The local experts week is a new offering here on Erraid. We have brought together 3 people local to us that have close knowledge of our unique environment. We have been learning from them for a while now and they have enriched our understanding of wildlife habitats, seascapes and the very rock we live on.

Dr John Faithfull is a local geologist. He spent a lot of his childhood on the Ross of Mull Granite, and this was a huge influence on his career choice. He has worked at the Universities of Leicester and Glasgow, and now lives in Bunessan. He has studied rocks from all over the world, but loves nothing more than sharing Mull’s beautiful rocks with others – geologists, and non-geologists alike.

As a poet, interdisciplinary artist, translator, and conservationist based on the Isle of Mull, Miek Zwamborn‘s focus is directed towards the tidal zone, peatland, and the Celtic rainforest. Miek explores these vibrant ecosystems through writing, drawing, mapping, and photography, often in collaboration. In her anthology, The Seaweed Collector’s Handbook (Profile Books, 2020), Miek touches on the realm of seaweed and its cultural history.

Peter Skinner works as a seasonal ranger for the National Trust for Scotland on Staffa and the Treshnish isles. Fascinated by nature since childhood, he lived on Erraid for three years, always observing the nature and especially the birdlife through the seasons.

You will spend a day with each of these experts as they take you on very different journeys but all related to spaces local to Erraid. This week will suit seasoned enthusiasts and complete beginners. There will also be a day to explore the isle of Iona or do some independent discovering of your own! The week will involve hiking, boating and, quite possibly, a spot of rain, so please consider this before you book. Also, this is a small group experience so spaces will be limited.