St Kilda
National Nature Reserve

Tèarmann Nàdair Nàiseanta
Hiort

‘A World Apart’
‘Saoghal Air Leth’

The islands of St Kilda rise out of the Atlantic some 64 kilometres west of the Outer Hebrides, forming the last outcrop of the north west edge of Europe. People around the world have long held a special affection for these islands with their poignant history, dramatic scenery, spectacular seabirds and lonely isolation.

Tha Hiort ag eirigh as a’ Chuan Shiar mu 64 cilemeatair an iar air lonse Gall, ionall fearainn oir iar thuath na Roinn Eorpa. Tha daimh shonraichte air a bhith aig daoine ri na h eileanan sin aig a bheil eachdraidh thiamhaidh, seallaidhean iongantach, lionmhoireachd de eoin mhara agus aonranachd iomallach.

Explosive Beginnings

This isolated group is all that remains above the sea of a large volcano thought to have been active about 60 million years ago. The underlying rocks – granite, gabbro and dolerite – have been eroded by ice, rain and sea to form an impressive coastline to all four sea cliff in the British Isles at Conachair (430 metres), and Stac an Armin (191 metres) is the highest sea stack.

An Spreadhadh Tusail

Chan eil air fhagail os cionn na nara ach na h-eileanan iomallach seo de bholcano mor a bha beo mu 60 millean bliadhna air ais. Chaidh na creagan a bhu gu h-iosal – de eibhir, gabbro agus dolarait – am bleith le deigh, uisge agus muir gus cumadh araidh a thoirt air oirthir nan ceithir phriomh eileanan agus nan stacan a tha laimh riu. Tha am palla as motha a tha ann am Breatainn aig Conchair (430 meatair) agus ‘s e Stac an Armainn (191 meatair) an stac mara as airde.

Who Was St Kilda?

The name St Kilda is misleading as it does not apply to any one island and there never was a saint called Kilda. The confusion perhaps arose because of references to St Kilda in late 16th century charts. This may be a corruption of the Old Norse word ‘Skildir’ meaning shields, which possibly referred to the shape of th islands when viewed from a distance at sea.

Co Bha Ann An St Kilda?

Tha an t-ainm Beurla St Kilda dualach neach a chur cearr oir chan eil an t-ainm sin air gin de na h-eileanan agus cha robh naomh a riamh ann air an robh an t-ainm. Bhathar a’ cleachdadh an t-ainm St Kilda air seann chlaran aig deireadh an t-siathamh linn deug. ‘S docha gur ann bhon –t- seann fhacal Lochlannach ‘Skildir’ a ciallachadh sgiathan a thainig seo,leis gu bheil cumadh sgeith air na h- eileanan an uair a chithte iad pios air falbh.

Living On The Edge

People wree living on Hirta the largest of the St Kilda Islands,some 2000 years ago. Human occupation of these ‘islands on the edge of the world’- the remotest community in Britain- continued more or less without interruption until 1930 .That year the remaining 36 inhabitants were evacuated at their own request, the isolation- especially in winter- proving too much for their unique but fragile way of life.

In 1931 the Marquess of Bute bought St Kilda as a bird reserve . Although some Islanders cotinued to return home for the summer,their homes and the widlife remained largely at the mercy of visiting trawlermen or irresponsibile tourists. The islands were passed on in 1957 to the National Trust for Scotland who in turn leased them to the Nature Conservancy (a predecessor body of Scottish Natural Heritage) as a National Nature Reserve.

The late Marquess had already agreed to a military presence, so the Coservancy sub- leased some land on Hirta to the War Office to become a radar-tracking
station for the new rocket range on South on South Uist. The army camp may seem obtrusive on the windswept, St Kildan landscape, but the Royal Artillery personnel fulfil an important role in watching over the islands during the wunter and offer welcome services which help with the work of the cosevation bodies.

Beo Aig An Oir

O chionn mu 2000 bliadhna, bha daoine a fuireach air Hiort, an t- eilean as motha nam measg. Bha daoine a fuireach air na h-eileanan sin ‘air our an t- saoghail’-a choimhearsnachd as iomallaiche am Breatainn – an ire mhath gun bhriseadh suas gu 1930. Sa bhliadhna sin dh’iarr an 36 neach a bha a fuireach air an eilean an cothrom fagail, oir bha a fuireach air an eilean an cothrom fagail, oir bha iad a faireachdainn gun robh an t-aite ro iomallach- gu h-araidh sa gheamhradh-airson iad leantainn orra leis an doigh beatha a bha aca.

