The UK’s Most Remote Inhabited Island by Train, Overnight Ferry and Flight. But Will I Escape Again?

Destinations don't get much more bucket-list than The Isle of Foula, but while I put a lot of thought into getting there, I forgot to factor in the problems leaving again. Will I get home again or have I just made a massive mistake? Thanks for watching and enjoy the video...

Filmed on 24th/25th July 2024
Thumbnail designed using Canva
This video is not sponsored and all opinions are my own

'UK's Most Remote Inhabited Island' sources:

I don’t pretend to be a travel expert, but I love what I do and would be honoured if you came along with me. My channel focusses on the wide-eyed wonder and excitement of finding somewhere new, and my genuine reaction to it. You may not get a history lesson in my videos, but who knows, you might pick up some useful travel tips along the way, add a few destinations to your bucket list and hopefully be entertained by what you see. Thanks for watching, it means a lot to me :)

I do ALL of this myself. Planning, filming, editing, promoting, all with a weekly upload schedule, so please understand not every video will be an epic adventure. But my pledge is to always do my best in any situation and KEEP THE CAMERA ROLLING :)

Donate here to future videos: (thank you!)

Or why not become a SteveMarsh Supporter?

FAQs:
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I was born in Glasgow but have lived in Carnoustie, Dalgety Bay, Stonehaven, Edinburgh, Montrose, and further afield (Salamanca, Spain & Devonport, New Zealand)
WHEN DO YOU UPLOAD?
Saturdays at 10am Scottish time. Occasionally a bonus midweek video will pop up (in which case, likely to be Tuesday at 5pm)
WHY IS THERE A DELAY BETWEEN TRIP AND VIDEO APPEARING?
This is both my business model and a result of doing everything myself. Editing takes time and I also like to schedule videos a bit in advance in case of any problems/illness/cancellations etc. Keeping my uploads appearing every Saturday is important to me, so I don’t want anything to get in the way of it. Also, I occasionally need some time off to recover from trips! But more than anything else, it's about budgets. I generally need to film a number of videos on each trip to break even. And each one of these take a while to fall into place on a Saturday morning.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
WHY DON'T YOU SPEND LONGER AT DESTINATIONS?
The usual suspects I'm afraid - time and money! Hotel prices especially these days make my eyes water like a true Scotsman. Also my weekly upload schedule means I need to keep on the move.
WHERE'S ALICJA?
Alicja will feature whenever possible, but she has her own life and a proper job so it can take a while for our schedules to match up. Trust me though, I prefer it when She is there too!
DO YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN TRAVEL?
Yes I do. I've only ever accepted a complementary ticket as compensation for a previous problem. All my opinions are frank and honest reflections of travel as I experience it.
WHY THE ADS?
It's my income, I can't do this for free. Notice I don’t have mid-roll ads though!
CAN I CONTACT YOU?
I used to list my email address but felt bad not having the capacity to respond to everything so took it down (and I got a LOT of spam so missed many genuine messages along the way).
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE CHANNEL?
Watching my videos is of course support enough, but if you'd like to support further, I'll pop links in here for Paypal and Patreon. All kind donations are super-appreciated and will go 100% towards future filming trips.
DO YOU ACCEPT SPONSORSHIPS?
I don't like to upset the flow of my videos, so I don't even include mid-roll ads anymore (at significant loss of income to myself), so I prefer not to include sponsorships either. I'm open to a small slide at the start/end of each video, but I don't want to get into talking about products, it's something I don't like as a viewer myself (especially as a viewer who pays for YouTube Premium). So it's probably a polite no, although all of this goes out the window if you offer me something which can give me the chance to make a video for my audience that would otherwise be impossible.

#SteveMarsh #Foula #Scotland

[PlanesTrainsEverything]

A lazy Saturday afternoon, a cup of tea, and another epic Steve marsh video. It doesn't get much better than this!

[ahebron]

Hi Steve and Alicja. I just want to thank the two of you for the pleasure you gave my mother in her final months. I found your channel purely by accident late last year and told my parents. Since the beginning of the year I have been my mums care giver 13hrs a night 7 days a week. We would watch your videos as soon as we could and also went back into your earlier work while we waited for new ones. As she got sicker I would save the videos till she was having a good day. Both her and my dad loved your presenting style and gentle way your adventures unfolded with you showing us what interested you and therefore what you thought the viewer might like it too. It never failed for us. My parents on occassion would comment that we took you (me) there as a baby/toddler when you went somewhere they knew or my dad would have a story about a certain place. We emigrated to NZ in 1969. Mum (Olive) passed away last night (20 August)91 years young but she had watched this video with us on saturday night. I know NZ is a long way away from Scotland but the scenery would amaze you and you both would be most welcome.
Again thank you both of you for bringing brief moments of pleasure to a dying woman and her family
Thanks
Adrian

[Jimmyspangle]

This is more compelling, well constructed and well presented than ANYTHING the mainstream TV channels can make. Top man Steve. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[soundman]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Your videos are not just the usual travel videos. Talk about taking one for the team. You take the challenges en route and make me appreciate the places you visit both audibly and visually. Add to that all the tips and observations, and you not only entertain but also inform. Steve, I watch a lot of travel documentaries and travel features on YouTube due to my disability, and unable to travel. I can honestly say that your films are unique, and way more interesting than most, offering me a window on the world like no other. Thank you.

