- Lisa McQueenie has called Easdale, a car-free island in Scotland, home for over a year.
- The artist appreciates the island’s lack of crime and vehicle access, which gives residents more freedom.
- According to McQueenie, intruders would have a tough time reaching the island, as they would need to pass the ferry to the mainland.
Easdale Island is a place that almost sounds mythical.
According to Lisa McQueenie, an artist who has been living there since May 2022, this tiny island off Scotland’s west coast offers no vehicle access, no crime, and plenty of wheelbarrows.
McQueenie is one of only 60 people who call Easdale home. With a size of less than 10 hectares (approximately 1 square foot), it is the smallest permanently inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides.
Currently, McQueenie operates an art gallery from her home, selling various hand-made items like sea-glass jewelry, crystal necklaces, and driftwood houses.
Lisa McQueenie.
In an interview with Insider, McQueenie expressed her reasons for moving to Scotland from the bustling seaside resort town of Blackpool in England. She yearned for a change of pace.
After spending four months in the nearby town of Oban on the Scottish mainland, McQueenie and her partner stumbled upon Easdale during a rainstorm while walking on Seil, another connected island.
Easdale’s beauty left a lasting impression on McQueenie. She recalls being captivated, comparing it to the feeling of seeing a rainbow for the first time.
McQueenie highlights the ‘unconditional love’ amongst the islanders
Soon after discovering Easdale, McQueenie and her partner were fortunate enough to find a home on the island.
Unlike other Scottish islands, Easdale lacks bridges connecting it to the mainland. There is only a small ferry with 10 seats, making it slightly challenging to transport large belongings.
However, McQueenie was amazed by her new neighbors’ willingness to help them move their belongings from the ferry to their home.
She tearfully describes the act as an example of the “unconditional love” shared among the islanders, stating that they selflessly assist one another without expecting anything in return.
This sentiment is echoed by Donald Melville, another long-term resident of Easdale. Melville highlighted the islanders’ friendly nature and their inclusivity towards visitors and new residents.
Donald Melville.
McQueenie shares that the lack of transportation on the island is not seen as a hindrance. Most residents use wheelbarrows to transport groceries and heavy items from the ferry to their homes.
Occasionally, McQueenie still catches herself looking both ways when crossing the street out of habit, forgetting that cars do not exist on the island.
She emphasizes the freedom that comes with this lifestyle, as there are no worries about children or pets getting hit by cars.
Furthermore, crime and break-ins are virtually nonexistent on Easdale, as any potential intruders would have to pass the ferryman to leave the island.
McQueenie jokes, “What can they do, steal a TV and try to get it across the ferry?”
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