North of Scalasaig, on the island of Colonsay, the potholed single-track road took me to the beach where I sort of fell in love. It was raining, naturally, and I walked towards the ocean without plan, the golden curve of Kiloran Bay nuzzling up against a lip of machair and a hill specked with blackface ewes. I looked around and realised I could see wavelengths of light bleeding through the clouds, making the sand shine and glow. It was the beginning of a heart-loading two days that felt edifying and full of possibility.
Looking for an autumn car-free break and googling “last-minute availability”, I chanced upon the home page of the new Scottish Islands Passport app – serendipitously, it had been launched in spring. With a terrific landing picture of whaleback skerries on a glassy blue sea, the free app is a gateway to Scotland’s inhabited islands, many of which most travellers will never have heard of. Everywhere is covered, from Kerrera in Argyll and Wyre in Orkney to Fetlar in Shetland, and the idea is simple; with so many to choose from, the app plays matchmaker, helping you decide where your next holiday might be, based on what attracts you. It’s Tinder for tartan-eyed travellers. A Love Island app for thalassophiles. And even if you have no knowledge of Scotland, you could have a fair stab at it (plus, flirty emojis and GSOH abbreviations don’t apply).
