Book 31 - An Eye on the Hebrides

An Eye on the Hebrides: An Illustrated Journey by Mairi Hedderwick - first published in 1989

Mairi Hedderwick is best known for her children's picture books about a little girl called Katie Morag, which are set on the fictional island of Struay.  In 1988 she set off on a tour of the Hebrides in her old VW camper van.  The journey is best summed up in her own words: "The journey was alone and continuous.  It encompassed 40 islands, 750 sea miles, 4,500 land miles, 30 boats, innumerable breakdowns both mechanical and spiritual, 4 big storms, thousands of midges and far too many soul-searing sunsets.  An everyday for 195 days the discipline of sketching, sometimes 5 or 6 times a day."
The book is lavishly illustrated with her sketches and paintings.  The book is impressionistic, while the illustrations mostly show a great eye for detail.  It contains some information about the human and natural history and geology of the islands but is more of a diary and an account of the people she met, snippets about their lives and the conversations she had with them.

I love the way she sums up Benbecula: "Benbecula is pivotal not only to the religions of the Uists but to their administration, education and economy.  It has little else to recommend it."  Poor flat and boggy Benbecula!

8/10

Islands covered - Arran, Great Cumbrae, Bute, Gigha, Islay, Jura, Seil, Easdale, Luing, Kerrera, Colonsay, Oronsay, Mull, Iona, Erraid, Ulva, Gometra, Lismore, Tiree, Coll, Barra, Vatersay, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, Grimsay, Berneray, North Uist, Muck, Eigg, Rum, Canna, Skye, Raasay, Harris, Scalpay, St Kilda, Lewis.