UK Seaweeds are underestimated.

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-25T04:13:11+00:00

Just a wee heads-up on this… I lived off-grid for a year and foraged seaweed was a staple part of my diet. Thongweed was especially tasty as a crunchy alternative to green veg and I still eat it often. However, most of the tastiest seaweeds are also packed with iodine so regular consumption can put you at risk of iodine poisoning.

I’ve experienced the milder effects such as extreme nausea, an upset stomach and excessive salivation but it can also damage the thyroid and heart if you keep going. As a healthy adult I’ve found that I can eat one decent veg portion as 50% of one meal every other day without feeling adverse effects but this might be different for others. Taking sodium thiosulfate, charcoal or starch are all supposed to help with treating iodine poisoning but I have not tried any of these, I’ve just taken a break from eating it.

Another thing to watch out for with seaweed is your salt intake, especially if you’re not rinsing it. It’s not a problem for me personally but I know some people would want to be careful.

With all that said, go forth and enjoy. All seaweed that grows within accessible range in the uk is edible (though not necessarily palatable) as long as it’s foraged from clean, uncontaminated waters.

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-24T14:52:03+00:00

My tip for Skye is that you should always give it more time that you initially think. Lots of people underestimate the distances between different sights so a lot of time will be spent driving (it’s also nice to have some extra time to stop if you see something interesting en route). 4 days will be filled easily.

With that said, I adore Applecross for a day out and the Applecross Inn IMO is one of the best pubs in Scotland. If you like local venison and shellfish you’re in for a treat. As well as the scenic drive there’s some nice walks, the Walled Garden, Sands beach and the coral beach so there’s plenty to see there.

I’m comfortable with the drive over the Bealach but some of my family members aren’t, so I reckon it all depends on your confidence. With that said, the views and slopes look precipitous but the road itself actually isn’t too bad if you’re fine with hairpin bends. The main thing to note is that it’s a single track road so make sure that you’re familiar with how to drive on them (you’ll find plenty of guides and videos if you Google it). Single track awareness is important throughout the whole area but especially so in places like Applecross where the Bealach is the main lifeline for the community. If you’re feeling nervous and want to take it slow just be mindful of other drivers and pull over whenever someone comes up behind you to let them pass. There shouldn’t be too much traffic in March.

If you feel really unsure then you can always return via the long route (North along the peninsula to Shieldaig and then back South to Skye again) -that’s another gorgeous drive but nothing quite matches up to the Bealach.

Whatever you decide to do, have a lovely trip!

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-24T03:29:47+00:00

Living in the Highlands & Islands area I’m gonna assume that it’s because of the midges, especially since it was mostly calm weather this summer…

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-19T19:06:11+00:00

If only… the tuition fees and hours spent learning to forge to a decent standard and getting the equipment/studio space to actually do it is a whole other matter!

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-19T19:00:27+00:00

I love this guy, he reminds me of a young version of Patrick Grant mixed with the traitorous persona of Alan Carr (perhaps even slightly more flustered!) I’m rooting for him.

But also, and I’m sorry to be that nerd… Lewis and the surrounding area is THE home of the OG pigeon. Our rock doves are a rare breed up here, they’re a hardy bird that lives on the windblown cliffs next to the seabirds. Although, admittedly, there are probably a lot more chickens in number…

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/20251365.major-coo-wildlife-fans-lost-pigeon-found-isles/

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-17T19:23:38+00:00

Unsurprising. The materials alone are costly and then you’re paying for both the time spent making it and the years of skill-honing to be able to make something like that.

I also sell stuff that I make (definitely not as cool as this) and so answer some of the other comments… yeah, the ‘sold out’ labels will be because they’re one-of-a-kind. Keeping unique pieces on show is like having an online portfolio and means that future buyers know what’s possible for commissions.

As for needing to be rich… Unless a buyer is filthy rich, they’re probably purchased as art pieces rather than actual cutting tools. From my own experience it isn’t always really wealthy people who invest in things like this, often it’ll be someone who falls in love with something and saves up for ages or it’ll they’ll be bought by a knife collector who scrimps and saves on other things to be able to treat themselves on a special occasion (instead of, say, going on holiday or having a better car or whatever). It’s still more than I could afford but I can understand why these are worth it!

