It’s no secret that Torran Island, in THE ICE TWINS, is firmly based on a real, remote Hebridean lighthouse island: historic Eilean Sionnach. Which is just off Ornsay in Skye.
When I first visited the island, as a student, and when I returned to research it, to write the book, the little cottage on the island was poetically run down. To the point of being uninhabitable. By the time of my last visit, I seriously wondered if the building would survive another winter.
Happily, the owner, Angel Sedgwick, has now rescued and revamped the whole place. He’s made it into a gorgeous self catering retreat, while maintaining many of the original features that gave Sionnach it’s charm. Yes, it’s still remote, and yes, you can still get easily stuck by the tides, but now you can enjoy underfloor heating, and perfect wifi. And a private chef who will come over and cook your venison.
The island has its own website if you want to book:
I’ll be writing about the island myself in a travel article, shortly. But if you want to see more, right now, check out this excellent video by Scottish photographer Kim Grant, who stayed there very recently….
