The British Isles including Ireland are a unique tapestry of islands off NW Europe. Though there are thousands of islands making up this archipelago, a modest 223 are permanently inhabited, mostly in the Gaelic, Irish and Welsh or Celtic west. Though some are vibrant modern-day communities, many are small and with declining populations, clinging onto survival in the North Atlantic. Their rich history of oppression from first Viking through to more recently English rulers over the centuries has made the islanders resilient and unique in culture with a rich identity forming a unique Celtic diaspora.
The journey starts in the Scilly Isles and slowly weaves its way through the Hebrides (Inner and Outer), the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland) whilst taking in the more obscure islands off the West coast of Ireland from County Cork to County Donegal. Travel is by all types of vessels, bridge and causeway links and at low tide simply walking the distances from the mainland. Most a
