Island Hopping

My daughter came to visit last week and we went island hopping. First to Luing, one of the slate islands off the Isle of Seil. We went across the Cuan sound in a very small roro ferry and walked to the village of Culipool with its white washed quarriers cottages. We then scrambled up the highest hill we could find to view the neighbouring islands.

It was then on to Easdale Island via a small open boat. Easdale covers approx 10 hectares and there are no cars on the island where a permanent population of about 60 live. Easdale is another slate island. The slate quarries flooded in a storm in 1881 and from then the industry declined with the last slate being cut in the 1950's. The community today is thriving with tourism being the main industry.

Later in the week we went to Lismore, travelling on a small enclosed boat from Port Appin. This time we took our bikes and cycled to Iond Naomh Moluag, the islands new heritage centre. A environmentally friendly, low tech building made from locally sourced wood and incorporating geothermal heating and a turf roof.

Permaculture

To me permaculture is about sustainable living and has a core philosophy of co-operation with nature whilst caring for the earth and its people - its not just about gardening! Permaculture has been steadily spreading across the world from Australia for the past 30 years and I first learnt about it approx seven years ago and have been learning and incorporating it into my life since. Permaculture and the emerging Transition Town initiative look at the twin problems of Climate Change and Energy Decent, and see these global problems as an opportunity to design descent pathways which make people feel alive, positive and included in the process of societal transformation to the post oil society of the future. Read Rob Hopkins book 'Transition Handbook - from oil dependency to local resilience' and you will be inspired!