Looking after tiny islands 'best job in the world'

Mingulay - one of Jonathan Grant's places of work

After 13 years, Jonathan Grant is to retire as the caretaker of three tiny uninhabited Scottish islands.

"It's been by far the best job in the world for me," said the 65-year-old, originally from Riddrie in Glasgow.

Jonathan's job is to look after the National Trust for Scotland-managed islands of Mingulay, Pabbay and Berneray, which lie south of Barra in the Western Isles.

He camps out for weeks at a time while carrying out monitoring of the island habitats.

Jonathan worked for 30 years in the building trade before taking up his island role

The islands' wildlife include thousands of seals

Most of the time his only company are seals, basking sharks and seabirds such as puffins and razorbills. The last islanders on Mingulay and Pabbay left in 1912 and Berneray's left in 1980.

Jonathan, who will retire later this year, told BBC Scotland's The Nine: "It is an awe-inspiring experience.

"I have lived on Barra for most of my life so I am used to life in the Hebrides."

Jonathan usually begins making his visits to the islands in April.

"They cannot be accessed over winter because no boat operators go down there. Landing on the islands is extremely difficult - even in the summer," said Jonathan.

"There are no piers on any of the islands. You have to get on a small tender and land on a rocky shore. If there is any swell at all or the ground is wet it is really, really difficult to land."

Once on one of the islands, Jonathan carries out checks on the state of vegetation and wildlife.

He also assesses archaeology, such as the ruined homes of islanders.

Fishing, sheep farming and hunting seabirds sustained islanders before life became too hard.

Extracts from Mingulay's school log book shed some light on the final days of occupation.

Its last pages tell of storms preventing younger children from attending school and the teacher's stock of coal for a fire being "exhausted".

Dramatic sea cliffs on Mingulay

Jonathan said he loves his job on the islands

There are some visitors to the three islands today, and when he is around Jonathan gives them an insight into what life was like.

Jonathan, who worked 30 years in the building trade in the Western Isles before taking up the NTS job, said: "I love the outdoors. I am quite happy with my own company when on the islands.

"I can be down there a week or two and not see anybody else during that period."

But he added: "I think its time a younger person gets the opportunity to experience what I have experienced over the years.

NTS will begin recruiting for Jonathan's replacement later this year.