When we returned to the UK from Australia in April, we spent a whole month catching up with friends and family, and travelling the length and breadth of the UK. One of our social engagements was spending a week with Daisie’s parents in an AirBnB on the Isle of Eriskay. At the end of May we drove 480 miles from Rotherham in South Yorkshire to Uig on the Isle of Skye, stopping every few hours to stretch Izzy’s legs and camping on the banks of Loch Lomond. We then took the ferry from Uig to Lochmaddy and drove the last leg of the journey through North Uist, Benbecula, and South Uist before finally arriving on Eriskay.

The Outer Hebrides (also known as the Western Isles) are a chain of islands off the western coast of Scotland. These islands have a rich history and culture, and are one of the few places where Scottish Gaelic is still a first language for many. Due to their location near the North Atlantic Current, the Outer Hebrides have a very mild and stable climate compared to many locations of a similar latitude. The warm weather combined with the brilliantly long hours of daylight in the summer (over 20 hours in June and July), and some of the most stunning beaches in the UK, makes these islands an isolated paradise.

We were instantly blown away by the white beaches, clear water, cloudless sky, and dramatic coastline. Izzy was able to swim for hours every day, and we were more relaxed than we had been in years. Within days, we were having conversations about not leaving. After a quick Google search, we found a job advertised on the Isle of Barra. The hotel in Castlebay was looking for a couple to work in their kitchen and bar, and the job came with free accommodation. After a short phone call we were offered the job, and so a week on Eriskay became a full summer on the Western Isles. We woke up on the day we were meant to return to England and got the other ferry instead- to Barra.

Barra and Vatersay are the southernmost inhabited islands of the Outer Hebrides, and despite their small size, they are home to a dazzling array of wildlife, dozens of picture-perfect beaches, and a close-knit and welcoming community. We have only been here for six weeks, but we have already fallen in love with the Outer Hebrides. We fill our time off walking over the windswept hills or swimming in the cold waters of the bays. It’s not all sand between our toes and salt on our skin- we work hard and in roles that are new to both of us. We haven’t really worked in hospitality before and this has been a bit of a learning curve.

Keep watching TheGapLife.co.uk (and follow our instagram- @thegaplife.co.uk) for updates and recommendations from our time in the Outer Hebrides. We are here until October so keep an eye out for posts on beaches, activities, finding jobs, and more.