Moray students restore cottage on abandoned island of Swona

A group of adventurous Moray students have become the first people in half a century to camp out on an uninhabited Scottish island.

The tiny Orkney Island of Swona was abandoned in 1974, leaving only a small herd of feral cattle to roam its 92 acres. Reaching it from Moray requires a marathon ten-hour trip by bus, ferry and boat.

However a group of 12 students and staff from Gordonstoun spent eight days there, restoring much of its infrastructure and even building a toilet.

The students learned how to catch fish, baked their own bread on an open fire and even pumped fresh water from a 1000-year-old well.

Dan McLean, a houseparent at Gordonstoun, said: “Swona has thousands of years of human history, including Viking farms, Neolithic tombs and a Medieval chapel.

“But for the past 50 years the island has effectively been cut off from the world.

“When I first explained to the students we would be camping out and having to source our own water, some had a little bit of trepidation about the trip, but their spirit for adventure soon kicked in.

“We had to be self-sufficient for more than a week which meant bringing everything from sleeping bags to building supplies and equipment. We had no fridge so we also had to bring plenty of foods that could be rehydrated, including chicken for a stir fry.”

Mr McLean added: “We were the largest community on the island since the 1920s. For the first time in many decades the fields and houses of Swona echoed to the sound of conversation, laughter, and music, including tunes composed on the island by one of our students.

“Future groups will not only continue the ecological and heritage work but will also begin to assess the archaeological potential of the island, until now untouched. We will be working with professional archaeologists from University of Highlands and Islands to find out more about the island’s heritage.”

Situated in the Pentland Firth, around seven miles north of John o’ Groats, the island is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) due to its rare vascular plants.

An important breeding colony for many species of seabird, particularly the Arctic tern, puffins and razorbills, it is also known for its orcas, dolphins, pilot whales and minke whales.

As well as building a toilet, the students also helped to restore slate paths and stone dykes on Swona, concreted the old pier and refurbished the former croft cottage of Norhead.

During the 1880s a total of 47 residents lived on the island, which had its own school until 1920.

The population then declined until James and Violet Rosie, the last two residents, left in 1974.

William Annal is one of their descendents.

He said: "The Gordonstoun students put in a tremendous effort, reversing many years of decay.

“Their presence and personality breathed life and energy back into the island and it was tremendous to see. The work has progressed the goals of the Swona Heritage Group by many years.

“The project was such a success that we now plan to make an annual trip to Swona. We hope that many generations of Gordonstoun students will benefit from the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of such an inspiring and historic location.”

Gordonstoun is the former school of King Charles III as well as his two younger brothers. It was established near the Moray village of Duffus in 1934 by Dr Kurt Hahn, a Jewish exile who fled Nazi Germany.

As well as academic subjects, its ethos includes a strong focus on character building activities, such as outdoor adventure, sailing and service to the community.

Hope Flemington, who’s an 18-year-old pupil, said: “The trip to Swona was absolutely life-changing.

“There was a great camaraderie and a real sense of achievement by being of service to the local community. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.”