Island Magic!

Nicola here. Today I am talking about the appeal of islands. I’ve just returned from a research trip to Scotland for the book I’m currently writing. It’s called The Lady and the Laird and it’s the first in a new Regency Scottish-set trilogy I have coming out next year. I’ve got to say I’m enjoying the research very much! I’m lucky – I go to Scotland as often as I can, usually once a year, but this trip was even more wonderful than usual. This time I was visiting The Northern Isles, and staying on Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the UK.

Islands are special. In an article here, Nicholas Crane, sums up their appeal. They feel far away from the rush and hurry of modern life. They cast a spell. Fair Isle is extra special. Known as Ultima Thule to the Romans, and Fridarey, the Truce Isle, to the Vikings, it is located between the Shetland and the Orkney Islands off the northern coast of Scotland. This ancient map is roughly the right shape and there are still whales and porpoises in the waters around the isle today.

Fair Isle is a tiny jewel of a place, three miles long and one mile wide, with soaring cliffs, a white sand beach and a scattering of crofts. These days Fair Isle is known for wildlife tourism, stunning views and of course, the world famous Fair Isle knitting! It’s also a place that gives visitors a very warm welcome, which is lucky because when the weather turns and the Atlantic storms blow in you sometimes find, as we did, that you are marooned and have to stay longer than you intended! Then the islanders throw a ceilidh - a party with traditional music - and you wish you could stay forever.

 Vikings

The history of inhabitation on Fair Isle goes back to the Bronze Age. There is a dramatic Iron Age promontory fort on one of the cliffs commanding views over the harbour, which is known as the North Haven. The Vikings were quick to see the potential of the island. It is mentioned in the Norse Sagas and their legacy lives on in that many of the place names on the island are Norse in origin. One of my favourite archaeological sites was the Viking “nausts” at the South harbour here in my photo. These are the cuts in the bank above the waterline where the ships were pulled up out of the sea. The winter nausts were higher up the bank than the summer ones to protect the boats against the stronger winter storms. These cuts are still in use today, over a thousand years later. That historical continuity had my mind exploding with excitement!

Shipwrecks

The sea is a force to be recognised in a place like Fair Isle, all the more so because it is surrounded by a “roost” a place where currents meet and create particularly turbulent sea conditions. Shipwrecks were common up until the 20^th century. The first recorded wreck was in AD 900 when a Viking longship ran aground. One of the reasons for the number of wrecks was that the British Government was very slow in establishing lighthouses on Fair Isle despite the dangerous waters that surrounded it. It took the combined petitions of many organisations that had lost shipping in wrecks finally to persuade the Northern Lighthouse Board to act. It was not until 1890 that Tom Stevenson, father of Robert Louis Stevenson, erected two lighthouses, the North and South light. Robert’s description of the island was romantic: “The coast of Fair Isle is the wildest and most unpitying that we have ever seen. Continuous cliffs tower over huge voes and echoing caverns… The rains and winds beat upon the towering rocks and the mists rise up and conceal it… it bids all defiance and stands there as a fortress…” The spectacular arches, caves and blowholes are absolutely stunning.

We visited the tiny churchyard where there is a monument to the most famous shipwreck of them all, that of El Gran Griffon in 1588. The 650 ton flagship of the transport division of the Spanish Armada had been damaged in battle and was battered by storms when it was driven onto the cliffs of the island. The men escaped by climbing the foremast, which was wedged against the cliff. Seven died in the attempt. At that time Fair Isle had a population of 17 households. Despite the fact that the Spaniards were their enemy they took them into their homes and fed them as best they could. Conditions on the island were dire and food scarce; fifty of the sailors died of starvation but the Spanish paid for everything they took and there was no fighting between them and the islanders. Eventually they were rescued and taken to Shetland and from there to mainland Scotland.

By 1728 there were rumours of treasure on board the wreck and these persisted until a team of divers explored it in 1970, raising the cannon, still loaded for battle, and finding lead ingots and just one silver 4-real coin of King Philip II!

Falcons for a King

In the 17^th century the best peregrine falcons in the Royal Mews in London came from Fair Isle and the Royal Falconer to both James I and Charles II was recorded as travelling to Fair Isle specifically to take the birds back to London for sport.

Birds, mainly seabirds, have always been a part of the Fair Isle economy. In the 19^th century the island produced six stones of feathers a year and paid some of its rent to the laird in feathers at three shillings per stone!

