Planet Earth
The Islands are known to been inhabited since the Late Middle ages however, there are several architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods of history. The village on Hirta was rebuilt in the 19th century and the way of life there was a hard one. In 1930 the islands were evacuated due to dwindling population and supplies. Now the only year round inhabitants are defense personnel; a variety of conservation workers, volunteers and scientists.
I find the following story sums up what it was like to live on the island:
"In the late 19th century, the islanders could communicate with the rest of the world only by lighting a bonfire on the cliffs and hoping a passing ship might see it, or by using the "St Kilda mailboat". The mailboat was the invention of John Sands, who visited in 1877. During his stay, a shipwreck left nine Austrian sailors marooned there, and by February supplies were running low. Sands attached a message to a lifebuoy salvaged from ship and threw it into the sea. Nine days later it was picked up in Birsay, Orkney, and a rescue was arranged. The St Kildans, building on this idea, would fashion a piece of wood into the shape of a boat, attach it to a bladder made of sheepskin, and place in it a small bottle or tin containing a message. Launched when the wind came from the north-west, two-thirds of the messages were later found on the west coast of Scotland or, less conveniently, in Norway."
St Kilda is now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the first of its kind in Scotland. This is due to its natural beauty, and its terrestrial natural features; such as its wildlife, especially the sheep. The Islands are owned by the National Trust for Scotland and visitors are asked to inform the trust of visits.
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