I have hoped to visit St Kilda for many years but never found the time to go. friends visiting were extremely keen so we managed it despite the weather not being very favourable. It is a 55 mile trip from the house to Leverburgh and then a 55 mile mile boat trip to St Kilda. Two companies organise trips - Sea Harris and St Kilda tours. We went with sea Harris but both are to be recommended

From the outset we were in luck and  saw a basking shark in the harbour at Leverburgh. The 3 hour trip was rough but we saw sea birds and views and the crew were attentive at pointing things out.

You have to go into a small dinghy to get into the harbour and this was not as difficult as it sounds  - no wet feet!

We had a short talk from the SNH warden explaining the island and what we could see and do and this was helpful. We visited the church and schoolroom first - very basic and typical of Scottish schoolrooms everywhere when the desire to have a school in every parish became a mission. I found out later that one of the schoolteachers had come from Garenin and his two aunts,came to look after him. He died in the small pox epidemic. My neighbour, who gave me this inof was related to the aunts and said she remembered her mother talking about Na Hirtochain and later they returned to live in Garenin on Lewis. So although for most people the island seems remote and travel must have been dangerous and lengthy, there was contact with the other islands in the Hebrides.

The museum is also worth a visit and the house are very well kept and some used for volunteers to stay  - there seems quite few of them on the island.

The only scar is the work and buildings of the Ministry of Defence but this is being remedied and eco friendly buildings established.

We chose to walk up the spine of the island and it is extremely steep but gives a great view of  the sheltered bay, all the sea cliffs and the amazing birds. they dive bombed us when we got to near their nests and we learned to walk with care or hit the ground if they got too close.  Waving walking sticks is very effective!

St Kilda has a small shop and we all sent postcards home. They took a week to arrive.