'Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands
![Jonathan Grant currently holds the position which was offered to him by the National Trust of Scotland in 2010 (Image: Jonathan Grant / SWNS)](/upload/news/2023/04/30/45490.jpg)
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.
![Beauty spot café perched by edge of cliff forced to move due to coastal erosion qhidqhiqxdiruinv](/upload/news/2023/02/02/711_m.jpg)
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."
!['Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29838403.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_ISLAND_KEEPER_05.jpg)
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."
!['Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29838401.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_ISLAND_KEEPER_02.jpg)
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.
![Sunak's promotion of Lee Anderson shows the war on woke is alive and thriving](/upload/news/2023/02/10/3892_m.jpg)
"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.
!['Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29838397.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_ISLAND_KEEPER_10.jpg)
"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.
!['Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29838396.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_ISLAND_KEEPER_08.jpg)
"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.
!['Loneliest job in the world' up for grabs - and it involves camping on islands](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29838395.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_ISLAND_KEEPER_01.jpg)
"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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