Ann an 1931 cheannaich Marcais Bhoid Hiort mar thearmann eun. Ged a lean cuid de eileanaich orra a’ tilleadh air ais dhachaigh gach samhradh bha an dachaig gach samhradh, bha an dachaighean agus am fiadhbheatha gu mor an urra ri luchd- tralair a bhiodh a tadhal agus ri luchd- turais gun diu.
Thugadh na h-eileanan do Urras Naiseanta na h- Alba ann an 1957’s thug iadsan iad air nhal do Ghleidhteachas Nadair ( buidheann a bha ann ro Dhualchas Nadair na h-Alba) mar Tearmann Nadair Naiseanta.

Bha am Marcais air aontachadh mus do chaochail e gum faodadh lathaireachd a bhith aig an Arm air Hiort, agus mar sin thug an Gleidhteachas fearann air mhal do Oifis a’ Chogaidh gus steisean-lorg radair a steidheachadh co-cheangailte ris an raon rocaid uir ann an Uibhist a Deas. ‘S docha gu bheil campa an airm a’ coimhead a-mach as aite air eilean gaothach Hiort, ach tha luchd an Airtileifidh Rioghail a’coilionadh dreuchd chudromach ann a bhith a’ faire air na h-eileanan fad mhiosan a’ gheamhraidh agus a’ tabhann deagh sheirbheisean a tha a’ cuideachadh luchd-gleidhteachais nan obair.

Honoured Islands

St Kilda has collected a cluster of designations for its natural and historical importance.

1957 National Nature Reserve

1963/72 Building and archaeological remains protected under the Ancient Monuments Act.

1976 Biosphere Reserve

1981 National Scenic Area

1984 Site of Special Scientific Interest

1987 Scotland’s first World Heritage Site

1992 European Community Special Protection Area

Eileanan Urramach

Tha Hiort air grunnan theisteanas fhaighinn airson inbhe a thaobh nadair agus eachdraidh.

1957 Tearnamm Nadair Naiseanta

1963/72 Toglaichean agus Laraich Airceolach air an dion fo Achd nan Larach Arsaidheil.

1976 Tearnamm Bithcruinne

1981 Earrann Naiseanta de Bhoidhchead Shonraichte

1984 Larach Annasach a thaobh Eolaidheachd

1987 A’ chiad Larach Dualchas an t-Saoghail ann an Alba

1992 Arainn Gleidhteachas Shonraichte a’ Chophobaill Eorpaich.

Britain’s Biggest Seabird City

St Kilda is famous for its seabirds.
It has the

  • Largest colony of gannets in the world on Boreay and the adjacent stacks, with some 60,000 pairs;
  • Oldest and largest colony of fulmars in Britainm with about 62,000 pairs;
  • Biggest colony of puffins in Britain, with some 140,000 pairs;
  • Most important seabird breeding station in north west Europe with over one million birds.

An Tional Eoin-mhara as Motha am Breatainn

Tha Hiort ainmeil airson eoin-mhara.
‘S ann ann a tha

  • An cruinneachadh as motha de shulairean san t-saoghal air Boraraigh ‘s na stacan laimh ris, le mu 60,000 caraid;
  • An cruinneachadh as sine agus as motha de dh’eun crom am Breatainn le my 62,000 caraid;
  • An cruinneachadh as motha de bhuthaidean am Breatainn le my 140,000 caraid;
  • An steisean briodaidh eoin-mhara as cudromaich airtaobh an iar-thuath na Roinn Eorpa le corr air millean aun mara.

Bird People

The huge numbers of seabirds on St Kilda were vital to the islanders’ survival. Birds’ eggs provided fresh food in the summer – alongside mutton and fish – with gannets and fulmars being harvested each season to be plucked, dried and stored for the winter. Feathers and oil were kept for export and helped pay the rent, whilst bones were shaped into useful implements and skins into shoes.

Luchd nan Eun

Bha lionmhoireachd nan eun-mhara cudromach do na Hiortaich airson gu maireadh iad beo. Bha uighean nan eun na bhiadh ur dhaibh as t-samhradh – maille ri feoil chaorach agus iasg – ‘s bhithte a’ marbhadh shulairean agus eion chroma gach bliadhna ‘s gan spionadh, gan tiormachadh agus gan storadh airson a’ gheamhraidh. Bhithte a’ gleidheadh nan itean agus an ola gus am paigheadh e am mal ‘s a’ deanamh innealan feumail de na cnaimhean ‘s brogan de na craicinn.

Far-out Species

The extreme isolation of St Kilda means that only a limited range of plants and animals can survive here. For instance, of the 367 butterflies and moths recorded from the Western Isles, only 58 have occurred on St Kilda. However, many animals that do live on the islands either ixist in very large numbers or have taken on a unique character.

The familiar wren that we know from hedgerows and gardens, lives on St Kilda amongst the bleak ruins of KKHirta or on the steep, inhospitable cliffs. But it is larger and less streaky than its mainland relative, and its powerful song provides an unexpected backdrop to the crash of Atlantic waves. Wrens are even known to breed on some of the remote rock stacks.