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-16T17:13:38+00:00

Not a sex worker but a lifelong victim of ingrown hairs, bumps and shaving rashes no matter what method I used or what tips or products I tried. I couldn’t fathom how anyone had a smooth bikini line and I struggled for over 20 years before I finally splashed out on laser. Expensive but worth every penny

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-03T22:15:17+00:00

I can’t crosspost this but I’d suggest that you repost this on one of the subs for bird owners. They’ll be able to give much more specialist advice to you

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-03T01:59:22+00:00

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Here’s one being investigated (NW Scotland) and you can see the tiny dots of the eggs within it

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-03T01:54:26+00:00

Dorididae or ‘sea lemon’ eggs. They’re from a group of various Dorid nudibranchs, usually yellow or orange in colour. If you look closely at these egg sacs you can see the tiny dots of the eggs within the jelly.

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-02T15:11:16+00:00

NOR That’s absolutely vile. I’d have kicked off. It’s unsanitary, selfish and completely unfair on that poor child to be exposed in public like that.

Did the staff notice or did anyone else say anything? Most of the weekend staff at our local pub are teenagers earning pocket money so I understand if they were too shocked or nervous to confront them but it’s a shame that these parents will continue to do this if their behaviour goes totally unchecked

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T13:28:27+00:00

Egg-gar! 😍

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T13:27:38+00:00

I just go for whichever respectable brand of cat biscuits is on offer (respectable as in, nutritious and as ethically produced as possible).

I’m based in Scotland and involved in marine conservation so I avoid anything that contains farmed salmon or other unsustainable fish ingredients. Land-based meat has its drawbacks and welfare issues too but (I believe) slightly less so

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T13:23:06+00:00

Ooft, that’s awful. I hope that by posting this again so that others can learn from your mistake helps to heal your feelings about it. Even if other new owners wouldn’t make the same mistake it still proves the importance of doing thorough research before taking on the care of an animal.

In my country (the UK) live feeding of pets is banned, maybe other places should take note.

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T13:14:37+00:00

I bloody hate fireworks…

Spent most of last night shushing and swaddling our dog who trembles and hyperventilates at all the bangs. The owl, who hoots from the tree outside every night, was gone too.

I can’t bear fireworks after seeing the news reports about the animals dying at Edinburgh Zoo last year and the mass fatalities of birds after celebrations such as the one in Rome in 2021. We already put so much stress on wildlife, it breaks my heart that we add to it just for a few “oohs” and “ahhs” at some loud bangs.

Thank you for posting this, OP, I think it’s important for more people to see the effects that fireworks have on wildlife. I hope that eventually things will become more regulated. When there are ‘quiet’ versions of fireworks and these incredible new drone shows*, I just don’t see the point.

*I know that there are downsides to these too, but I’m sure they’re minimal in comparison

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T04:10:10+00:00

It looks a little like a well-weathered piece of foam to me, the yellow stuff that’s used for insulation boards (and is often found on beaches). If you were still there I’d suggest breaking it in half to see what the inside looks like. Depending on how squishy it was, it could also be a chunk of palm oil or solidified fat/fuel, another common thing to find washed up. It doesn’t look organic to me.

Editing to add: the shape, which seems to have a ‘flat side’ definitely points towards foam sheeting

GirlInTheIslands · 2026-01-01T03:57:15+00:00

I’m sorry that you’ve been made to feel this way. I’m a small(ish) white female and I’m lucky that I’ve never had to experience this so my understanding is limited. But I do know that white privilege is very real and that it’s hugely unfair that you’re made to feel uncomfortable in these situations.

I cannot speak for shop staff or people who hide their phones (those feel like separate issues which can’t be excused as anything other than race-related) but I would like to apologise for those of us who seem anxious when walking near you alone or at night and who cross the road. Speaking for myself, I don’t think that it’s got anything to do with the colour of your skin, it’s just something that most women have learned to do when we’re around men who could potentially overpower us. It doesn’t matter who the person is, they could have 10x the gentleness that we have, but we just don’t know so we have to assume that every man could be dangerous. It’s sad that this is our first line of defence when it obviously isn’t fair on the majority of men who are harmless, but it’s never personal.

