Visiting the Shiants

Visiting the Shiants

Just how easy is it to visit the Shiant Islands?

Located off the south east coast of Harris the Shiant Islands are remarkable difficult to get too. Unless you have your own mode of transportation kayak, boat, yacht visiting the Shiants is quite a challenge.

When we visited the Shiants we chartered a boat based in Uig, Skye. A private hire to take us to the Shiant Islands where we would stay for 4 days.

Shiant Boat Trips

Boat trips to the Shiant Islands are more common but still require effort to get to the pick up point and advance booking would be essential. Again you may have to charter a boat to get out to the Shiants

Day Trips

Isle of Harris Sea Tours (Harris)

Hebridean Cruises (Oban)

Hebridean Whale Cruises (Gairloch)

Boat to the Shiants licensed to take people to the shiants

• Stornoway are run by Charles Engebretsen on 01851 702304 or 01851 702303.
• Also Seumas Morrison, Tel: 01859 502007
• Cost approx £700 (2022)

Can we stay on the Shiant Islands

Yes, you can stay on the Shiant Islands. You will have to be self sufficient to do so. Leave no trace on this fragile island what you bring with you must leave with you.

We contact the owner Adam Nicolson (Dad to the current owner Tom) to obtain his permission to stay on the island (we asked as a courtesy as due to the Scottish Outdoor Access code permission isn’t really required). Adam recommened we visit and depart the Shiant Islands before the 1st of May (lambing on the island).

Essentials we took with us on our amazing Shiant Islands camping trip

• Obviously a waterproof tent
• enough drinking water for 7 days on the Island (we don’t plan to stay this long but all depends on the weather)
• food (in tamperproof containers, birds, rats etc)
• stove, cutlery, bowls, cups etc
• sleeping bags, thermarest mattress
• camera, phone (full charge) for photographs (we don’t have phone reception. This will hopefully have improved)
• battery packs didn’t exist when we vist the Shiants. Now I would recommend a battery pack or two to charge your devices
• Warm Clothing
• Rainproof clothing (another key point is to expect four different types of weather in a day. Be prepared!)

Shiants Bothy

The bothy is a primitive one room hut or house on the Island. When we visit the Shiants there are still rats on the Island. We are happier to sleep in our tent which is of course rat proof. Now rats have been eradicated from the Shiant Islands so staying in the Bothy will be less of a problem.

Please contact Tom Nicolson on this email address (tom@shiantisles.net). Consequently you now have to obtain a key to stay in the bothy (free). Also you need to ensure the bothy is not already occupied. There is now an online calendar to check availability.

When we visit the islands there is a two person american film crew for the first few days.

Later, on the Sunday, a Cambridge radio buff group arrive and use the Bothy for a few hours.

Shiants Puffins -when is the best time to visit the Shiants?

We visit the Shiant Islands because we want to see the wildlife extravaganza which are the Puffins. Puffins are not on the Shiant Islands all year around. They come to the islands to breed, lay their eggs, raise their babies, Pufflings and then they depart.

The Puffins begin rafting off the islands in ever greater numbers until one day some silent message is given and the Puffins begin to land on the island. They then have to start excavating the old burrows or excavate new burrows. It is in the burrows where they lay their eggs.

We arrive on the Shiant islands on the 26th of April. The Puffins begin to land on the Shiant Isles on the 25th of April.

• Six weeks for Puffin eggs to be incubated
• Six weeks approximately for the Pufflings to fledge
• If food supplies are poor it will take the Pufflings longer to fledge

The Puffins could all have left the Shiant Islands by early August.

Generally the best time to visit the Shiants is between May and end of July.

Shiants Bird Life – What other birds might you see on the Shiant Islands?

When the puffins begin to land on the Shiant Islands the apex predators begin to arrive on the island. As a result expect to see Bonxsies, a variety of Seagulls and raptors. All these birds will depart after their food source departs.

• Bonxsie (Great Skua) – predator bird
• White Tailed Sea Eagle – predator
• Golden Eagle – predator
• Fulmar
• Guillemot
• Kittiwake
• Razorbill

Shiant Islands Owner

Tom Nicolson

Shiant Islands Book

Sea Room by Adam Nicolson is essential reading to those wishing to visit the Shiant Islands. Adam inherited the islands at the age of 21 and Seam Room tells the story of these magical islands. The human and feathered inhabitants who make the islands unique.

Shiant Islands Map

The Shiant Islands are comprised of three named islands.

• Garbh Eilean (rough island)
• Eilean an Taighe (house island), which are joined by a narrow isthmus
• Eilean Mhuire (island of the Virgin Mary)

Where can we see the Puffins of the Shiants?

Garbh Eilean is where the amazing Puffin Colony is located.

Firstly to get to Garbh Eilean we cross the narrow isthmus from Eilean an Taighe.

Then scale the treacherous narrow sheep trod up the grassy high cliffs to the top of Garbh Eilean. (I was terrified)

Next cross over the summit of Garbh Eilean. (We see White Tailed Sea Eagle sitting on the top of the island)

Head towards the cliff edge which faces Harris. Here the Puffins nest and dig their burrows.

On the whole getting to the Puffin Gathering is quite a challenge if you don’t have a head for heights or are reasonble fit.

Is there drinking water on the Shiants?

Yes there is a spring on the Shiant isles but is a murky little seepage. Used by the various wildlife. We would strongly recommend you do not use this spring. For this reason bring all the water you might need with you to the Island.

Visit my blog on our Shipwrecked on the Shiants experience – visiting the Shiants

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