Visitor centre may be created for remote Scottish islands

whc.unesco.org

A visitor centre for internationally-protected St Kilda is being considered, but would be established miles away, in Scotland’s Western Isles.

The St Kilda archipelago is located more than 40 miles from the Outer Hebrides, and is protected by its UNESCO World Heritage Status, that recognizes both its cultural and natural importance.

The creation of a visitor centre is being considered by the Western Isles Council – Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

It is not feasible to build the centre on Hirta, the main island in the St Kilda chain, as it is too difficult to reach.

A feasibility study has been proposed to help decide the best location for the visitor centre and to consider how it might benefit Western Isles tourism.

The National Trust for Scotland, St Kilda’s owner, is working in conjunction with the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on island conservation and research.

The archipelago’s towering cliffs and sea stacks are habitats for puffins and tens of thousands of other sea birds.

In 1930, the last human inhabitants of the islands left when their way of life collapsed following prolonged contact with the mainland and other parts of the world.

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