When I first heard about Lisa Drewe’s adventures circumnavigating various islands, I must admit that I was a little jealous. Having lived on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne as a child I could really understand what it is to be an islomaniac. Reading Lisa’s article, Islandeering: Five British Islands To Go Wild On, I was even more hooked. Even as ‘armchair islandeers’ we can allow ourselves to drift in our imaginations to some incredibly beautiful and wild, lonely places on an adventure.
Advance planning
The author begins with an introduction to what islandeering is ie the circumnavigation of an island. This can be done in many ways, including walking, swimming, coasteering and kayaking. She gives excellent advice about staying safe and advance planning. This may seem like common sense to many but a considerable number of people still get into problems.
The book takes us on a unique adventure around the peripheries of 50 UK islands. These range from St Agnes, one of the Isles of Scilly, to Orkney’s most isolated island, North Ronaldsay. A few of the Channel Islands are also included for good measure.
‘Best for’ islands
Something that I particularly like is the way the book is structured. It includes ‘best for’ sections which means the reader can focus on places and their specific qualities. If you’re looking for somewhere ideal for spotting whales and dolphins, Lisa makes plenty of suggestions. Likewise for ruins and ancient remains or places you could go skinny dipping or have a secluded swim. You could choose somewhere wild and remote or prefer islands where a cafe or inn is easily accessible from the suggestions.
From south to north
The author then takes us with her as she islandeers from south to north. The 50 different islands are grouped by area ie South West England, South and East England, Northern England, Wales and, finally, Scotland. There are details of sea caves, cliffs and geos to explore, secret beaches and places to wild swim.
Each island description is written with a genuine love of the location. You can really sense the writer’s passion for islands and the desire to share what she loves so much. Points of interest are highlighted, from scenic landmarks to pieces of local history. Directions for walking each route are given and these link to provided maps.
Of the islands covered in this lovely book are many that I probably wouldn’t have considered visiting. However, my mind has been changed. Some of the locations aren’t particularly remote, such as Canvey, but have plenty to offer the visitor.
History, folklore, features of interest
The book includes lovely photographs which do help with visualising each place. However, much more depth is given in the text with links to history, local folklore and anything else of interest. We read about the mysterious disappearance of a lighthouse keeper on St Agnes. There are neolithic tombs to visit on Herm. Make a pilgrimage to St Columba’s shrine on Iona. Explore Victorian gun emplacements on Flat Holm. Walk the rock Dragon’s Spine of Worm’s Head. Enjoy the white sands of Vatersay and watch the wildlife. And that’s just scratching the surface!
My verdict is that this is a lovely book for the ‘armchair explorer’ who can drift away and imagine being on one of these fantastic islands. Moreover, it’s a great reference for planning an adventure as an islandeer. That’s what I’m going to do and rekindle my dormant islomania.
About the author:
Lisa Drewe has hiked, biked, run, swum and kayaked around over 160 of Britain’s islands. Before that she spent her adult life exploring the mountains and islands of the world. Initially trained as a biologist, her journey led her to swim with tiger sharks in Oman, dodge gunfire under the Swords of Qadisiyah, and hang from a helicopter over the Sydney Olympic Stadium. She is the chair of the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation and is the founder of www.islandeering.com, the website for island obsessives.
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