60 years ago Michael Robson fell in love with a land where he had never been. Pictures in an illustrated magazine spurred the imagination of a homely Scottish boy, and he began to rave about the wild islands that rise in prickly ridges northwest of the Scottish coast. The Hebrides beckoned to Michael Robson, and, responding to their call, he at the first opportunity, first in school break, and then on holidays, he left mainland Scotland and embarked on long journeys: by buses, steamers, small ships - and then on foot throughout the archipelago. He traveled to the mountainous Isle of Skye, to the peat bogs and sea bays of the Lewis and Harris Islands, and then moved on, through many kilometers across the ocean to a tiny rocky coast, from where a century earlier, abandoning their stone-built houses, all the inhabitants left ...
"To some tourists these places seem empty and cold," says Robson, "but I think they are just not watching."The Inner and Outer Hebrides are more than five hundred islands and islets. It is often foggy and rainy, the winds blow almost continuously, and the sea element around is so fickle that even the most experienced captain can feel fear. Everything is changeable in these seas: in an hour, the measured silky swaying of the piercing blue tropical waves is replaced by a stormy invasion of lead foam rolls. For thousands of years, people have fought a fierce struggle for survival here. And yet, despite the harsh conditions, the Celts and Vikings, and after them the Scots and the British, sought to take possession of the local shores. Today only a few dozen of the Hebrides are inhabited. “This is a real challenge,” says Robson. "To some tourists, these places seem empty and cold, but they, in my opinion, just look inattentively." History has known times when the islands were not paid attention to at all. And why? Samuel Johnson, the famous 18th century London intellectual and madcap, said that the people of southern Britain knew no more about them than they did "Borneo or Sumatra." If these islands were mentioned at all, then it was imperative in connection with the question of their development: what grain should be grown there? What are the minerals to mine? How many people can individual lands feed, and what rent could they bring to landlords? Samuel Johnson himself mostly filled out the diary of his trip to the Hebrides with complaints about the difficulties and harsh conditions in which he had to live. Despite Johnson's grunts, a new attitude towards these far from heavenly places soon took root. The Scottish thinkers of the Enlightenment, especially the philosopher David Hume and the geologist James Hutton, trying to save their contemporaries from admiration for authorities, insisted that the world should be studied from their own experience, and not rely on the testimony of ancient geographers and saints. The enlighteners did not look at nature as a wild element, it was for them a textbook of life on Earth. And some of the most cryptic pages of this textbook were read in the Hebrides. In 1800, naturalist Robert Jameson (later Charles Darwin studied with him at the University of Edinburgh) published a two-volume Mineralogy of the Scottish Isles. On the island of Islay, Jameson discovered deposits of shells that were located above the high tide line: "this proves," he wrote, "that the sea receded from the land." Modern scientists know that these prehistoric beaches, 35 meters above sea level, are witnesses of the last ice age. As the glaciers that covered the island melted 15,000 years ago, freeing it from a giant glacier blanket, the land began to bare, and eventually the old coastline rose high and confidently above the sea. Of the Isle of Skye, Jameson said that perhaps "at some distant period he was subjected to monstrous fluctuations." Barbed arc mountain range Black Cullin, rising 100 meters above sea level, is actually the remains of a volcano. Its outer elements have long disappeared, revealing a deep funnel of magma that bubbled here 60 million years ago. Perhaps the most impressive place in the Hebrides is a giant circle of stone pillars at Kalanish on the shores of Lough Rogue on the Isle of Lewis. Built 4500–4900 years ago, the Kalanish complex is probably much older than the central circle in the famous Stonehenge. There is very little reliable information about the