About

In July 2011 Cape Farewell embarked on a month-long expedition by boat across the Scottish Islands, bringing the notion and experience of expedition home to the UK, with an exploration of island ecologies and cultures, and of the strategies for sustainable and resilient futures being implemented across the Scottish Isles. More ›

The Crew

The expedition crew of 40 includes island artists, storytellers, film makers, playwrights, architects, designers, musicians, community leaders, social scientists, ecologists, marine biologists, oceanographers, poets, acclaimed Gaelic singers and a chef.
Meet the crew ›

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Exploring

Video


Video highlights

Watch video highlights from the expedition ›

St Kilda

Old pictures: the last post boat off out of view, Clear of the shingle beach and Village Bay, Past the stacks, to the mainland, all smoking away As the black peats, dying, for all that still burn And they’ll mist and burn out your eyes if you try To stay and look at them there,... Read more ›

The Gales

When the gales came in last Old New Year from nowhere And communication lines long-standing were felled, All the single-tracks with passing places were closed And we couldn’t make it out over the sound. We were all stranded and left without power on our own And taken in time back two generations or more To... Read more ›

Moment

I leave the people next door in the village To go to worship, then head up On my own past the bareland beyond Where the MacLeans and the men of Braes lived once. I stop and look back across at where I’ve come from and the Raasay ferry And all the vessels tied up for... Read more ›

Long-lines

They’d all have cleared and ploughed and harrowed up and down and sown in turn Each lot of tacked inbye, outrun, drill and rig in their own townships and been around The headlands of the Horn and Hope in the image here from way back when The burns, black as the Styx, were full of... Read more ›

Tied

With most of the creelers and the rest Of all the local boys out Of commission forever, it seems, tied Up for good like the swings in the playground On the Sabbath or hauled up above The high-water line, following the guga To Sulaisgeir and Rona or away deep-sea For the season, the gulls go... Read more ›

Càraid

Gach rud an alt an aomadh a’ chuain Agus, na dhèidh sin, àraid: Air fàire, na siùil ‘S na seòladairean a’ seòladh a rèir an iùil; Air taobh an fhuaraidh, ceann-ròin A’ togail ceann Mar na ròin an taobh thall a’ chaoil, Ri blianadh air feadh Eilein Mhaoil. Fèath-nan-eun ‘s na h-eòin A’ biathadh air... Read more ›

Song of the Whale

On Cape Farewell’s Song of the Whale, the last Leg on the journey up north, near to home, Fastmoored at first light, our little cabin Might as well be a black township under fire. Pitching and rocking back and forth in the berth, I turn down my iPod and go to look out The starboard... Read more ›

Mar Chuimhneachan/ in memoriam

Mar Chuimhneachan Shiubhail sinn seachad air Tobar Chaluim Chille Tro thonn-a’-chladaich far an d’rachadh iomadach gille Don bhlàr bhàn gu h-ìseal a chur air an iomain. Sgùrr Eige ‘s an dà Chuilitheann bhuam ‘s a’ chlann a-bhos. Càite bheil na gillean ud an-diugh? Chan eil for no ros Ach, a bhalachaibh, tha sinn fada nur... Read more ›

Bàn/ fallowgroundvacantwhite

Bàn Mun bhaile bhàn ann an Eilean Eige, Fitheach a’ sgiathalaich gu h-àrd leis fhèin Timcheall is timcheall na creige Ri Glac an Dorchadais ri grèin Is an uair sin a’ dol a laighe Mun fhritheach ann am Beinn Taighe. Eilean Eige 20-07-2011   fallowgroundvacantwhite by the fallowgroundvacantwhite townvillagefarmhome on the Isle of Eigg, a... Read more ›

Ràn/ dissonantcry

Ràn An dèidh feasgar a chur seachad a’ seòladh thar na linne (‘S a cainnt fhèin aice) ‘s fàs tinn ‘s nas tinne, Chuir sinn air tìr ann an Rùm ‘s na fachaich ann ri ràn Sa chaolas mun taigh-mhòr, cho ciùin agus rèidh, Far an lìonmhor na cuileagan-meanbh ‘s na fèidh Gu h-àrd anns... Read more ›

An Dà Chuilitheann/ the two Cuillins

An Dà Chuilitheann Nach eil sinn àraid – Bha sinn a’ seòladh leinn mar chàraid Mun Eilean ‘s Rùm eadar an dà Chuilitheann, Còmhla ‘s gun a bhith le chèile ‘S mo shùil agam air beinn thall ‘s m’ ùidh air tèile Fad’ air falbh uam sna h-Alpaichean Juilitheann. Eilean Rùma 18-07-2011   the two... Read more ›

Don Chaimbeulach/ for the Campbell one

Don Chaimbeulach Am bu tu, saoil, a dh’fhairich mi fhìn thall, A Mhaoilis chòir, a’ siubhal ri Rubha nan Gall Ri taobh a’ chaolais far an siùbhladh tu gu tric? Agus an taigh-solais bhuam agus, ri ràn, Gille-brìde, cleas a’ bhàird ri dàn ‘S e ‘g iolach a-mach gu h-àrd: Bi glic! Bi glic! Tobar... Read more ›