The Pilgrim Stones

Since Neolithic times people have visited Foula. Navigating by the stars, they built in stone, seeking solitude. They were called Peregini – Latin for “Pilgrim”.

The Pilgrim Stones are a testament to the act of re-orienting the mind and the body in the great outdoors.

The stones look hewn from the landscape, etched like the sole of Merrell shoes. Your hand runs over the surface of the stones that grip the surrounding environment, catching wind-borne soil and seeds embedding the bothy within the landscape. Openings are arranged to map the heavens, daytime views of the north star, and the sun’s path elevating the mind beyond observing the physical to ponder what cannot always be seen. The mind soars, you feel calm.

Internally a serene and composed space, simple in form with gentle curves. The solidity of the stone has a tangible weight, inhabitants safe in the knowledge they are protected during a storm - physical, emotional or otherwise.

Framed views provide privacy for bird watchers and curated glimpses of the environment. You notice things you hadn’t seen before; the pattern of waves, the movement of clouds over the five peaks. A shelter. A space to breathe: to feel safe.