Whilst Storm Callum was flooding my cottage in the Lakes, I spent a magical fortnight on the Isle of Lismore with hosts Sarah and Yorick, and fellow workawayers Sam, Tora and Jakob.

A small low lying island in Loch Linnhe, Lismore has amazing views over the mountains of the mainland, the Morvern peninsula, and Mull. After a few days the storm passed and the late evening light bathed the island in warmth.

Looking North towards the highlands

Sarah in her studio

Yorick in the croft

Fish Farming in Loch Linnhe

When we weren’t working on the croft we explored the island, swam in the sea and even did some acroyoga in the ruins of the old castle. Evenings were full of music: learning Norwegian and Scottish folk songs, jamming on the piano guitar and cajon, and acapella singing. It was also a time of culinary indulgence, with Sarah cooking up some amazing feasts with veggies from the garden and home-reared hogget. Who knew nasturtium pesto tasted so good?!

Sam

Jakob

Tora in the studio

The work on the croft was a chance to improve my woodworking skills and work with some beautiful sycamore and ash. Yorick had felled a sycamore years before and end reared the milled timber. Two of the seasoned live edge planks were now destined to make floating shelves on either side of the master bedroom. By using some reclaimed fishing rope, which had washed up on the beach, tensioned between the floorboards and the ceiling the shelves were able to float, slightly away from the walls.

One of the finished shelves

The shelves sit away from the wall and still have the natural shape of the tree

Reclaimed fishing rope and a waxed linen wrap tension the shelf between the pine floorboards and roof joists

The croft

Lismore is an island with a lot of character and a great community feel to it, thanks to Sarah and Yorick for sharing their slice of paradise with me, I look forward to returning!

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