builders of these structures, only their engineering skill is beyond doubt. The island is dotted with other standing stones, as well as burial mounds, ramparts and strong defenses of the Iron Age - most of them from Lewis gneiss. The weathered ruins of stone houses are witnesses of fierce battles on land and pirate attacks from the sea. Peasants, shepherds and fishermen built them from thick blocks of gneiss, but time did not spare the stones either. The romance of these gloomy ruins found a lively response in the heart of the Scotsman Michael Robson, who was discussed at the beginning of the story. Ancient legends, he says, "are often pretentious or simply ridiculous, but still carry a grain of truth." "Each valley remembers its battle, and each stream remembers its song," said Sir Walter Scott, who sang in his novels and poems wildlife Scotland. Even the purely rational Scottish naturalist Robert Jameson assured readers that he too "succumbed to the feelings that naturally arose in ... the soul at the sight of magnificent secluded landscapes that suddenly appeared before their eyes." In those early days, British ingenuity fueled the nascent industrial revolution - and with it noise, filth and crowding entered life. The world became more and more mechanical and urbanized, and nature became a refuge, a place for contemplation and a source of high inspiration, capable of transforming feelings and thoughts. The Hebrides were amazing. Their most admittedly remarkable landscape was discovered in 1772 by the English naturalist Joseph Banks. Heading to Iceland past the Hebrides, Banks stopped on the small island of Staffa and discovered in the southwestern part of it "absolutely extraordinary stone pillars." Now we know about them that these are the remains of colossal volcanic eruptions, which began to tear the floor of the North Atlantic about 60 million years ago. The research team, which moved along the coast, was simply breathtaking from this sight. The most magnificent was the huge sea cave, which Banks called Fingal's Cave. Fingal was the hero of an epic poem allegedly written by the ancient Gaelic bard Ossian - the British Homer - and translated by the Scotsman James MacPherson. Reviving the mythical past, this epic work (which, alas, turned out to be, alas, the work of MacPherson himself) ignited the romantic attraction of readers to the foggy and mystical shores of the British north. The wide entrance to Fingal's Cave, the height of a six-story building, leads into a cavity framed by many columns, which stretches 70 meters into the depths of the sea, where the echo echoes the roar of the waves. "By comparison," Banks argued, "man-made temples and palaces are paltry!" Of course, the Englishman did not make any discovery: the Gaelic-speaking islanders have long heard the echo of the roaring waves in this cave and called it Wam Binn, or the Melodic Cave. However, the fame of Banks himself served to the fact that his report, in which the miracle of geology was associated with the fashionable poems of Ossian, was noticed by the general public, and the cave was talked about in London salons. The moment was right. Illustrated travel books have fallen in price. By replacing steel printing plates with softer copper plates, it has become possible to print larger illustrations. And new roads and steamship connections made it easier to travel to the islands. During the Napoleonic Wars, travel to the continent was almost impossible for the British, and the Hebrides seemed exotic and - if not afraid of risk - affordable. When the British carefully studied the mysterious gloomy Hebrides, it became clear that even the most hardy people would not be able to survive here. However, the small islands and sea cliffs of St. North Atlantic 64 kilometers from North Uist Island, humans have lived for over 4,000 years. A small community once huddled near the winding shores of Village Bay on Hirt, the largest island in the archipelago. Sheep grazed on the steep slopes everywhere. The islanders grew modest yields of barley, oats and potatoes on bulk soil. They thoroughly mixed the skinny local soil with seaweed rich in mineral salts. But by 1930, the 36 residents who remained here were fed up with this life. They appealed to the British government with a petition to urgently evacuate them from the island before the onset of winter.
