SOOTHED BY THE SEA
Nestled in the mouth of Loch Moidart in the Highlands, on Scotland’s West Coast, Eilean Shona (pronounced il-lan show-na, after the Old Norse for ‘sea island’) is situated in a hidden inlet. To the north and west lie Skye and the Hebridean islands, while to the south, on a small piece of rock, sits ruined Castle Tioram, home of the Clanranalds. Scotland is no stranger to isolation, but Shona, an island just two and a half miles long and one a half miles wide, feels truly tucked away in a dreamy landscape of its own.
Like many Scottish islands Eilean Shona has been, and still is, a privately owned holiday hideaway, which is currently owned by the Devereux-Branson family. Its focus is on retreats, with an 18th-century manor house catering for groups, a communal village hall with books, maps, board games, table tennis and WiFi, plus eight small rental cottages that are available on a weekly basis for individual experiences. I’m here on my own to explore a greater connection to the natural world and to discover the mental benefits of slowing right down. I want
