The road to the isles

Shieldaig in Wester Ross in the Northwest Highlands is a somewhat lonely village, but a very beautiful one.

The little fishing community sits high up on the western Atlantic seaboard of Scotland, well above the island of Skye. It’s nearly two hours from Inverness, the nearest city, and 40 minutes from Strathcarron, the local postal depot. And when the weather turns bad, which it invariably does in winter, it can seem a remote spot.

Given these conditions, local Josie Lockwood, who has lived in the town for 20 years, praised the dedication of her postal team: ‘It can be very difficult on the roads,’ she said. ‘There are lots of potholes and when it gets cold, they can be choked by snow and ice.

‘Last winter, drivers had their vans break down on at least two occasions. But they’re always very helpful and cheerful – and even apologised for being slightly late on their rounds!’

Sheildaig is a tight-knit community, Josie explained, and the posties are a key part of that: ‘It’s quite amazing the service they deliver,’ she said. ‘They’ll keep an eye on things if people are away. They’re such committed people.’

It may seem remote, then, but thanks to our services, Sheildaig’s never too far from the warmth of real community.