War, Smuggling, Piracy and the Press Gang

From the mid eighteenth century, smuggling was rife in the Shetlands and around Fair Isle. Many lairds and merchants became involved in smuggling tea, tobacco and gin from Holland and timber from Norway. A ship with a legitimate trade in timber might make a dash for Holland, return and drop off the contraband on one of the remote islands and then set sail for Norway on its official voyage, blaming the delay on the weather when questioned by the Excisemen! There is a cave on Fair Isle called the “Thieves Hole” which was used for smuggling in the 18^th and into the 19^th centuries. A very disapproving report of 1816 referred to the islanders as all being “professional smugglers.”

The cave also came in useful when the press gangs arrived to force men to join the Navy. The press gangs were ruthless, carrying off almost 60% of the adult male population of Shetland to serve in the Dutch, American and French wars. Fair Isle was too small an island economy to be able to afford to lose its young and able-bodied sailors and so when the word went round that the press gang was in its way the men would hide in the Thieves’ Hole until the danger was past.

Whenever there was a war on the seas around Fair Isle became a hunting ground for privateers. These privately owned warships were licensed by governments to capture enemy merchant vessels. On one occasion during the Revolutionary War with America the men of Fair Isle spotted an American privateer approaching and outran it to pass word to the regiment on Mainland Shetland that the enemy was on the way. On another occasion a French privateer was damaged and towed into harbour. The Captain requested provisions for his crew, saying that he would pay a fair price for them but that if he were refused they would “furnish themselves according to the rules of war.” Faced with this polite threat the laird handed over the provisions!

On one of the days we climbed to the top of a cliff called Malcolm’s Head to visit the ruins of the Napoleonic watch tower that was built to look out for enemy ships. There isn’t a lot of building material on Fair Isle as there are few trees because of the climate – and any wood that was found there formerly came from wrecks and driftwood. As a result they turned to unusual building materials for the watchtower, constructing the first tower from peat stuck together by eggs! It must have been extremely lonely as well as very stormy for the watchmen living on the top of the cliffs manning the beacon fires to warn of the enemy’s approach. On the day we were up there the wind was so strong you could barely stand up!

My favourite house on the island was the Auld Haa, built in the 18^th century in the Orkney style with crow-stepped gables. In the 19^th century this was the laird’s residence although he seldom visited and it was his factor who lived permanently on the island and oversaw the day to day business of the estate. As you can see, it's solid rather than grand. In 1814 Sir Walter Scott paid a visit to Fair Isle and dined with the factor, James Strong at the Auld Haa. Sir Walter didn’t think much of Fair Isle, referring to the inhabitants as “wild people.” He took a trip up Ward Hill, the highest point on the island. In his day the remains of the Viking beacon station could still be seen on the top. Sir Walter then retired to his yacht and sailed away, happy to leave Fair Isle behind!

Today Fair Isle still feels wild and remote and you can taste the history of the past centuries. You have to be fairly intrepid to get there as the final leg of the journey from Mainland Shetland involves either a rough sea crossing or an exciting flight in a tiny seven seater aircraft. It's worth it, though, for the stunning scenery and the inspiring history! When The Lady and the Laird comes out there will be a number of elements of Fair Isle history featuring in the story!

Do you think you would like to live on an island or would you find it too remote? Do you have a favourite island, one whose history you particularly enjoy, or one that you would like to visit?

Comments

[catherinecavendish]

What a fascinating article, Nicola. Thank you for sharing this. I love Orkney and visit there regularly so I can empathise with your feelings for these magical islands of the north. Their history is often violent (Orkney has had its fair share as well!), but their inhabitants are well noted for their hospitality and willingness to help anyone in trouble, even at risk to themselves. I have never visited Fair Isle and you've whetted my appetite.

[Nicola Cornick]

Thanks,Catherine! I'm glad that you enjoyed the article. I've only been to Orkney once and it was marvellous. I'd love to go back. I love all these wild Celtic fringe islands. I hope you get to visit Fair Isle!

[theo]

I would love to live on an island. Preferably alone ;o)

I'm trying to get my husband to go to Mackinac Island, but so far, no luck.

http://www.mackinacisland.org/

You have to cross the bridge and from there, take the ferry as there are no cars allowed on the island. I would have to lay on the floor of the car though since I can't stand bridges.

http://www.mackinacbridge.org/bridge-cam-20/

We've had a few small cars get blown off the bridge in the past so they also now offer a service where you can sit in your car with your eyes closed while a bridge employee drives your car across.

[Louis]

Nothing like reading "Treasure Island" as a youngster to want to live on an island.

Fasinating information, Ms Nicola.

Closest to an island life was courtesy of Uncle Sam...On Oahu for nearly two years.

