Hirta

Hirta is the largest island of the St Kilda archipelago in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and was the main inhabited island until the community evacuation in 1930. Today it is uninhabited and protected for its cultural remains and wildlife.

The island contains the remains of the old village at Village Bay, including stone houses, a church site and hundreds of cleits - small stone storage huts. Visitors examine these settlement remains and interpretation panels that explain daily life.

Hirta also contains steep sea cliffs and the summit area of Conachair, and it forms part of an internationally important seabird habitat and nature reserve, visited for birdwatching and natural history study.

Hirta was continuously inhabited for centuries by a small crofting and fishing community before the islanders requested evacuation; the last residents left in August 1930. The site has since been managed for conservation and archaeological research.

Hirta lies in the North Atlantic as the main island of St Kilda, roughly 60-70 kilometres west of the Outer Hebrides mainland, reached only by boat from mainland Hebridean ports.

• Evacuation and access: The island was permanently evacuated in 1930 and is now uninhabited; landing and access are controlled for conservation reasons.
• World Heritage status: Part of the St Kilda World Heritage Site, recognised for both its natural seabird colonies and cultural remains.

What to See #

• Village Bay and village ruins: The ruins of the cleit-studded village in Village Bay including domestic foundations, the church and stone storage structures.
• Conachair (summit): Conachair, the island's highest point, forming sheer cliffs above the sea and rising to the island summit at about 430 metres.
• Cleits and settlement remains: Scattered traditional stone storage huts (cleits) and archaeological features reflecting long-term habitation and crofting economy.