My Britain: Isle Of Barra

At first glance you might think you're looking at a rock in the middle of the Atlantic, but on closer inspection you'll find a vibrant island community, a water sport heaven and breathtaking natural scenery

- Alice Gawthrop

The Isle of Barra is the most southerly inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides. It can be reached by sea or by air, and if you choose the latter you’ll be treated to one of the more unusual plane landings around the world. The runway for the island’s only airport is on a beach, and vanishes under the waves during high tide. It was voted the world’s most scenic landing spot in 2011.

Barra is home to a crofting culture that is particular to the Scottish Highlands and the islands of Scotland. The island has had human inhabitants since the Neolithic era, but it remains a place of raw natural beauty. From the white sandy beaches on the north side of the island to the rocky inlets on the southeast side, it’s known as one of the most beautiful islands in Britain.

MARGARET ANNE ELDER

Margaret is the owner of Herring Girl Knitwear, a knitwear brand inspired by the women who travelled along the coast of the United Kingdom following herring as they migrated throughout the year

herringgirlcollection.com

I WAS BROUGHT up between Barra and Fort William. That happened quite a lot in my generation because there were fewer education opportunities here. The majority of my family was born in the 1960s on Barra and then came back in the 1980s and 1990s, because it wasn't as isolated as it used to be so we could bring our children up here.

I went to Fort William for school. Once I had my family I brought them back to Barra. It was possible for my husband and I to work on our croft, which is a small bit of land tenure that's passed down through generations. I always knew I would come back to Barra, it was just a matter of when the time was right.