Bristol couple move to Scottish island they had never visited before

A couple from Westbury-on-Trym have made the move from Bristol to one of the most remote islands in the UK, even though they had never visited before.

Buffy Cracknell and Alex Mumford move to the Hebridean Isle of Rum following an appeal from islanders for new residents.

Until recently, the Inner Hebridean island had just 32 residents and only two children attended the school.

Four new homes were built in the village of Kinloch, and hundreds applied to become residents of Rum.

“We lived and worked in Bristol for just over a year,” says Buffy, who works in marketing. “Bristol is a great city and somewhere that I enjoyed living in before lockdown but this is the complete opposite, so much nature around us and the community spirit is great.

“Just outside our window we can see snowy hills and deer roaming.”

Alex and Buffy’s new home on the Isle of Rum. Photo: Buffy Cracknell and Alex Mumford

Welcoming new families to the island, which is located around 30 miles off the Scottish mainland, was five years in the making, with a fund having to be raised to build the new houses.

Alex and Buffy, who have travelled across the world and spent a year living together in New Zealand in 2019, beat more that 400 applicants for one of the four new homes.

Four couples were selected, including Buffy and Alex. The hope is that the new families can “help Rum become a outward-looking, dynamic island”, as well as boost the school roster: six children have moved to the island with their parents.

The decision to move came after spending the first lockdown in their Bristol flat. The pair tried to visit the island, but second lockdown meant that wasn’t possible.

Alex and Buffy finally visited the Isle of Rum for the first time on the day of their move, prepared with 27 tins of beans to keep them fed during quarantine, with Alex saying: “Never have I ever had to figure out the logistics of fitting many kilograms of beans into a new home, but we managed it”.

Buffy and Alex document their adventures on their blog and Instagram. Photo: Buffy Cracknell and Alex Mumford

“Whilst we were in New Zealand we fell in love with the nature all around us (we were house sitting for most of our time there, so got to stay in some remote places) and when we got home we wanted the same,” Buffy says.

“Then with lockdown we were unable, like most people to get out in nature anymore. So we wanted to move somewhere that you didn’t have to get in a car to go for a decent walk.

“Long story short, we saw that the Isle of Rum were looking for new residents, so we applied as it sounded ideal to us and amazingly were accepted.”

The couple document their journey on their blog and Instagram. The blog, House on the Stream, is named after their new eco-home.

They document their life on the island, from ferry trips to wild weather, crafting to island culture.

The Isle of Rum is 30 miles away from the Scottish mainland. Photo: Buffy Cracknell and Alex Mumford

“For us it is definitely better than Bristol,” says Buffy.

“There are things we will miss like the amazing food places and eco shops in Bristol but something we missed was being able to say hi to everyone and like we said, go for walks on the beach or up in the hills.

“It is so serene whilst watching the small stone beach for wildlife, especially whilst the sun is rising, and the Isle of Skye is framed by the light.”

Main photo: Buffy Cracknell and Alex Mumford via @house.by.the.stream on Instagram

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