In a mechanized world, nature has become a refuge where a person finds peace and inspiration.On 29 August, the residents of St Kilda and most of their pets were shipped by sea to the mainland of Scotland. And the islands themselves were declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO Commission in 1968 and taken under protection. Now they have become the property of a host of birds that circle in flocks along the steep banks. People, on the contrary, have become rare stray guests here. In his youth, the hero of our story, Michael Robson, had to cross about 60 kilometers open sea in the North Atlantic to get from Lewis to the lonely Rhone Island - another abandoned by people outpost of the archipelago. Lying under open air on bright summer nights, Robson listens to the cries of the seabirds that nest in the thousands on the Rhone every year. He comes here to find traces of people who once lived here: destroyed stone shelters that sheltered Christian hermits of the 8th century, tombstones of leaders and warriors, or worn stone millstones that later inhabitants of the island used to grind a meager grain harvest. None of the isolated communities of Rhone lasted long here: the harsh conditions in turn broke each of them. In love with the Hebrides, Michael Robson made his choice 16 years ago: he settled on the Isle of Lewis, opening there to the public his collection of books, manuscripts and maps dedicated to Scottish history and folklore. This self-sufficient youthful man with a straight blue gaze retains the excellent shape of a person who spends a lot of time in the fresh air, and he still has an unusually tenacious memory. But he is no longer young. Sometimes, when Robson gestures, telling an old Hebrides tale, his hands shake a little. Now Michael no longer undertakes too difficult and long journeys, but he still continues to look for places that would seem empty and cold to others, but for him are full of special inner meaning. “The essence of these islands can only take a long time to comprehend,” says Michael. “It’s a pity that I don’t have enough time to learn everything I would like to know about them.”
The harsh and inaccessible Hebrides are the kingdom of wind and waves. But this is at first glance. The attentive traveler will find special romance and beauty here. Photos Jim Richardson
The Inner and Outer Hebrides are more than five hundred islands and islets. It is often foggy and rainy, the winds blow almost continuously, and the sea element around is so fickle that even the most experienced captain can feel fear. Everything is changeable in these seas: in an hour, the measured silky swaying of the piercing blue tropical waves is replaced by a stormy invasion of lead foam rolls.
Berneray Island, West Coast
Dusk looms over the pale sands, crumbling shells and dense dune grass that stretch for miles along the Atlantic coast of Bernerei. The winding line of the Harris Hills in the background fades into blue shadow on the distant horizon.
Hirta, St Kilda
Stone walls still wrap around the loose plow on the uneven hillsides above the ruins of St Kilda's main settlement. These fences protected the oats and barley crops from the salty winds and livestock. Hive-like buildings were used to store food and peat, which the islanders used as fuel; hundreds of such warehouses have survived to this day.
Boreray, St Kilda
Armadas of seabirds circle in the sky, their nests dotted with narrow rock ledges. The northern end of the island, often hidden behind clouds, juts out 400 meters above the ocean; here the offspring of 60 thousand pairs of cormorants are raised - the largest colony in the world. The inhabitants of St. Kilda climbed these cliffs barefoot, caught birds and collected eggs for food. 
Mangersta, Isle of Lewis
The dangerous waters of the Hebrides with sharp sea cliffs and rocks, oddly enough, were chosen by surfers. Mangersta is popular with athletes because a steady northeast wind blows here all year round. In addition, there are not many people in these parts.
Kalanish, Isle of Lewis
These stone pillars probably stood here even before the construction of the pyramids. People settled on the island 5000 years ago, they were engaged in agriculture, fishing, hunting - and construction. The outer stones rise 3.5 meters, the central pillar 4.5 meters. As in the famous Stonehenge, the 13-meter circle at Kalanish was an important ritual center.
Grimersta, Isle of Lewis
Fresh waters from the upper lakes, bubbling, rush down to the sea along wide rocky terraces. “It's easy to find a place on the island where you don't hear human sounds,” says Lewis native Alice Starmore, “but land and water are never silent.”
Boreray, St Kilda
Rising fog reveals a distant island in Atlantic Ocean... Humans have survived for millennia on the St Kilda archipelago, but its last inhabitants left their secluded homes about eighty years ago.
Cape Trotternish, Isle of Skye
At Cape Trotternish of the Isle of Skye, basalt pillars hang over the Razey Strait. They testify to the powerful geological displacements that formed this piece of land.
Fingal's Cave, Staffa
Row by row, basalt pillars fill the sea cave; its eternal darkness is illuminated only by the camera. The natural purity of the lines of these columns and the echo of the breaking waves have attracted travelers here since the 18th century.
