Lundy is not so small that it does not hold one’s interest, not so large that one could not walk round it in the course of a day. Impregnable cliffs made it a natural stronghold from early times and evidence of this past contributes to its present character. On this, my first stay for twelve years, I wondered what changes there would be under a new generation of owners. I found buildings still gale-battered, on the other hand some single-storied rebuilding is absolutely modern in detail but, because local materials are used, perfectly in harmony with the setting. Soon along the sheltered east side one was struck by the sweet smell of the island air, quite untainted by burnt petrol; small birds and insects were abundant.
In the north of the island crystalline grit consisting of fragments of quartz, felspar and mica, and the diminutive pink stonecrop and tormentil which grow among it make a bright covering to the plateau. While stalking a herd of Soay sheep in this area I came upon a fine Sika stag. Below, on the littoral rocks, shags stood apparently immobile, near Gannets Rock grey seals rested with heads above water before diving. We scanned the ledges where in the season sea birds breed, but the vast majority had left for the open sea at the end of July. On the day of departure a mainland vet carried out a last-minute repair on an injured island dog on the table tennis table - improvisation is an essential part of island life.
