There’s a path opening through the moss. It smells of sea air, damp wood, and the northern wind. Rubha Phoil is exactly this: an ancient peninsula, cloaked in greenery. A cliffside facing the ocean, just a short walk from Armadale, at Skye’s southernmost point.

Here, a small intentional community is growing, dedicated to regenerating the land, human bonds, and the deeper meaning of what it means to dwell. A project that evolves slowly—like a tree sinking its roots into time and stretching its branches toward those seeking a freer, more authentic way of living.

Permaculture as a Way of Life

At Rubha, permaculture isn’t just a well-kept garden. It’s a way of experiencing the world. Every decision, every structure, every interaction follows its three core ethics: Earth care. People care. Fair share.

The land is alive, and it is listened to. Food grows in forest gardens, where plants intertwine naturally into resilient ecosystems. Paths are soft underfoot, homes are biodegradable, and the woods are free to breathe.

Wild herbs are foraged, buildings are made with natural materials, meals are cooked with what the season provides. Here, sustainability isn’t an ideology—it’s a daily practice.

Shared Life that Nurtures the Soul

Rubha is home to between 5 and 10 people, depending on the season and the journeys of those who pass through or stay. An intimate scale, intentionally small, allowing space to look within, to truly connect, and to move forward together—without haste, but without pause.

Relationships here are slow, honest, and rooted in reciprocal care and deep listening. Life isn’t about production—it’s about learning to live together, with the Earth, with ourselves, and with one another.

Each day is shaped by simple acts: cooking together, foraging herbs, repairing a path. Around the table, by the fire, inside a yurt—every moment is a chance to practise presence, trust, and integrity.

Rubha isn’t for everyone. But those who visit often return. And those who stay, feel they’ve found home.

Learning with Body, Mind and Heart

Rubha Phoil is also a place of deep, transformative learning, where knowledge doesn’t come from a syllabus, but from holistic and direct experience.

Visitors can immerse themselves in living permaculture, observing and taking part in designing spaces, caring for the soil, and turning waste into resources. You learn how to read the landscape, how to relate to plants and to the rhythm of the seasons.

There’s also the call of the wild: slow walks in the woods, natural navigation, building shelters, and embracing practised silence. This isn’t about living in Nature—it’s about remembering you are part of it.

Another key pillar is regenerative culture: empathic communication, non-violent conflict resolution, and inner work. Here, the community is the teacher, and every exchange becomes a chance to grow. At Rubha Phoil, knowledge is shared in circles, horizontally and convivially.

How to Get Involved

Rubha Phoil opens its gates to conscious travellers, families, educational groups, volunteers, and souls seeking authenticity. You can stay in small wooden cabins, or camp beneath the trees.

Anyone can contribute—be it time, skills, or simply presence. You can also propose a project, start a micro-enterprise, or apply for long-term residency, becoming part of the heart of this vision.

In a Nutshell

Rubha Phoil is a small intentional community of 5 to 10 people, based at the southern edge of the Isle of Skye, overlooking the ocean and nestled in wild greenery.

It’s a place where the Earth cares for people, and people care for the Earth. Where permaculture, Nature connection, and communal living are daily, transformative practices.

Because regeneration isn’t just an idea. It’s an action. A relationship. A choice made anew each day, fuelled by the strength of community. And on the rocky shores of Skye, someone is already living that choice.

By Valentina Bracciodieta