[lancecolevc]

Better than anything on television. Steve is a natural presenter / broadcaster and not an autocue in sight.

[g-r-a-e-m-e-]

You did ask for feedback, and it was fantastic, every step of the way, every sheep, dog or Shetland pony, was a treat to see. Out of ten, several million.

[RealBesty]

I’ll be honest, this is my favourite kind of video of yours - exploring lesser-known (or visited) parts of Scotland/the UK :)

[larryspiller]

Loved the Video. As an American, seeing someone eating beans from the back of a fork is almost the most European thing ever! I remember being a young Soldier stationed in Germany. I found out quite quickly that my table manners were not up to the standards. Peace.

[Mlgraham]

I’m a Yank, living in Atlanta, Georgia, and all the sudden this Scottish bloke shows up on my recommended list so I give him a go. Wow! First, the view totals are amazing, but then I see why. Great content and I’m sold completely with the views, the accent, and all the rest.

Plus, we have a corgi and she loves the views of the old sod, and the sheep, and the sheep dogs. Lot’s of barking, of course, but the “wee”this and “wee” that is over-the-top entertainment. I’m subscribed and waiting for more!

[BarneyLeith]

You're a brave man, Steve Marsh! I enjoyed this video immensely. Many years ago, when I lived in Shetland, I was friendly with the school dentist. (I don't know if such people still exist!) Anyway, he was making his annual visitation to Foula and invited me to go along for the ride. He also kindly agreed to my taking my (now late, sadly) father-in-law with me. We flew in a Loganair Islander from Sumburgh and that was quite an adventure in itself. The weather was not particularly good. We got into the plane, the pilot gave us a very brief safety briefing, started the engines and, looking left and right to ensure there was no conflicting traffic, taxied on to the runway and took off. We flew at around 500ft and had to climb to get above the airstrip in Foula. And, yes, I recall that bumpy gravel airstrip! As we came into land, the pilot slowed the aircraft to around 40 knots and the stall warning went off just before we touched down.
There were quite a few people waiting for the plane and those of us who had come on the outward flight and were returning with the plane to Sumburgh got off to stretch our legs.
The dentist had brought his chair and his dental tools and these were unloaded at the airstrip.
After around 20 minutes we piled back into the Islander. The pilot started the engines and lined the plane up for take off. It was a windy day and I thought my last moments had come as we bounced along the runway (which heads downhill towards the sea near after about half its length). The pilot seemed to be urging the plane to unstick and, yes, we left the ground and were immediately blown sideways by the wind.
We made it home safely!
I can't say that Foula would be my choice of residence, or even for an overnight camping expedition, but I'm very glad to have visited. Many thanks, Steve, for bringing back memories!

[kudzumoose]

You know why your videos work? At least one reason is that you are just curious! You see something that interests you and you show it to us, like the horse scratching his tush and the ropes hanging from the rescue boat. Just plain interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[Glenfiner]

Honestly Steve, better than anything you see on tv. You’ve got an amazing way of making the viewers live your experience. Thank you 🙏

[judycarlsen]

From the US: Just discovered these videos - timely - as they will help keep me sane through the craziness of the next few days (referring to the 2024 presidential election). My husband has a colonoscopy scheduled on election day and the videos will be my company in the waiting room. Thank you Steve!

I was up for a funeral about a decade ago on the ferry, as I couldn’t get a flight. Hadn’t done the ferry for 30 years and while the seats had improved, the floor was preferable and I got about four hours sleep before getting up before dawn and a wonderful sunrise.
I love that last run into Lerwick but it was a glorious day and my brother, who’d never been, got to see it in all its glory.
Last time we went up was last year with a camper and we and the dogs had a cabin. That’s the way to do it.

[TheUluxian]

Things I Learned Today About Foula:
Owned since the turn of the 20th century by the Holbourn family, Professor Ian Holbourn purchased Foula around 1900, becoming its last laird.
Population : 38
Population density: 3 people/km
Foula was first inhabited as far back as 5, 000 years ago
Has a sub-circular stone construction that was man-made, elliptical in shape with the axis pointing towards the mid-winter solstice, built before 1000 BC
Baxter Chapel is part of the Church of Scotland. It is made of grey-coloured stone and is situated "on the tail of 7 Hamnafield".

Darn you for being educational and making me learn stuff, Marsh!!! 😜

[thornton]

Yesss we got the long video! Watching with coffee this morning

[johnhowarth]

Thank you so much for taking us on an adventure. I guess I’m one of dozens who would love to replicate the trip even at 79 years of age.

[d.s.]

It is amazing that a pump organ from Chicago ended up in Foula! The cliffs are something to see. Thanks for a tour of a place I am not likely to visit. I enjoy all of your content.

[JOSEPHHUTCHESON-jk]

Just visited my mother at the Nursing home she is in. We watched your Videos in the lounge and it wasn't long before there were several others watching with us . For those who are unable to travel and escape the humdrum of that life. I thank you for providing an adventure for us to watch and enjoy. God Bless .

[SolarLantern]

The "piano" in the church is actually not even a string instrument. It is an organ and driven by wind from the foot pedal, so it won't make a sound without a bit of footwork.