Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust)

The Butt of Lewis is the most northerly point on the main islands of the Outer Hebrides. This is where sea first meets land when the north-westerly gales blow in from the Atlantic Ocean. It seems to offer only a precarious foothold even for the seabirds, let alone people. Even on a relatively calm day the power of wind and sea together is clear to see. The lighthouse is here as a guide for men at sea, warning them to keep their distance from the rocks below.

But men have also been working, and playing, on the land here for a very long time. The local football club and sports centre are an important hub of present-day social activity. And the wind turbines next door are evidence of a continuing determination to make a living out of what, at first sight, looks like inhospitable country.

As in many other parts of the Highlands and Islands the land here was, until recently, in the hands of a private landlord. But that all changed in 2007 when a community trust representing local residents took over the Galson estate. The group is still in the early stages of development, but has already employed a small number of staff, and installed them in temporary office space.

Kirsty Maclennan is the Powerdown Officer. Her job is to work in the community on ways of reducing carbon use. She has started community markets, where locally produced fruit and vegetables are bought and sold. That’s just one of many projects. The trust also has a ranger based in this office. She has a role looking after the natural heritage of the area, but it also includes educational work. The trust works with local schools, encouraging pupils to get involved in growing their own food. Promoting new behaviours at this young age may help to reduce the distance food products have to travel in the years to come.

The trust area covers a long coastal strip on the northwest side of Lewis, and includes some of the most densely populated rural areas in the country. It’s a long road from top to bottom. At the south end is the border with Barvas, where more wind turbines are at work. Galson itself is in the middle of the district. This is where a new central office for the trust and other facilities are planned. And back up at the north end is the Port of Ness. This is where the famous guga hunters start their journey to Sulasgeir to catch their yearly quota of young gannets – a local delicacy. It’s a longstanding tradition still very much alive today. And it’s one more example of the long-established human activity at land and sea in this part of the world. The people here are used to taking their fate into their own hands. Taking on the ownership of the land itself seems like the natural next step.