RHSoc ContributorTrip report by Alastair Govan
Rona and Sula Sgeir are arguably the remotest islands in the British Isles, approx. 2.5 hrs on a fast boat from Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. They are also very exposed to the Atlantic weather, so not easy to get to, which of course make them highly prized by baggers. Rona has a Hump+Tump, while Sula Sgeir has 2 Tumps + lots of seabirds.
The demand was such that Rick organised 2 trips of 12 for August 2024, each with a back-up day to allow for weather uncertainties. But August 2024 was unremittingly poor, so both trips were postponed to August 2025 and this time we got lucky. Twelve of us, ably shepherded by Jonathon, set off from Breivig harbour on the Enchanted Isle, crewed by Seamus and Darren (Daz). The sea was calm and we had many sightings of dolphins, shearwaters, petrels and other seabirds.
Rona is an attractive grassy island, and we headed straight for the lighthouse on the highest hill before checking out the interesting remains of the chapel and houses of the hardy folk who lived there till about 1844, then returned to the boat via the Tump summit.
A short ride took us to Sula Sgeir, a very different prospect, small and rocky with much of it covered by seabirds and the stuff they leave behind…. There are also several stone bothies and other paraphernalia used by the guga hunters who were planning to come a couple of weeks later. The higher summit has a small lighthouse but getting there requires a very careful walk through a colony of fulmars, who do not move but spit smelly stomach contents at you if you get too close. Then a continuation through a colony of gannets, who move aside – thankfully, as their beaks look very sharp! The second, lower, summit has a short scramble across a gully, but no more bird hazards.
So we all arrived back in Breivig, 11 hours after setting out, very happy with our achievements. The boat crew had another 2 hours on the boat to get back to Tarbert!
Boat two the following weekend followed the same pattern, but this time with Seumas skippering rather than as the deckhand. Less problem was had with the Fulmars, who had perhaps matured in a week, most were off nests by now or less feisty. A notable highlight was spaniel Bryher making the landing on Rona, probably the first doggie there in a good few years. On Sula Sgeir she remained at the landing point though due to the birds and guano. Our trip back was similarly uneventful as the outbound, and a lot smoother.
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