Jeff and Christine Reade moved to Sgriob-ruadh Farm (pronounced ‘Ski-brooah’, and meaning ‘red furrow’) in 1981. Though it had no roof and a generous array of plants growing within its ruins, their first priority was getting the cowshed wind and watertight.

Over 30 years later, the farmhouse is complete and the farm buildings extended any number of times, including a large cheese cellar where Mull’s only dairy farm matures its wares for up to 18 months. Their raw cheeses are made from Sgriob-ruadh milk, just hours out of the cows, using only renewable energy.

The results are their famous Isle of Mull, a tangy farmhouse cheddar that occasionally develops blue veins (if you’re very lucky)