The mice of St Kilda also differ from mainland populations. The distinctive house mouse became extinct immediately after the islanders departed, but the field mice – less dependent upon humans – still thrive. A flock of primitive sheep, found nowhere else in the world, survived on the isolated island of Soay. After the evacuation some were transferred some were transferred from Soay to Hirta where they now run completely unmanaged. An unusual form of Blackface sheep also remains marooned on Boreay.

Gnethean Annasach

Tha ioooomallachd Hiorta a’ ciallachadh nach urrainn ach gle bheag de phlanndraisean agus de bheathaichean mairsinn beo an seo. Mar eisimpleir, de an 367 dealan-de agus leomainn a chaidh a chlaradh sna h-Eileanan an lar, cha d’fhuaras ach 58 air Hiort. Ach, tha cuid de na h-ainmhidhean a tha ann gle lionmhor no air atharrachadh ann an doigh shonraichte./

Gheibhear air Hiort an dreathan-donn air a bheil sinn eolach sna callaidean agus sna garraidhean am measg nan seann thobhtaichean no air na pallaichean casa, iargalta. Tha an t-eun seo nas motha agus chan eil e cho stiallach ris an t-seorsa a tha air tir mor agus cluinnear oran cumhachdach os cionn onghaidh a’Chuain Shiair. Tha dreathain air briodachadh eadhoin air cuid de na stacan as iomallaiche.

Tha na luchain Hiortach iad fhein eadar-dhealaichte bhon fheadhainn air tir mor. Bhasaich na luchain taighe as cho luath ‘s dh’fhalbh na daoine ach tha na fearlagain – nach eil cho mor an urra ri daoine – gle bhitheanta. Bha treud de chaoraich nach lorgar an cearnaich sam bith eile san t-saoghal rim faotainn air eilean iomallach Shodhaigh. An uair a gh’fhalbh na daoine a Hiort, thugadh cuid de chaoraich ann a Sodhaigh agus tha iad beo ann an sin air an ceann fhein. Tha seorsa annasach de chaora cheann-duibh ri faotainn air Boraraigh cuideachd.

Work in Progress

Scottish Natural Heritage supports a programme of wildlife research and survey and survey on the islands, which includes a long-term study of the Soay sheep, continual monitoring of the seabird populations and detailed vegetation mapping. The remarkable buildings and archaeological remains are scheduled ancient monuments and are actively conserved by volunteer parties of the National Trust for Scotland. SNH and the NTS employ a warden on Hirta throughout the summer months.

Obair a Tha A’ Dol

Tha Dualchas Nadair na h-Alba a’ toirt taic do phrogram rannsachaidh agus sgurdaidh fhiadhbheatha air na h-eileanan, a tha a’ gabhail a-steach rannsachadh fad-uineach air caoirich Shodhaigh, a bhith a’ cumail suil air aireamhan eoin mhara agus a’ claradh gu iongantach agus na laraich arceolach claraichte mar laraich arsaidheil agus tha sgiobaidhean saor-thoileach gan gleidhidh fasdaichte aig SNH agus NTS air Hiort fad miosan an t-samhraidh.

On Your Visit

As you walk or sail around St Kilda please respect the islands’ landscapes, buildings and wildlife, and follow the bye-laws. When you land, you should contact the SNH/NTS warden at the Factor’s House who will help you gain the most from your visit.

SNH is a Government agency which works to conserve and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage of wildlife, habitats and landscapes. It aims to help people enjoy the natural heritage responsibly, understand it more fully and use it wisely so that it can be sustained for the future.

For more information please contact:
Scottish Natural Heritage
135 Stilligarry
South Uist
HS8 5RS

Tel: 01870 620238

Air Do Chuairt

A’ coiseachd no a’ seoladh mu Hiort bi curamach mu thir, mu thoglaichean ‘s mu fhiadhbheatha nan eilean, ‘s lean na fo-riaghailtean. Nuair a theid thu air tir, leig fios gu an neach-gleidhidh aig taigh a[ Bhailidh. Stiuiridh e thu gus an tlachd as motha fhaighinn a do thuras.

Is buidheann riaghaltais SNH a tha an urra ri gleidheadh ‘s ardachadh dualchas nadarra na h-Alba. ‘S e amas SNH daoine a chuideachadh gus an dualchas nadarra a mhealtainn, a thuigsinn ‘s a chleachdadh le curam mu choinneimh nan linn ri teachd.

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh suir fios gu:
Dualchas Nadair na h-Alba
135 Stadhlaigearraidh
Uibhist a Deas
HS8 5RS

Fon: 01870 620238