“Hebridean time”
As told by Neil Nicholson and Marion Eichler
Neil is the son of a lobster fisherman who grew up in Uist and his partner Marion, originally from Germany, together they run Vallay Sands B&B on North Uist.
“North Uist is one of the most magical islands in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.
Your view from your room looks out over the beach and the beautiful tidal island of Vallay, (roll your trousers up and walk over when the tide is out) and on the other side to the hills of the next-door island of Harris, this beach is also great for cockles (catch your own dinner) your hosts are also happy to cook these for you! With the beach so close you may well find yourself heading out for a walk by the sea before breakfast.
Long walks along the endless succession of immaculate beaches can be the best way of adjusting to ‘Hebridean time’. Walking in the hills to the south of Sollas gives superb views of the island as well as the mysterious archipelago of St Kilda, some 40 miles to the north-west. A great place for viewing St Kilda is nearby Scolpaig, designated as a National Scenic Area where the Atlantic meets some of the oldest rocks in the UK.
North Uist is of course renowned for its wildlife and from the house you can see majestic eagles, busy oyster catchers and lapwings, sanderlings, otters, and red deer. In summer you’ll certainly hear and may even see the elusive corncrake!
The couple also run Hebridean Thatching and Renovations, a business specialising in traditional building techniques. You can see their work dotted around the island and throughout the Scottish mainland.
For as long as people have lived on the Western Isles, they have roofed their homes with marram grass. This tough, spiky grass that grows on the edge of the sea was once used in coastal areas from Ireland to Scandinavia, but today, marram roofs only survive in the Hebrides.
Neil originally started out training as a graphic designer but after a couple of years he made the decision that life behind a computer screen was not going to be for him. It was while he was helping his father to renovate a house on the family croft that Neil first started to learn how to remove and repair thatch on the roof. Through invaluable help and training from Historic Scotland, Neil was able to learn the specialist skills of the trade and now, 26 years later, Neil is among a handful of people who know how to thatch with marram grass, and the only person in the Western Isles to make a living as a thatcher. In fact, with only 2 thatchers in Scotland, Neil and the thatching style on the islands is now recognised as a critically endangered trade, one of only 10 others in the whole UK.
The Hebridean islands hold a quarter of Scotland’s remaining thatched buildings, more than any other region. The remoteness of the Hebrides meant that modern roofing materials were slow to arrive, and the survival of crofting culture also preserved traditional building and farming practices long after they had vanished elsewhere. But after the second world war, thatched cottages were steadily being abandoned in favour of more modern and spacious homes. The traditional grass roofs could easily have vanished from the Western Isles but the growth of tourism in recent years has undoubtedly kept the craft alive.
Thatched cottages which were seen as being old-fashioned have now found a new life as charming and authentic holiday homes, generating a demand for repairs, and some new-build rental homes are even specifying thatch. Neil’s first real connection with Hebridean tourism started with the renovation of 2 thatched houses for the holiday rental market, moreover he was the first person to achieve five-star accreditation in the Western Isles. But this was also where Neil would meet his partner, Marion.
Marion, originally a primary school teacher from Heidelberg in Germany, decided to go travelling and after randomly putting a pin on a map, she made the journey to North Uist. It was whilst staying in one of Neil’s thatched cottages that the couple met five years ago. But after returning to Germany, they kept in touch and Marion would return to North Uist and choose to make her life here. Marion has been working with Neil on all the renovation projects ever since and she now also runs Vallay Sands B&B with Neil.
The new B&B came about because the house had a spacious granny flat which was unused and with most holiday accommodation being self-catering on Uist, there is a lack of registered B&B accommodation locally. With their spectacular beachside location, they set about creating Vallay Sands B&B two years ago. Neil and Marion now love meeting people from all over the world and welcoming them to their home. Guests like having their own private entrance and separate living room, however the couple always take time to welcome people properly, to show them the house and to find out what they are interested in and what they like to do. There is no doubt that this is a very friendly B&B experience and one which is truly Hebridean and special.
Like all islanders, Neil and Marion are extremely resourceful and work hard to be as self-sufficient as possible. Whilst the house does have mains power, it is powered by their own three wind turbines and the house also has its own electric car charging point. Neil likes to think of his home as being a fuel station and loves the fact that his electric car, which he has owned for 10 years, is powered along by the island wind! With a flock of sheep and a packed green house, the couple produce a fair bit of home-grown food too, not forgetting the fresh langoustine and crabs which Neil’s fisherman brother catches locally.
Neil and Marion certainly don’t rest on their laurels and have plans to build a traditional Hebridean stone-built house next year for holiday let, but this time with a traditional turf roof. With hopes to be welcoming the first guests to the new house at the end of 2022. The couple also have plans to expand the B&B too, creating additional B&B accommodation which suits the many ‘Island Hopping’ guests who only want to stay for one night only as they travel from Barra to Stornoway, often by bike.
However, there is little doubt that the visitors who stay with Neil, Marion and their Labrador Bailey for 2 nights or more, leave Uist much more relaxed than when they arrived. Guests are astonished by the stunning beach-side location and as they unwind and immerse themselves into ‘Hebridean Time’, they can leave the stresses of their busy lives behind. Testament to this are the many guests who choose to return time and time again. A great example being the couple from the North of England who, pre pandemic, would normally fly off to Spain or France. But after enjoying a magical staycation here, have booked to return to Vallay Sands B&B in Uist instead!
Where the eagle soars, the corncrake calls and the rhythm of nature is still at the heart of daily life”.
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