The Island of Erraid
Tucked off the Ross of Mull, Erraid is a tidal island rich in both natural beauty and human history. Its story begins in deep time, with ancient granite formed 420 million years ago, and traces of early human presence dating back thousands of years. From Bronze Age Beaker settlers to the Celts, Picts, Vikings, and the Lords of the Isles, Erraid has long echoed with life and legend.
In the 19th century, Erraid took on an industrial role when it became the base for constructing the Dubh Artach lighthouse—one of Scotland’s most remote and challenging engineering feats. The famed Stevenson family, including Robert Louis Stevenson, oversaw the project. Stevenson’s visits to Erraid inspired scenes in Kidnapped and The Merry Men, immortalizing the island in literature.
A row of finely built stone cottages—constructed for lighthouse keepers and their families—still stands today, a testament to the island’s time as a Northern Lighthouse Board outpost. Life here was once defined by harsh weather, isolation, and the rhythms of the sea.
For nearly 50 years, Erraid was home to a small intentional community, connected with the Findhorn Foundation since the late 1970s. Residents continue to live simply and harmoniously with nature, carrying forward the spirit of resilience, reverence, and quiet transformation that has always defined this unique island.
Today, Erraid is home to an independent, place-based community committed to regenerative living. Rooted in the island’s rhythms, the community cultivates self-sufficiency by using local produce and resources from both Erraid and nearby Mull.
Their purpose is to model an ecologically responsible, sustainable lifestyle—maintaining the historic lighthouse keepers’ cottages and gardens, while offering educational opportunities in environmental stewardship, personal growth, and heritage preservation.
Visitors are warmly welcomed to join community life through seasonal programmes that share the principles and practices of sustainable island living.
Erraid’s Gardens
Our gardens have been nurtured by the Erraid Community for over 40 years. We grow organically and tend to our plots and polytunnels throughout the year, in all weathers. The herb gadren is a must see too.
In the springtime, we sow seeds and plant out. In the summer, there is lots of weeding, watering, and harvesting to do. In the autumn, we enjoy more harvesting and preserving whilst putting the garden to sleep for wintertime.
In the winter, we prepare the beds for the coming spring by enriching the soil with heaps of seaweed from the nearby beach, manure from our hens and compost made from our organic waste.
Throughout the year, our meals are made with fresh organic produce from our gardens whenever possible. Depending on the season, they provide us with a variety of salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, brassicas, onions, garlic, legumes, potatoes, herbs, rhubarb, blackcurrants, blackberries and much more. We also grow flowers that bring joy and beauty to our cottages and gardens.
Animals and Wildlife
Part of living here on Erraid is looking after our animals with respect and reciprocity.
The chickens, born and bred on the islands, have a cosy wooden home beside the old byre and they give us delicious eggs to eat.
We also have two cats in our community, Moonlight and Shadow. Many years ago they were found abandoned on Mull by a previous member of the community. Thanks to the care and patience of all the residents since, they have grown up healthy, loving and loyal. They are fond of guests and fireside cuddles.
A herd of Black Faced sheep roam the wilder parts of Erraid. They belong to the local shepherd but the community helps manage the flock at times throughout the year. Sheep round-ups are a favourite and all visitors are welcomed into the process.
There is a diversity of wildlife to spot on Erraid too – from circling birds of prey, to the nesting herons, majestic deer and, if you’re very lucky, otters.
Wood
The cottages on Erraid are warmed by woodburners, which also heat the water for showers and daily use. The cutting and splitting of wood is a necessary, daily part of life here, throughout the year.
All the wood (mainly Larch), is locally sourced from the Isle of Mull. At low tide, we use the tractor to bring the wood across the beach before it is cut into logs with a chainsaw, then it is split and stacked.
The scraps and bark go back to the gardens as mulch, and the sawdust from using the chainsaw helps keep our compost toilets fresh – nothing is wasted.
About once a week, members and guests on Erraid help with a ‘wood run’ from the wood shed up into the houses, with a chain of people to load and unload the trailer. This process is a team effort, everyone playing a vital role in keeping us all cosy and clean!
