formed by a volcanic eruption around 58 million years ago, to the east of the island.
In between lie rugged plains, forests, miles of coastline and white sandy beaches similar to those in the Caribbean, and even a small patch of temperate rainforest.
The island remained untouched by the industries that transformed the landscape of much of Britain. “We don’t have very intensive agriculture here,” Barnes explained. “The landscape is conducive to wildlife. There is no commercial fishing or largescale agriculture and the beaches and sea have clean, clear water.”
To enjoy the clear skies and views from the summit, I decided to climb An Sgurr. This mountain seems invincible, with imposing dark stone walls. One trail offers a relatively easy climb to the summit. At almost 400 meters high, the summit offers incredible views of Rum, Skye and the mainland. There is no other place where you have a better view of Eigg. As the wind picked up, I watched the island’s wind turbines move the air.
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The incredible view from the summit of An Sgurr in Eigg.
Energy pioneers
In 2008, Eigg became the first community in the world to live offgrid. Energy comes from wind, water and sunlight.
The three systems complement each other, so that almost all climatic conditions favor electricity production.
Emergency generators still exist to ensure supply, but the vast majority come from renewable sources.
“The amount of renewable energy we use varies depending on the climate, but we use up to 90%,” Fyffe explained.
The benefits of the new renewable system were numerous. Previously, the island relied on diesel generators, which posed a logistical problem, explains Barnes.
“The diesel had to be transported, poured into barrels, brought home and the generator fired. It was a huge task. The use of renewable energy has significantly improved people’s daily lives and the environment.”
It is also a step towards selfsufficiency. With the global energy crisis driving up prices worldwide, Fyffe explained how this model helped protect the island from rising living costs.
“The price (of energy) was higher here than on the mainland, but now it is probably cheaper. We improve a little from time to time, but we haven’t done that in the last few years because it’s been so difficult for everyone.”
The island continues to work towards becoming more sustainable. “We are involved in another feasibility study looking at how we can become carbon neutral,” Fyffe said, adding. “We want to build a house and renovate the old doctor’s office for rent and we will test air heat pumps for their efficiency. Then people can live in these properties,” he explained.
“We will need more structure for this, probably three large turbines, although we are still in the early stages.”
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Eigg was the first community in the world to have an electrical system independent of the official grid, powered by wind, water and solar energy
Opportunities for reforestation
Since most of the island uses wood stoves for heating, Eigg runs a sustainable forestry project to ensure wood supplies. It cuts down trees for firewood for the islanders and wood for export, but at the same time plants new trees and expands the forests.
“A nursery has been established to replant trees in deforested areas,” explained Barnes. “Some are used as firewood and others are preserved for wildlife. Native trees are also grown.”
The island’s population is at its highest in at least half a century. Eigg also appears to have managed to avoid the problem of communities being left empty in winter as residents move into second homes.
The biggest challenge appears to be providing permanent homes for those living in caravans or temporary accommodation.
“We try to provide a home for the people who live here. We have some in temporary accommodation so we are trying to increase the number of properties available for rent,” Fyffe said.
“There are a lot of people waiting for a rental property to come along.”
As infrastructure improves, this growth and demand for housing is a positive sign that counteracts the impending outmigration of many islands.
And this optimism also seems to be shared by the region’s wildlife.
“Four years ago a pair of sea eagles returned to the island after becoming extinct on Eigg,” Mr Barnes said.
“They were reintroduced to Rum but have returned to Eigg and bred there for the last three years.”