You can fly to Barra from Glasgow by Loganair and land at Traigh Mhör on the world’s only tidal beach runway; or you can make a five-hour ferry journey from Oban to the harbour of Castlebay, passing Kisimul Castle, the seat of the MacNeils.

The island is part of the Outer Hebrides, home to around 1,300 people and known for its white sandy beaches, wildflowers on the machair, and strong cultural identity. Barra was the location for the 1949 black-and-white classic Whisky Galore! and features in BBC TV series such as An Island Parish and Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands.

Its stories span the centuries from Viking invasions to the Highland Clearances, with a long tradition of fishing and crofting. Dr Pernilla Sörme balances the running of a small croft in the island with leading international collaborative projects, and she shares stories of life on Barra today and its resilience in the modern world.