'...nobody born in any other parts of the world
will choose this country for their residence...'

Dr. Samuel Johnson, on the Isle of Skye - 1775

More and more people are choosing to make a move to live permanently on Skye. The population of the island is growing, and everywhere there are old houses being restored and new houses being built. The internet makes living far from big towns and cities easier than ever before and the toll-free Skye Bridge makes cities, trains and 'planes easier to access.

Such a move is often a considerable change in lifestyle. It is certainly not right for everyone - in fact it would probably be quite wrong for most. So, a move to Skye deserves plenty of consideration. But - if you are one of the lucky ones who can live without Waitrose or Bloomingdales, who values community above BMWs, who would rather walk the hills in the rain than lie by a pool in the sunshine - do think seriously about it. It could be the best thing you ever do for yourself, and your family.

In our experience, a lot of the changes to our lives since moving to Skye are like moving in time rather than in geography. The coalman delivers coal in sacks on the back of a flat-bed lorry. We have ashes to deal with, fires to make, kindling and logs and peat to keep in stock. The chimney sweep comes round. We make soup. Not from a tin but from bones, dried barley and lentils, and fresh vegetables. Our meat comes from a butcher, our veg from a greengrocer, our bread from a baker. We can go out without locking the house. We can leave the cars unlocked. It all seems reminiscent of childhood and simpler times.

Sure, it can be very nice to be able to turn up the thermostat on the central heating and feel effortless warmth, or to have the pre-prepared lasagne arrive with the rest of the supplies from tesco.com. But I can't help wondering how much proper life is lost in the process.

If all this appeals to you, here are a few pointers to some more information:

• Life on Skye (the experiences of some incomers to the island - including their house build blog)