Red Cullin Mountains, Isle of Skye
The calm surface of the water and the veil of fog give the wrong idea of the indestructible force that carved the granite hills. Born as the foundations of huge volcanoes, they have been exposed to the powerful destructive action of wind and water for millions of years, and the pressure glacial ice gradually gave them a soft, rounded shape. 
Hebrides
Hebrides- an archipelago stretching along west coast Scotland. It is conventionally divided into two groups. The Inner Hebrides lie directly off the coast of Scotland: in fjords and bays. The Outer Hebrides are more compact. They are separated by the Little Minch Strait and nestled in a close group northwest of Scotland.
The Hebrides are rocky with a highly developed coastline... They are characterized by long sea bays, high shores and a uniform steppe landscape. The islands are prone to frequent precipitation from the west. On the Isle of Skye there is highest point the Cullin Hills archipelago (1009 meters). The Hebrides are a natural extension of the Scottish Mountains.
Megaliths found in the archipelago testify to human activity during the Neolithic period of history British isles... In ancient times, the Hebrides were mentioned in the writings of Greek and Roman authors at the beginning of our era. Then the population of the islands was made up of the Picts, who were then assimilated with the Gaelians. This tribal alliance laid the foundation for the kingdom of Dal Riada, the predecessor of Scotland. From the 8th century, the Vikings appear on the Hybrids. In the 11th century, the Norwegian Kingdom of Islands was formed. In the 13th century, it was annexed to Scotland, but for a long time it retained wide autonomy.
The role of the Hebrides in the formation and preservation of the culture and traditions of Gaelic Scotland is quite significant. In addition to traditional occupations and way of life, ancient objects of tourist interest have been preserved here. Firstly, these are the monumental gloomy castles of Kimisul, Dunstaffnage, Skipness and Danolly, the Benedictine monastery on Iona, the Saddel Cathedral and other architectural monuments of the Middle Ages. Secondly, these are the places of worship of the most ancient inhabitants of the Hebrides, where Callanish stands out - a megalithic group of the Neolithic era.
The natural resource of the tourism industry is represented by bird colonies, whale watching, seal rookeries. Green tourism and sea fishing are flourishing.
Vanuatu is a state in Melanesia located on the New Hebrides archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.
Vanuatu has no land borders and borders on territorial waters with the Solomon Islands 170 km to them, New Caledonia (overseas territory of France) to it 230 km and the Fiji Islands, which are located 800 km from Vanuatu. Vanuatu also borders the economic zone of Australia. The Hebrides are 1780 km away from the Green Continent.
The New Hybrids colony gained independence in the 1980s, and before that for 100 years it was under joint Anglo-French rule.
Vanuatu has 83 islands of volcanic origin, and they are all inhabited.
How to get to Vanuatu
In the capital city of Vanutatu, Port Vila is located international Airport, this is where flights from Auckland arrive ( New Zealand), Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne (Australia), Noumea (New Caledonia), Nadi (Fiji).
Thus, you will have to fly from Moscow to Vanuatu with at least two transfers, usually via Dubai or Singapore. From the capital, a local airline takes tourists to all the surrounding islands.
Also Vanuatu is included in the program of round-the-world sea cruises and Oceania cruises, most of which start and finish in Sydney.
Do I need a visa to visit Vanuatu
Russians do not need a visa to visit Vanuatu, and, for example, Ukrainian citizens can get a visa for 30 days right at the airport for a small fee.
Attractions and entertainment in Vanuatu
Vanuatu today popular resort for Australian and New Zealand tourists, as well as for lovers of sea cruises. The New Hebrides are perfect place for diving, sea fishing, spa relaxation, as well as for weddings. In addition, Vanuatu has four gorgeous golf courses and many rough rivers for rafting and kayaking, especially popular with fans of the rapids of the islands of Efate and Molecule.
