Keep the flame alive, for peat’s sake

The peat fire in the Highland cottage might still flicker, but the fuel has probably come from Ireland rather than Scottish moors.

Crofters are shunning the traditional but time-consuming toil of cutting peat each summer, instead relying on Irish peat briquettes, coal, oil or electric heating.

Even rises in energy prices have not been enough to get Highlanders back out on the moorlands to gather virtually free fuel – leading some to fear that the ancient art might be lost.
Some crofters believe that climate change is affecting the moorlands by making them damper, so it is harder to get the peat dry.

Donald MacPhee, in the village of Gerinish in South Uist, said: “There are about 20 crofts here, and there is no one cutting peat here now.

“I can’t think of anyone in the neighbouring villages. Everyone in all the villages used to do it, but we stopped because the moorland’s far too wet.

“You cut the peats and they don’t dry out properly, and you can’t rely on the weather being clear to get the work done.”

Scotsman