'Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands
Job hunters have a rather unusual opportunity coming up for grabs, dubbed the 'loneliest in the world.'
Three uninhabited Scottish islands need a new ranger, with the current watch person set to retire after more than a decade.
The position includes looking after Mingulay, Pabbay and Berneray islands, and often involves sleeping in a tent.
Jonathan Grant, 65, got the job as a ranger there more than a decade ago.
The dad-of-three, who lives on Barra, Inner Hebrides, grabbed the opportunity when it came up.
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He said: "We quite often have a seabird ranger on the tiny islands and there are a lot of visitors and campers.
"There's times when I'm on the island on my own, that's fine, it suits me."
Schoolhouse Mingulay on one of the three Scottish islands (National Trust for Scotland/SWNS)Jonathan works six months a year in the summer, and is a self-employed builder in the winter months.
He said it never caused family problems that he worked away so much, and could spent between a week and 10 days camping on an island.
But he plans to retire in October and hopes a younger islander will love the job as much as he has done.
"After I retire I'll probably keep doing the same sort of thing," Jonathan said.
"I haven't spent the past 13 years in a tent. I've got a nice home and a wife on Barra. I only camp for a couple of weeks every summer."
The islands are completely uninhabited (National Trust for Scotland/SWNS)The islands were sold to NTS by the Barra Sheep-stock Islands, a conglomerate.
Jonathan said: "I was born in Glasgow and went to school there.
"After leaving school I didn't want to live in a city.
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"I moved up to Barra as I had family and friends there and got a job as a building contractor.
"That's always been my main employment.
Jonathan lives on Barra, to the north of the smaller islands under his watch (National Trust for Scotland/SWNS)"I don't get paid a huge amount but I work for six months, in winter I generally do building work self-employed.
"I got into working as a ranger about 20 years ago, before this job came up.
"The funding ran out, but then I got the NTS job.
"There's seabirds nesting on the cliffs, the wildlife is unbelievable.
"There's sandy beaches and seals and basking sharks.
Jonathan feels it's time for a younger person to enjoy the unique experience (National Trust for Scotland/SWNS)"My wife probably thinks I'm a part-time husband.
"I'm never far away and we have internet and satellite communication."
He said retiring was a gesture of commitment to the future of the islands.
Jonathan added: "I feel it would be unfair to keep the job as I'm getting older.
He told how his children and grandchildren have all visited the islands (Jonathan Grant / SWNS)"A younger person who lives on the island could be experiencing what I've experienced.
"My first commitment is to the well-being of the islands.
"I've got kids and grandkids, they've all been down at some point.
"I'm a small cog in a big organisation and have a lot of colleagues I'll be sad to leave."
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