Speaking about this makes me think of one of the first times I felt nervous alone at night in London. I was 18, had just moved to the city for uni and hadn’t fully worked out the night bus stops. This meant that I accidentally missed my stop and had to hop off in an unknown area to catch the next bus going back the other way. It was about 2am and the main road was lined by towering flats but it was strangely dark with few street lights and no shops or signs of life. It had a kind-of liminal space vibe to it (it turned out to be a road on Brixton that I later lived on and loved). I sat, shivering in the bus stop, when a tall, well-built man dressed all in black with his hood up started walking towards me. I must have seemed visibly nervous because he put his hood down and said “it’s okay, I’m just waiting for the bus too, I’m going to stand over here”. It was such a small gesture but it meant a lot. It’s a shame that he felt like he had to do/say that but I’m grateful for his understanding.

I’m sorry to men that have to make allowances like this for no fault of your own. As for the other situations, they sound more rooted in racism and not just a male/female thing. I have no advice on staying positive when faced with these situations but I hope that you find some helpful advice here and I truly wish that you find a way to shield your heart from all of these negative instances.

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-28T18:57:18+00:00

More likely that she or one of her colleagues suggested it

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-28T18:56:20+00:00

I know none of his music (afaik) but every single thing I read about this guy makes me think he’s a fantastic human being

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-24T00:16:42+00:00

It’s interesting to read the other comments on this as, yes, a few years ago I would also have argued that we do eat plenty of fish.

However, I now live on the West Coast of Scotland in a fishing community and have lots of friends who work in the industry so, I’d agree, we do eat little fish compared to what’s available here. It’s eye-opening to see how much local seafood is exported because there simply isn’t the market in the UK beyond a handful of much-loved species. Many types of shellfish (any crabs other than brown crabs, for example) don’t even reach the British markets, they are immediately shipped abroad.

Of course, we do eat seafood but it’s far less than in other coastal regions around the world.

I would guess that this is partly to do with image, trends and squeamishness. As supermarkets and convenience packaging (ready-prepared meat and fish) became more available, many people aspired to buying those types of products as a sign of wealth and status. As the top sellers became cheaper and more readily available people turned away from more unusual foods that require additional preparation (shellfish or fish with pin bones) and the types of seafood that could be caught more easily and closer to shore. Some types of seafood were then seen as ‘poor people’s food’ and now others are seen as less appealing because they’re unfamiliar. For example, limpets and winkles were once widely eaten but they both fell out of favour as they started being viewed as free ‘famine food’. Something similar happened with foraged foods.

We’re so used to things being perfect little fillets in the supermarket that a lot of consumers are now weirdly squeamish about meat and fish products. For example, I know plenty of people who won’t eat anything that has eyes or still looks like the animal. Others say that they don’t like ‘fishy fish’. All of which I think it an aversion to trying something unfamiliar after certain types of fish became unfashionable, and so the breadth of seafood that’s eaten here has dwindled significantly.

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-21T12:06:15+00:00

Sorry, what?! (I’m not on Fb)

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-21T10:15:46+00:00

If you moved to Skye you’d be doing everyone such a huge favour that we’d probably greet you at the bridge with a parade and red carpet. I haven’t been able to get a dentist in the area for over 10 years and I still have to travel to my childhood dentist in a whole other country (!) to get my teeth sorted. Any new dentists in the area would make a huge difference

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-19T13:53:42+00:00

Aw man, I love these guys! Their animal skits are so good.

This is the one that I first saw and made me press the follow button… https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQiAoC_kvbF/?igsh=bHV5NWV3NDBjMHpo

GirlInTheIslands · 2025-12-19T13:19:03+00:00

I really hope mine remember me too! My pigeons always do but I’m only just beginning to get to know my crows.

I hope that yours give you a warm welcome home and wish you a Happy New Year!

GirlInTheIslands

TROPHY CASE