[Sherrie Holmes]

Sherrie here. Nicola, I devoured your post in one huge gulp. Fascinating! I wish I could condense an adventure like yours in such a succinct and entertaining way, but alas, I have an unruly Muse and everything spews out in huge dam-bursts of nouns, verbs, and adjectives, all tumbled together.

I live in the State of Washington, and here in the Pacific Northwest we have an abundance of islands. The Puget Sound is host to many small (and larger) islands and we have an excellent ferry system connecting them all. In fact, one of the ladies who won the Wench anthology, Mischief and Mistletoe, lives on an island near me. (And the Wenches all got a kick out of the fact she made the suggestion last year that we write an anthology just when the Wenches were doing exactly that!)

I would love to live on a small island, away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. The solitude appeals to me, but I'd like to have a few cozy neighbors for when I'm feeling sociable.

Theo, I laughed at the image of you lying on the floor of the car as it crossed bridges! You should move out here, where we have lots of ferries (and, admittedly, many, many bridges).

[Diane Sallans]

I love the sea (or any body of water) so I think it would be great to live on an island. Of course I would want to know I could leave for a while when I wanted to.

[theo]

Sherrie, I've been to Seattle. Absolutely gorgeous country and ferries are fine by me. But the bridges? Um...not so much. You should have seen me going to the Keys. I had to find someone to drive and once again, I hid on the floor. And that's not even tall! It's just that the water is so...right in your face.

So heights or not, bridges are not my thing. :)

[LouisaCornell]

Fascinating post, Nicola. Another for the research notebook! And what an adventure you had. I have never visited the islands of Britain, but I would dearly love to do so. And I wouldn't mind living on Fair Isle at all!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Marvelous, Nicola! Like you, I have a passion for the wild Celtic fringe islands. WHen I told a friend I wanted to visit the Orkneys and Shetlands, she blankly asked, "Why?" Some people just don't get islands. *G*

I wouldn't want to live on such a small island indefinitely, though--I'd get claustrophobic. Marvelous places to visit and clear one's mind, though.

[LilMissMolly]

Loved the pictures! I agree with you that islands are magic - especially Ireland!

[Anne Gracie]

Wonderful post, Nicola. I've always known that Fair Isle existed, of course, but it was more place where they knitted beautifully patterned jumpers (pullovers.) I've had several in my day — jumpers from Fair isle.

I loved that story of the Spanish seaman, too.

I've always loved the thought of living on an Island. I seriously considered living on King Island (down under) which is beautiful, and a mildly cold climate, and where they make the yummiest cheeses, but the main thing stopping me was that the transport to and from the island is by small plane. I'm no fan of flying in a little plane.

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Theo! I love the look of Mackinac Island. Anywhere that you have to leave your car behind and the pace of life slows down is very appealing to me. And what a beautiful place it looks too. Idyllic!

Louis, there's something about Treasure Island that completely captures the imagination, isn't there, and creates that sense of magic that I think lingers as an adult. I find myself drawn to islands time and again.

[Nicola Cornick]

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the post, Sherrie. I would love to visit the islands in the Puget Sound. It's on my travel list! I agree, Diane, that there is something wonderful about being near the sea. I find it extemely soothing and only wish I didn't live in the middle of the country!

[Nicola Cornick]

I'm glad you found it useful, Louisa. There was so much wonderful history to explore on Fair Isle. Like Mary Jo I am drawn to all the wild Celtic fringe islands and love the sense of escape they offer.

LilMissMolly, you mentioned Ireland, which is another wonderful destination!

[Nicola Cornick]

King Island sounds just my type of place, Anne, especially with the cheeses. Yum! On the other hand, I'm with you on the dislike of small planes...

[Jenny]

Lovely blog Nicola. I would love to visit some of the more remote Scottish islands. I have visited a few - Iona, and Mull and of course Skye, and many years ago I visited Orkney. But I live down south (hemisphere) and so it take some doing. I live on Australia's biggest island - Tasmania, which has islands surrounding it, including your King Island, Anne. I actually met my husband on an island. Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean, and surrounded by penguins and elephant seals. My husband was the senior carpenter and I was a summer scientist. Islands have lots of good memories and are wonderful places.

[Nicola Cornick]

Jenny, how romantic! Islands can be magical places. I hope you get to visit Scotland again and see all those islands! Whilst we were on Fair Isle a little cruise ship came in. It was visiting all the remote Scottish islands and I thought what a wonderful trip that would be.

[LynneW]

Thank you for the travelogue and pictures, Nicola. One of my favorite authors, Lucilla Andrews, set two of her books in the Islands and I've often wondered what the area looks like now!

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Lynne! I hadn't realised that Lucilla Andrews had set books in the Scottish islands. I will have to chase those up. Thank you!