The wind gusts at 70mph and horizontal rain lashes the windows, transforming the Isle of Canna’s turquoise and lush green summer palette into stormy and bleak shades of grey.

It is a different scene to that which greets summer visitors to the Inner Hebridean island, many drawn to its dramatic landscape, white sandy beaches, abundant seabirds and peaceful way of life.

Some may be hoping to find an escape from problems and a simpler way of life. No doubt a few are currently eyeing up from afar the possibility of putting down roots on Canna: the chance to run its only guesthouse has just become available, while three new family homes are set to be built, part of a plan to double its population.

But as a new BBC Alba documentary which follows islanders during the harsh winter months shows, life on the seemingly idyllic Isle of Canna is not for the feint hearted.

“Life here can be challenging through the cold, windy months,” says Fiona Mackenzie, who arrived on Canna six years ago with husband Donald, who is now the island’s harbour master.

For Fiona, a Gaelic singer and librarian, working as archivist at Canna House, where folklore scholar Dr John Lorne Campbell and his wife Margaret Fay Shaw spent years capturing and recording Hebridean culture and traditions, was a dream come true.

But to those tempted by new opportunities to settle down on Canna, she tells the programme: “Particularly in winter, you need to be sure that you can cope with isolation. You might not see anyone else for a week.

“If the ferries aren't running, there's no call to go down to the harbour so you might not have an opportunity to speak to anyone except your husband - or the dogs.

“You need to be content to be alone.”

The tough realities of life at the westernmost edge of the Small Isles archipelago are revealed as the community hunkers down for the tough winter months.

A sequel to an earlier documentary that showed the more inviting summer season, the film explores some of the challenges islanders face - and their camaraderie - as they prepare for a brutal winter minus the bustle of visitors and with the constant risk of being cut off as supplies dwindle.

Despite the difficulties they are supremely resilient; one islander tells of households stockpiling dry goods and running at least two fridges and freezers each, stuffed with food to help get them through.

Amid it all is a remarkable community spirit, both in joyful social situations as they come together for the first wedding between locals for a decade and in everyday tasks vital to island life.

Working together, they carry out pre-winter checks on the wind turbines and solar panels that together make them 98% energy self-sufficient, and gather sheep from the hills, trudging over soggy ground and down rocky slopes seemingly oblivious to the breath-taking scenery over their shoulders.

But some things are clearly beyond their control: supplies hinge on the arrival of the Cal-Mac ferry, the 21-year-old MV Lochnevis. Dogged by problems in recent months – technical issues with the vessel affected some sailings this - during winter it is also at the mercy of the wild weather.

Just four miles long and one mile wide, Canna is currently home to just 15 residents who share the tiny island with 20,000 breeding seabirds.

Part of the Small Isles archipelago which includes Eigg, Rum and Muck, the combined population of Canna and Sanday in the 1820s exceeded 400 until the Clearances and collapse of the kelp trade sent numbers plummeting.

The sale of Canna by owner Donald MacNeil at the end of the 19th century to shipbuilding magnate Robert Thom led to fresh investment and the construction of a pier, church and footbridge leading to Sanday. However, population numbers remained low.

And although the arrival of Dr John Lorne Campbell in the late 1930s saw the island and Canna House become a creative hub for the Gaelic language, song and stories, families continued to drift away.

By the time Canna was donated to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) in 1981, there were just 11 islanders.

Having struggled to attract new blood to Canna, NTS handed the task of regenerating and developing Canna to the community in 2017.

The island is now on the brink of a new era: NTS is renovating Canna House as a new visitor attraction, while the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust is pushing ahead with plans to double the population and reopen the island school.

Work on three new homes is due to begin in Spring, and there is a vision to turn the late 18th century Coroghon Barn into a visitor centre with bunkhouse, event space and workshops.

It is said to have potential to attract up to 15,000 visitors per year.

With no crime, new homes and the Scottish Government’s proposed Islands’ Bond, a £50,000 incentive to young people and families to help repopulate the isles, on the horizon, Canna may seem an island idyll.

However, the film includes gentle warnings for anyone thinking island life is for them.

Winnie MacKinnon, born on Canna and whose family has lived on the island since the Highland Clearances, says: “We have reached saturation point as far as jobs on the island is concerned,” adding newcomers will have to be financially independent to get by.

“The worst thing you can do is come to a small island and have nothing to do, your brain will go into overdrive,” she adds. “This getting away from it all does not exist, you will meet yourself around the next corner.”

Canna House gardener, Liz Holden also cautions: “Living on a small island is not everyone’s cup of tea.

“You don’t come here thinking it’s laid back and easy going because it isn’t.

“So many people make that mistake, or they come with problems which they think nobody will notice on a small island and what happens is it all gets magnified.

“Don’t bring your problems with you because they won’t get any easier, trust us. “ For those with an eye on the newly advertised role of running the island’s Tighard Guesthouse, strength of character is a benefit.

“Resilience is essential in little communities like this, especially when you are so isolated from services as we are in winter,” says current landlady Fiona Hutton.

“You have to be able to adapt and change as necessary - just get on with things.”

There are, however, benefits from living on Canna too – even in the depths of winter.

“It has this fantastic community feel about it because there are so few of us,” she adds.

“I can’t put my finger on what makes Canna ‘Canna’. It’s just there’s a magic about the place and everyone feels it.”

Winter on Canna is on BBC Alba on Tuesday (November 30) at 10pm and is also available on iPlayer.