Crofting Life
Crofting is very important on many islands. A croft tenancy is where the landowner owns the land and the tenant has legal right to farm it, sell the tenancy and pass it on as inheritance. Permanent improvements include barns and sheds, and in some cases the croft house. Many people living on a croft have decided to de-croft house property, often with a small amount of surrounding land. A number of reasons exist for this, the most important one is that you can't get a mortgage on a croft property, whereas you can on a property that has been de-crofted and stands on its own ground.
Monty Halls' Great Escape: Beachcomber Cottage by Monty Halls.
To be able to buy a croft tenancy you need to be accepted by the Crofters Commission as someone able to develop and run a croft. This usually means keeping lifestock and being able to look after sheep, chickens or cattle.
If you are fit and willing to learn then the Crofters Commission will often look sympathetically on people new to farming. A business plan it always helpful and remember that crofting can also involve growing horticultural crops, not just livestock.
Crofts and Crofting by Katharine Stewart.
Travel to North Uist
You can travel to North Uist from Skye by Ferry, or from Oban.
Fishing Uist
Fishing in North Uist is excellent and the April edition of Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine, so if you want to read about trout fishing in Uist then you should be able to buy a back issue from the magazines website. If this article does not make you want to fish the hebrides then nothing will.
North Uist in the Outer Hebrides
View over Loch Eport with the tide out. There is also a small boat jetty available. You can send this North Uist picture as an e-card to a friend.
The boat jetty provides protection for a small boat or sailing dingy. This is showing the jetty on Loch Eport with the tide out.
Images of Crofting Life in the Hebrides
Sheep are very important to many island crofters as they can feed on the common grazings - this is land that is shared by other crofters.
Sheep on the common grazing that is part of the croft tenancy.
Chickens on the croft. These Buff Orpingtons are in ready demand by other crofters on the island and may be part of the croft sale. Other chickens are also kept for eggs and as table birds.
Croft in North Uist
Views from the Croft over Loch Eport.
Locheport, Isle of North Uist
View from the moor field track over fresh water loch to Eaval.
A typical Hebridean Croft
Free range chickens are kept on the croft. They have an excellent quality of life on this hebridean croft.
