Shiants

I was fortunate to be on the Shiants on August 12. Fortunate both to be ashore on these fascinating isles, and to be there on the one day of the year when they come over to shear the sheep.  I was landed on the north side of Garbh Eilean, where I watched the puffins for an hour before ascending to the top of the island. From there it was a memorable walk along the eastern cliffs of the island, where I occasionally caught a glimpse of two Sea Eagles soaring high to the west. The climb up the north end was exciting, as was the descent down the south side via the "Eiger Pass".

This photo shows the sheep on Garbh Eilean just after they'd been driven down the Eiger Pass. They were then herded across the stone isthmus to Eilean Tigh to be sheared. (A sad side note: the fleeces were all left to rot, as it costs more to process them than they are worth.)