The Bass Rock and Craigleith island in the Firth of Forth have been sold to the RSPB. Former landowner Sir Hew Dalrymple, whose family have owned them for over 300 years, said one of the reasons for the sale as to protect them against the “multiple threats” faced by these important colonies of birds.
One factor 'more than anything' that concerned him was “offshore wind farms”, he said. “It’s all right having one or two, but the Berwick Bank wind farm threatens to make the North Sea into an industrial park. I’m told it’s not just the damage to bird life, it’s the damage to the seabed that putting these gantries in does. It’s an ecosystem that the birds sit on.”
The Bass Rock is thought to be the most important gannet colony in the world, described by David Attenborough as one of the 12 wildlife wonders of the world. Nearby Craigleith island is an important nesting site for puffins. Both have been bought by RSPB Scotland with the aid of funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
To announce this new chapter for Craigleith and the Bass Rock, representatives of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Scottish Seabird Centre, the new owner RSPB and former owner Dalrymple, took a boat trip out to the gannet colony, skirting its cliffs. Birds darted and dived, crowding the rock where the breeding sea
son was at its peak for its roughly 100,000‑strong gannet population.
Simon Thurley, chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, described this as “a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to secure the islands for the public” and ensure that, “with RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Seabird Centre at the helm, their role as seabird sanctuaries is protected for the future”.
“For the Heritage Fund, this project is a fantastic example of our vision for supporting nature’s recovery and enabling people to connect positively with the world around them. Thanks to National Lottery players, there are exciting opportunities ahead for conservationists, birdwatchers and those who are yet to fall in love with the islands.”
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The RSPB had come to the Heritage Fund, saying that it had a “top secret” opportunity to buy the islands which were not going to go on the open market, he said. The fund came back offering £586,000, which enabled RSPB Scotland both to buy the islands and to fund immediate needs.
The fund was set up as a memorial for people who had died “for the UK” and £200 million of it has played a role in buying multiple pieces of land and property.
For more than 40 years, the National Heritage Memorial Fund has functioned as a fund of last resort, investing more than £430m to save nearly 1,500 examples of the most outstanding parts of UK heritage.
Its aim is to save heritage that “otherwise could be lost forever”: Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai, Skokholm Island, George Orwell’s early archive, the mill village of New Lanark and a group of seven historic motorcycles that represent Northern Ireland’s road‑racing tradition.
In partnership with the Scottish Seabird Centre, RSPB Scotland has plans to "save, safeguard and celebrate" the natural heritage and history of the islands.
These plans are supported by £372,000 of development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the potential to unlock a further £589,000 of money raised by National Lottery players. Plans include an immersive new viewing theatre in the Scottish Seabird Centre, inclusive boat trips and community outreach.
Harry Huyton, CEO, Scottish Seabird Centre said: “Bass Rock and Craigleith are among the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders, and their integration into the RSPB’s nature reserve network is a historic day for Scottish nature. This ambitious partnership between the Scottish Seabird Centre and the RSPB builds on years of dedicated stewardship, where our volunteers, local communities, and the Dalrymple family hhave worked tirelessly to restore these islands – most notably quadrupling Craigleith’s puffin population despite national declines.
“Together with RSPB Scotland, we will ensure these vital sanctuaries are conserved forever, deepen public connection to these incredible places, and inspire collective action to protect Scotland’s iconic seabirds for generations to come. Thanks to National Lottery players for helping making all of this possible.”
For Dalrymple, the moment of passing the Bass Rock on was, he said, an emotional one, “but it was a rational decision” and “a couple of years in the making”.
“I came to a decision two and a half years ago that this was the right way forward. I discussed it with the family and there was never any question that the RSPB was the right way forward. Fortunately they agreed.”
“Realistically to be custodian of those islands is hard for an individual in this day and age, in order to be listened to if you’re talking about the threats to the wildlife. Also in terms of resources, there’s quite a lot of money has been raised through this project, for a certain amount of work on the Rock.”
“My way of dealing with it has been to work closely with the Scottish Seabird Centre and we had a very good working relationship over 25 years. One of the things I’m pleased about in discussion with the RSPB was that they immediately said they wanted to continue working with the Scottish Seabird centre. From the local point of view you need an organisation on the ground.”
He first became aware of the Rock as a child, when the family would go out there and picnic on the clear grassy ground at the top. He recalled taking his own children out there, walking through the cave that penetrates from one side of the island to the other, a site, he said, that felt “primeval”.
His family has owned it since 1706 when, through an act of parliament after the end of its life as a prison, Scotland’s Alcatraz, it was given to his ancestor, “a very successful lawyer”.
He recalled that often, when people learned that he owned the Bass Rock, “they would not quite believe that an individual could own something like this”.
“And, of course,” he added, “now I don't.”
