Sitting amongst the marram grass brings to mind Sunday beach walks on the west side – the Atlantic ocean roar, cold salty air with a flask of tea and biscuits.

These tall, spiky tufts of grass are vital to the sand dunes stability their matted roots, protecting them against the harsh gales and wind blow. For hundreds of years marram has been a source of thatching material for Hebridean black houses and now, as a family, we continue this tradition using marram to thatch our Lamraig cottage.