The windswept shores of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides may seem like a distant land to those comfortable with living on the mainland, but for me this breathtaking island was the perfect spot to start the next chapter of my life.
This blog follows my journey, from the decision to leave behind a life in Durham, England, to the eventual realisation of becoming a crofter.
The Journey
Moving from my home town of Grimsby to the historic city of Durham in the northeast of England, I had developed a successful enough business and had a comfortable enough life. However I always felt that it was missing something. I was restless and never quite at home with just ‘comfortable’. My scribbling and journals always included thoughts of a small-holding and of working outdoors, producing something tangible and important at a base level. Distancing myself from the subscription of control by corporations that had infected our freedom, our food chain, our life’s time.
I was drawn to the traditional practice of crofting when I visited friends and then new entrant crofters in Lemreway, on the Isle of Lewis. Crofting represents more than just farming – it’s about self-reliance and supporting a family or community, working with the land in a sustainable and productive way. For me this was not just a change in scenery, but a complete lifestyle overhaul. I am convinced that keeping an active mind, staying active, variety, creativity, and carrying out productive work in tune with the seasons is the key to a longer and happier life.
Whilst I cannot change the world I can change my life and make some difference in my own backyard, and if we all did that then the world would indeed change.
Why Crofting?
Crofting, with its emphasis on small-scale farming, collectiveness, and local practices, felt like the perfect fit. It offers a chance to live inline with the seasons, producing food for myself and to contribute to local community. The idea of learning new skills and being self-sufficient by growing vegetables, raising animals and working the land has always been deeply appealing and an obvious path towards improved wellbeing.
In today’s fast-paced world many people feel disconnected from their food and the environment. I, like many others, seek a life that is less reliant on commercial systems and more in tune with nature’s cycles. Preferring to fill my time with important tasks or creative activities rather than soap operas or football. Crofting offers one such solution; beyond the practical aspect of food production it represents a return to the basics of community, gumption and old fashioned self-reliance.
The Search
Once the decision to pursue a croft had been made, the next step was finding the right one, at the right price, in the right location. Although there is no perfect in an imperfect world, it needed to be somewhere that felt right.
When Croft 5 came up for sale, it immediately caught my attention. Enaclete, a small crofting community on the West side of the Isle of Lewis, seemed to tick all the boxes.
The landscape is breathtaking with sweeping views of Loch Roag, rugged moorland, and open (dark)skies. The land itself is ideal: relatively level and easy ground with evidence of previous cultivation and livestock holding, and an ideal location for future diversification.
It was also my favourite part of the Isle of Lewis, the West side, incorporating amazing beaches, mountainous landscapes and the North Atlantic Ocean.
Crofting can be an isolating way of life, and so the proximity of Enaclete to larger townships, coupled with its popularity during the tourist season, added to the increasing benefits of Croft 5 as a place to call home.
However finding a suitable croft was just the start of a long, complex and drawn out process. Nine months has passed since I viewed the croft and submitted my offer. Finally the boxes have been ticked, monies transferred, but still the waiting continues. All that is left is for the keys to be handed over; after a statutory holding period (more waiting) of course!
I can’t wait to get started, and continuing the previous work as the new custodian of Croft 5!
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