Ruth Aisling took a flight to the remote Scottish island of Foula (Image: Ruth Aisling/YouTube)
An adventurous Scot who travelled to one of Britain’s most remote inhabited islands has highlighted the « breathtaking views » she witnessed before touching down. Ruth Aisling, who is on a quest to rediscover her homeland following more than a decade overseas, recently took a flight to the far-flung Scottish island of Foula.
Situated approximately 20 miles west of Shetland, the stunning island spans merely five square miles and is home to the imposing 1,233ft Da Kame, amongst the tallest sheer sea cliffs in Britain. In her opening remarks, Ruth explained: « Today, I’m travelling to what’s often considered one of the UK’s most isolated inhabited islands.
« Foula is home to around 30 people and lies 20 miles off the west coast of the Shetland Islands. It’s a wild and dramatic place, known for its huge sea cliffs, which are battered by the Atlantic Ocean. »
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Foula is home to fewer than forty people and no shops (Image: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Departing from Tingwall Airport in Shetland, Ruth courageously climbed aboard a small Britten-Norman Islander aircraft with merely eight seats and « five souls on board », capturing the spectacular vistas as the aircraft took to the skies.
Ruth added: « The Shetland mainland is generally pretty flat and we flew over lots of sea inlets, which in Shetland are called voes.
« We also passed over a fish farm. Shetland produces a huge amount of seafood, and around 80% of all the mussels produced in Scotland actually come from Shetland.
« The views over the Shetland mainland were incredible and as we climbed a bit higher, the outline of Foula could be seen in the far distance. »
Foula shows signs of settlement from the Bronze and Iron Ages (Image: Getty Images)
Similar to Shetland, Foula shows signs of settlement from the Bronze and Iron Ages, and is said to have been taken over by Norsemen about 800AD, but very few people remain on the island in modern times.
With a population of less than 40 and devoid of shops, Foula is home to puffins, sheep, and ponies. Referred to as « on the edge of the world, » it holds the distinction of being one of the UK’s most remote inhabited islands.
Ruth noted her previous visit to the island and compared Foula to another secluded Scottish island, Fair Isle, but asserted that Foula feels « more remote and more isolated ».
Upon landing on the picturesque island, the YouTuber clarified that she wasn’t staying this time around. Once the plane was prepared for departure, Ruth returned to the Shetland mainland.
This follows reports documenting the travel vlogger’s journey to an island off the eastern coast of the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, which she described as being « shrouded in mystery ».
She was alluding to Holy Isle, home to rare wildlife, « ancient legends carved into the rock », and a Buddhist heritage, housing the Centre for World Peace and Health.
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