Working as ecologists in the Highlands of Scotland means that we sometimes have to get to some pretty remote and far-flung places. For us, this means our commute to work is often very different from one spent in near-stationary traffic on the M25. And while sometimes a job might just involve a long drive to the middle of nowhere, there are also occasions where the ecologist’s commute is quite a bit more interesting and unusual…
Ferries, Ferries and More Ferries
Here at Purple Plover we love a ferry. Which is just as well because ferries are a common theme when it comes to getting to lots of our survey and work sites. With much of our work being in Orkney and Shetland, these are often one of the Northlink ferries between mainland Scotland and the Northern Isles. Sometimes this involves an overnight ferry between Aberdeen and Shetland, or vice versa. More often, it is the short trip across the Pentland Firth between mainland Scrabster and Stromness in Orkney. This has the added bonus of stunning views of the famous Old Man of Hoy sandstone stack en route.
We also travel to the Inner and Outer Hebrides from a variety of west coast ports, however. These include the Calmac ferries from Ullapool to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Kennacraig to Islay and a recent work trip to Coll and Tiree from Oban. This route is another stunner, passing Mull and Ardnamurchan. In summer there are plenty of opportunities to spot seabirds such as Manx shearwaters and great skuas from deck. Cetaceans are also likely, including harbour porpoises and common dolphins and, if you are really lucky, orcas or minke whales. And breakfast on the ferry is usually a winner, too…
Island Hopping for Beginners
In Orkney and Shetland, we often have to catch a lot of ferries between various islands, as well. Last summer, for example, we had to survey a large proportion of the inhabited islands in Orkney for one job or another. Getting to see so many of the islands for work has been an amazing experience. And depending on site locations, we are often able to do these as foot passengers. Without the stress of trying to book a car onto a busy summer holiday ferry, this is a much more relaxing way of doing things.
A little bit of local knowledge goes a long way in these situations. For example, Shetland gets extremely busy with birdwatchers looking for rarities in the autumn. Keeping an eye on the local bird alerts and planning accordingly can save a lot of frustration as a result. The rest of the year you might get away with not booking ahead, but making sure you do at certain times of year is therefore essential. Getting a good working knowledge of the, sometimes complicated, ferry timetables is also vital.
Up, Up and Away
Occasionally, despite of course wanting to avoid flying as much as possible, there is no other way of getting out to the islands. Perhaps our most memorable commute was one such flight. Last year we had to do a survey on Papa Westray, or Papay, as it is often called, in Orkney. Time constraints meant we couldn’t travel by ferry for this job as this would involve a ferry to Westray, an overnight there and then a foot ferry to Papay. Instead, we caught the morning eight-seater flight from Kirkwall Airport out to the tiny airfield on Papay, before heading back to Kirkwall in the afternoon.
Sometimes this flight stops off at the island of Westray first. The onward hop between this larger island and Papay is officially the world’s shortest flight at 90 seconds. Tourists often book just to say they’ve done it and get the accompanying certificate. Sadly our trip didn’t make this stop so took a whopping 15 minutes or so instead. Despite that, it was still an amazing way to get to work for the day. Maybe one day we might have to commute via the famous Barra flight that lands on that island’s beach runway…
A Room with a View
There is a common misconception that it only takes an hour or two to get to the northernmost bits of Scotland once you’ve left Edinburgh. Inverness, though, is a good three and half hours from the capital at best. Once there, Thurso on Scotland’s north coast is a further two hours’ drive. This is a long-winded way of saying that sites in the Highlands can feel a very long way away from each other. Add in a lot of single-track roads, occasional livestock, and, in summer, a lot of slow motorhomes, and travel from A to B can take much longer than anticipated.
Consequently, we often have to stay overnight either before or after a survey because the travel times are just too much to be able to commute there and back in a day. Sometimes, there will be a B&B or hotel nearby. Occasionally, though, camping is the only option. This was the case recently on Coll. In Scotland, this often means a room with a spectacular view. The downside is, that in summer at least, you have to cope with that scourge of the Scottish Highlands, the dreaded midge. Ticks can be an even more serious problem, so proper precautions on this front always need to be taken. It is also extremely important to camp responsibly if not in a campsite. Arrive late and leave early and always leave no trace are key points to remember so as not to abuse Scotland’s generous access laws.
Surveying Far and Wide
We love being based in the Highlands of Scotland. Our work tales us to some beautiful and fascinating places, ones we might not otherwise get to visit. And while there are at times complications to getting to these far-flung locations, those varied commutes certainly make life more interesting!
