This summer I spent a week on an island which, until now, I had all too often overlooked. How things change. Now, when my mind dreams of escape, wilderness, and of reconnection with Scotland’s wildlife in all its glory, it’s my first port of call.

Compared to some of Scotland’s other islands, Mingulay might seem quite modest. Overshadowed by the more famous St Kilda, Mull, Harris, Skye… But perhaps that’s part of its charm, and a reason why I was so surprised by how much I loved this little patch of paradise? Another reason is its people. During my stay, the island’s human population consisted of me, my partner James, one seabird ecologist, and a seabird ranger from the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).

I was humbled by the warm welcome I received into their lives and work on this island – where the ecology is shaped by its wildlife and lack of direct human impact. Mingulay’s permanent population left in 1912, although the people of Vatersay and Barra, the islands just north of Mingulay, maintain a deep connection to the island. Mingulay is now uninhabited except for a seasonal ranger and occasional visiting ecologists, climbers, kayakers, and now us. From the minute I set foot on the island, I could tell that nature was in charge here.

Located at the bottom of the Outer Hebrides chain of islands, just getting to Mingulay aboard the local tour boat from Barra, is an adventure. Watching Mingulay come into view was the first magical part of the experience – emerging taller and greener than I’d expected. We landed on rocks adjacent to a tropicallooking long, white sandy beach, overlaid with crystal clear turquiose waters, the kelp dancing in the shallows. Seals in their hundreds played in the water and hauled themselves out on the beach around us. I had never seen so many in one place before, hundreds of grey (or Atlantic) seals – the largest seal species in the UK – all taking shelter to rest or digest in the safety of Mingulay’s shores. An inquisitive group provided us our own escort into the bay, adding to the magical feel of the island we were about to explore.