Vanuatu attracts, of course, first of all for its extraordinary nature.
The most beautiful place the archipelago is the Male bay on the island of Efate,
on the island of Maewo, tourists are shown hot springs.
Espiritu Santo, the most large island Vanuatu, famous for the state's only national park - Big Bay and beautiful beach Champagne Beach.
Tanna Island is known not only for the fact that locals"Ate" Cook, and then worshiped American planes like Gods, but also active volcano Yasur, the most accessible to visit in the New Hebrides.
Fauna of Vanuatu
The flora and fauna of Vanuatu is also rich in delights. The Lamen Bay of Epi Island is home to the rarest marine mammals, the dugongs, the only living relatives of the Steller cows.
There is a nature reserve on Aneityum sea turtles and on Ambrim there is a forest of tree ferns and a bay with tiger sharks.
Eromanga Island attracts tourists with sandalwoods of centawood and cowrie clams, whose shells have long been used instead of money in Siberia, Africa, China, and New Guinea. And absolutely exotic animals - saltwater crocodiles can be found on the island of Vanua Lava in the estuaries of the Selva and Tahiti rivers.
History buffs will love the state capital, Port Vila, with its charming colonial-style French Quarter, Chinatown and a picturesque old cemetery.
And on the northernmost island of the Huey archipelago, it is worth visiting the Yeienwu Caves, famous for their rock carvings.
Of particular interest is the culture of the aborigines of Vanuatu, which, of course, is better to get acquainted with in specially designated places, since some local tribes still do not disdain cannibalism.
There are folklore villages on the islands of Ambrim (the local population is famous for witchcraft talents), Tanna, Malekula (the aborigines of this island make the most unusual and exquisite souvenirs).
And the island of Pentecost in April-May invites tourists to look at jumping from an ancient bungee (jumping naked) and year-round - at mysterious sand drawings, comparable to Nazca hieroglyphs.
The harsh and inaccessible Hebrides are the kingdom of wind and waves. But this is at first glance. The attentive traveler will find special romance and beauty here. Photos Jim Richardson
The Inner and Outer Hebrides are more than five hundred islands and islets. It is often foggy and rainy, the winds blow almost continuously, and the sea element around is so fickle that even the most experienced captain can feel fear. Everything is changeable in these seas: in an hour, the measured silky swaying of the piercing blue tropical waves is replaced by a stormy invasion of lead foam rolls.
Berneray Island, West Coast
Dusk looms over the pale sands, crumbling shells and dense dune grass that stretch for miles along the Atlantic coast of Bernerei. The winding line of the Harris Hills in the background fades into blue shadow on the distant horizon.
Hirta, St Kilda
Stone walls still wrap around the loose plow on the uneven hillsides above the ruins of St Kilda's main settlement. These fences protected the oats and barley crops from the salty winds and livestock. Hive-like buildings were used to store food and peat, which the islanders used as fuel; hundreds of such warehouses have survived to this day.
Boreray, St Kilda
Armadas of seabirds circle in the sky, their nests dotted with narrow rock ledges. The northern end of the island, often hidden behind clouds, juts out 400 meters above the ocean; here the offspring of 60 thousand pairs of cormorants are raised - the largest colony in the world. The inhabitants of St. Kilda climbed these cliffs barefoot, caught birds and collected eggs for food.
Mangersta, Isle of Lewis
The dangerous waters of the Hebrides with sharp sea cliffs and rocks, oddly enough, were chosen by surfers. Mangersta is popular with athletes because a steady northeast wind blows here all year round. In addition, there are not many people in these parts.
Kalanish, Isle of Lewis
These stone pillars probably stood here even before the construction of the pyramids. People settled on the island 5000 years ago, they were engaged in agriculture, fishing, hunting - and construction. The outer stones rise 3.5 meters, the central pillar 4.5 meters. As in the famous Stonehenge, the 13-meter circle at Kalanish was an important ritual center.
