ST KILDA CENTRE
If you decide travelling to St Kilda just isn’t for you, or should the weather thwart your plans, keep an eye out for three developments across the Outer Hebrides that, should they come to fruition, will provide a tantalising flavour of the islands. The showcase plan is for a St Kilda centre at Mangersta in Uig on Lewis. Housed in what is promised to be an iconic building, this will contain memorabilia and archives from St Kilda and be linked to a cliff-top walkway and nature trails. Plans to open the centre by 2020 to coincide with the 90th evacuation of St Kilda were defeated by funding problems. A downscaled centre, with a price tag of £2 million, is now inching closer to the building phase. You can keep up to date with developments at www.ionadhiort.org. Other proposals in the pipeline include a St Kilda centre on North Uist, the island that actually provides the best views of St Kilda. In addition, a third centre is proposed for Harris which would place a greater emphasis on the genealogy of St Kildans, since these two islands historically had the closest links.
or June. In return for your fee (around £855), you get board and lodging and spend your days helping with restoration work around Village Bay, such as rebuilding drystone walls or cleits. This work is important to prevent the buildings and structures of St Kilda becoming nothing more than a pile of rubble on a hillside. Alternatively, you can camp in the fields behind the old military buildings for £20 per night (max five nights). Bookings must be made through the NTS (stkildainfo@nts.org.uk).
Kilda Cruises: kildacruises.co.uk
Sea Harris: seaharris.com
Seatrek: seatrek.co.uk
Uist Sea Tours: uistseatours.com
Return fares cost £170–250 for adults and £120–195 for children
St Kilda Club: www.stkildaclub.co.uk