017 Island of Gigha

Island of Gigha One of the most magical experiences yet of my ongoing travels around Scotland.  The island of Gigha is only a few miles off the coast of the Mull of Kintrye, Scotland and is a truly magical small island.  A regular ferry crossing from Tayinloan takes only 20 minutes and Gigha is such a wonderfully fertile and visually beautiful island with it's lovely beaches and some amazing artifacts associated with its historical heritage. Most importantly of all Gigha is an example of the success of islanders buying their island and investing in it's future.   Since they took ownership in 2002 Gigha has managed to increase its population and lay the foundations for it's ongoing economic success.  It is a great example of how land reform in Scotland has to accelerate further in the years ahead. I can't recommend a visit to Gigha highly enough.   It's such a different story from the sad demise of Stroma a similar sized island I talked about before in Episode 015. Kevin