Lockdown is a different experience second time around for Alex Mumford and Elizabeth Cracknell.
Last month the couple swapped city life in Bristol for the quieter surroundings of Rum and have just spent their first Christmas on the island – which they had never even visited before.
With a love of the outdoors and nature, and a passion for rural life and community, they were among four families selected from thousands of inquiries from around world when four houses came up to rent on the island.
The homes on the edge of Kinloch, the island’s only village, were made available by the Isle of Rum Community Trust to attract new blood to help sustain the population which stood at 32.
Bad weather on Rum kept the couple inside on Christmas Day, followed by Storm Bella on Boxing Day and the second lockdown.
“Both of us feel very fortunate to be on Rum during such tough times”, said Mr Mumford, 31, who now works as a clerical assistant at the island school.
“Nature has incredible power and it has taken much of our mind off the Covid situation.
“Not as much need for hand sanitising or mask-wearing here unless we head down to the one shop on the island, where of course it is mandatory.
“Lockdown in Bristol made us feel trapped. I was working in a gym full-time so had much more personal risk, plus we couldn’t escape to various areas or get away from it all and get lost in the natural world like we can here on Rum.
“Our previous lockdown experience can easily be described as claustrophobic and monotonous.”
He added: “In any other year, we would have spent December Christmas shopping, searching through the local independent shops that Bristol has to offer.
“We would have got time off from our busy jobs and spent a week, maybe two weeks, driving down to Devon to visit both our families who live near Exeter and Plymouth.
“Life has certainly slowed down from what we are used to, which has given us more time to watch wildlife or read a new book.
“We are missing family but many people around the UK are missing family due to tier restrictions, so I think this would have affected us as much in Bristol as it has on Rum.”
Mr Mumford and Ms Cracknell, 29, said previous celebrations would have included a visit to a local village, carol singing and drinking mulled wine in the local pub.
He said: “We got to head to the local shop for a mulled wine here on Rum on Christmas Eve, as did many of the locals, and had a low key outdoor chat and passed on our wishes of Merry Christmas.
“We felt lucky we got to do this as not many regions have managed to have any interaction this year.”
The couple, who are tracking their new life and first island Christmas on their blog, said they are settling in well to island life.
Mr Mumford said: “We have explored many of the trails around the island with plans for bigger overnight trips around the island as the weather improves.
“Locals have been very welcoming as have the new residents who have been great to have close by due to them going through many of the same things we are.
“We tend to have quiet new years celebrations and may head down to the side of the loch, look across to Skye and keep our fingers crossed for fireworks.”
They are looking ahead to next year and possible tourism-related business ventures.
He said: “The ideas we have for the tourist season are still in the early planning stages so it will take time to get everything up and running and working successfully.
“Things will change as we head out of lockdown and visitors start arriving.”
