Breathtaking abandoned islands off Scottish coast is walkers’ paradise – but has dark past

St Kilda was home to humans for 2,000 years before the last residents were evacuated in 1930, and today visitors can camp overnight on this remote UNESCO World Heritage site

An abandoned Scottish island, located 100 miles off the mainland, boasts breathtaking views from the UK’s highest cliffs – and you can even camp there overnight.

St Kilda, an archipelago where humans resided for 2,000 years until the last 36 inhabitants were evacuated and relocated to Scotland in 1930, is now a ghost of its past. Those remaining islanders requested passage to the mainland after suffering malnutrition, influenza and general feelings of isolation.

Although a unique way of life was lost forever, remnants of the past are scattered across the four islands, particularly on the largest one, Hirta.

Recently named among the UK’s most haunted coastlines, St Kilda has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique wildlife, awe-inspiring sea cliffs, and isolated ecosystem, which includes being home to one million seabirds.

The National Trust of Scotland currently manages these Atlantic islands, and visitors can embark on trips in April and September – although weather conditions often result in cancellations.

Ruth Aisling, who runs a YouTube channel where she explores her home country of Scotland after living abroad for 12 years, once visited St Kilda, situated 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. She embarked on a three-hour boat journey from the Isle of Skye, with a day trip costing £280 per person.

However, to camp overnight in the most remote part of the British Isles, you have to pay for the return journey, bringing her total cost to £500. She stated: “Although this is quite pricey, St Kilda is a place I have always wanted to see and this will probably be the only time I will ever visit.”

Upon arrival, a National Trust representative briefed her on the permitted areas before she set off on her trek.

What immediately caught her attention was the deserted village in the distance, with the stone ruins and the sweeping bay creating “very beautiful” vistas.

Sharing her early thoughts, she remarked: “I have been on the island for an hour, hour and a half already, and my first impression is that the island definitely feels lived on.

“I had an image before coming here that this was an abandoned island, there really wasn’t going to be much here, however, there’s quite a lot of activity.

“I think there’s around 30 or 40 people on the island tonight. They might not live here year-round but they do live here temporarily so it is a little bit different to what I expected based on my first impressions so far.”

Throughout her unforgettable walks, she was captivated by the “unbelievable” landscape, though she did issue a warning.

She explained: “If you’re someone who is afraid of heights I don’t recommend hiking up here. Even me who is not really scared of heights my legs are wobbling a little bit. I’m staying quite far back from the edge. It probably looks like I am quite close but I am probably about seven eight metres from the edge.”

St Kilda is home to Britain’s most dramatic cliff faces, including Conachair, which towers at 427 metres. Unfortunately, upon reaching the summit, clouds had rolled in, and despite hanging around for half an hour, Aisling wasn’t able to witness what would have been an unforgettable panorama.

Her overnight stay in the tent proved somewhat unsettling after being disturbed by a large mouse attempting to infiltrate her sleeping quarters. She also noted the sheep were rather noisy.

The following day, she explored the opposite side of the island and was utterly captivated by the scenery.

She remarked: “This place is incredible. It looks like a picture frame of stones, and then the view out! This is 100% the best view of St Kilda in my opinion.”

The island of Hirta features a church, abandoned stone cottages, storehouses and freshwater springs, alongside a museum. Whilst toilet and shower facilities are available, there are no shops or eateries on the island.

While former inhabitants did depend on fishing, seabird meat and eggs formed a vital component of their diet. The island continues to host the UK’s largest puffin colony, supporting half of Britain’s puffin population.

Offering a glimpse into historical island life, Martin Martin documented in 1697: “The inhabitants of St Kilda, are much happier than the generality of mankind, as being almost the only people in the world who feel the sweetness of true liberty, simplicity, mutual love and cordial friendship, free from solicitous cares, and anxious covetousness; and the consequences that attend them.”

Yet numerous factors contributed to its eventual abandonment, including growing links with the mainland during the 19th century, which brought deadly illnesses to the island.

During its heyday, the population reached 200, but residents gradually began seeking better opportunities elsewhere, leaving insufficient workers to sustain the community. By the 1920s, just before the final evacuation, failed harvests resulted in starvation deaths.

Despite this, it continues to draw visitors from far and wide, with the Telegraph’s Robin McKelvie dubbing the archipelago the “real-life Jurassic Park” whilst describing its cliffs as “Tolkien-eque”.

One visitor shared their thoughts on TripAdvisor last year, calling it a “breathtakingly beautiful place”.

Another review stated: “Felt very privileged to visit this amazing place. It is beautiful in terms of scenery and wildlife and very poignant to see the places where people eked out a living for so long but who eventually had to ask for evacuation. Warm and informative welcome from the island’s warden.”

A third visitor remarked: “Landing by RIB on St Kilda on a gloriously sunny day is a once in a lifetime experience. The history is fascinating, the scenery stunning and the wildlife, especially puffins abundant.”