Grimersta, Isle of Lewis
Fresh waters from the upper lakes, bubbling, rush down to the sea along wide rocky terraces. “It's easy to find a place on the island where you don't hear human sounds,” says Lewis native Alice Starmore, “but land and water are never silent.”
Boreray, St Kilda
Rising fog reveals a distant island in the Atlantic Ocean. Humans have survived for millennia on the St Kilda archipelago, but its last inhabitants left their secluded homes about eighty years ago.
Cape Trotternish, Isle of Skye
At Cape Trotternish of the Isle of Skye, basalt pillars hang over the Razey Strait. They testify to the powerful geological displacements that formed this piece of land.
- archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean near western shores Scotland. Part of the British Isles group. The two island chains of the archipelago, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, are separated by the Little Minch and North Minch Straits, as well as the Inland Hebrides Sea.
To the Inner Hebrides ( Inner hebrides) include the islands of Skye, Mull, Isla, Jura, Rum, Staffa, etc .; to the Outer Hebrides ( Outer Hebrides) - the islands of Lewis, Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Barra, etc. The Outer Hebrides are one of the 32 regions of Scotland.
At Cape Trotternish of the Isle of Skye, basalt pillars hang over the Razey Strait. They testify to the powerful geological displacements that have shaped this piece of land.
All rocky Hebrides have more than 500 islands with a total area of more than 7.5 thousand square kilometers, 100 of them are inhabited.
A mysterious stone ring is located near the village of Callanish. These stone pillars probably stood here even before the construction of the pyramids. People settled on the island 5000 years ago, they were engaged in agriculture, fishing, hunting - and construction. Scientists believe that this mysterious structure was erected in the late Neolithic era, until about 2600 BC (about 1975 BC) and, most likely, had a cult significance.
The center of the stone composition is a 5-meter stele, around which thirteen more columns are located in a circle. The central stele is the apex of a ruined ancient burial site.
There are three more small ones not far from this stone ring. One of them is impersonation ancient legend, according to which the stones are frozen people who have completely refused to accept Christianity. According to another legend, the second ring tells the story of a woman who decided to give up her life by throwing herself into the sea. However, the woman was rescued by a white seal, who ordered to come every night to these stones and drink the milk that she would bring her. One night, an evil witch appeared and drank all the seal's milk. After that, the milk disappeared along with the woman, and only stones remained.
Modern science believes that the stone ring near the village of Callanish is associated with the ancient cult of the Moon. Whatever the ancient legends, but such places always excite the imagination. The stone circles near the village of Callanish are an excellent example of ancient religious architecture, pleasing our eyes to this day, after almost four and a half thousand years. The outer stones rise 3.5 meters. In the center of the stone ring there is a mysterious monolith about 5 m high, which is the top of a small, partially destroyed burial. It is surrounded by a ring of thirteen columns. Three short rows of upright boulders diverge, like rays, from the ring approximately to the east, west and south, and a wide alley approximately to the north. In general, it resembles the spokes of a wheel.
Nearby, on the shores of Loch Roag, there are three more smaller stone rings. Mysterious stones figure in many legends. So, one of them, typical for stories related to stone rings, reads: the stones were once people, they are severely punished for refusing to accept Christianity.
Rising fog reveals a distant island in the Atlantic Ocean. Humans have survived for millennia on the St Kilda archipelago, but its last inhabitants left their secluded homes about eighty years ago.
Dusk looms over the pale sands, crumbling shells and dense dune grass that stretch for miles along the Atlantic coast of Bernerei. The winding line of the hills of Harris Island in the background fades into blue shadow on the distant horizon.
The dangerous waters of the Hebrides with sharp sea cliffs and rocks, oddly enough, were chosen by surfers. Mangersta is popular with athletes because a steady northeast wind blows here all year round. In addition, there are not many people in these parts.
The famous "Winged Island" in the Hebrides:
"Winged Island" in the Hebrides
The Hebrides are islands at the edge of the world.
