A couple who swapped their “noisy and busy” life in Edinburgh for a “quieter way of life” on the Isle of Skye said they would never return to the city.
Elopement photographers and filmmakers Joanna and Nathan Gull said they “moved from flat to flat” in Edinburgh and felt like they “never had room to breathe”.
After visiting the Isle of Skye for work, it was love at first sight. The pair “knew immediately it was home” and found an idyllic cottage to rent on the Strathaird peninsula on the south coast.
The couple, originally from Nottingham, moved in August 2023 and now spend their days exploring the island and waking up to “beautiful scenery”.
Joanna posts snippets of her daily life on the Isle of Skye on her TikTok account (@joannaelizagull), where it has obtained more than 130,000 likes. She told MailOnline Travel: “We will always love Edinburgh, but even more so as a place for a two-day trip, knowing we can return home to the mountains.”
Joanna and Nathan Gull left their “noisy and busy” life in Edinburgh to go to the Isle of Skye. The couple “knew immediately he was home” and are not seen returning to town.
The couple live in a rented cottage on the Strathaird peninsula and spend their days waking up to “beautiful scenery”.
While he said it takes about an hour to get to the island’s shops, as opposed to a ten-minute round trip in Edinburgh, he explained: “We like it slow and would prefer to take our time to enjoy things “. than feeling rushed.
The couple have been able to continue their work on the island, using the beauty of the Isle of Skye as a backdrop for couples photo sessions.
On filming days, Joanna said they would wake up before dawn and head to “wherever on the island we’re working.”
Joanna posts snippets of her life on the Isle of Skye on TikTok. She said she “enjoys the slowness” of living on the remote island.
The couple work as elopement photographers and utilize the beauty of the Isle of Skye. They will enjoy a “quiet morning” and explore the island when they are not working.
But when they’re not working, he said they’ll typically have a “quiet morning” and “go for a walk to get some fresh air.”
The 27-year-old said: “Life is naturally slower in the Highlands, which works well for our brains and the way we operate.”
“Skye feels a lot more confident too.”
What’s more, they haven’t had any problems meeting people and even say they have more friends visiting their remote cabin than ever in their city apartment.
Joanna said the Isle of Skye feels ‘much safer’ than Edinburgh
Joanna claimed she has more friends visiting her on the Isle of Skye than at her city flat.
Joanna added: “Skye is full of good-hearted people and there is a real sense of community, which we never experienced in Edinburgh.”
While Joanna said they “already had a lot of friends living on the island,” she was able to connect with “other photographers and artists who have similar values.”
Most of whom, he said, have also moved out of the cities.
She said: ‘The area we live in is also a lovely community. Meeting the locals and hearing their stories has been really nice!’
What Joanna likes most about living on the Isle of Skye is the “scenery” and “having mountains and beaches on your doorstep”.
The couple spend their holidays visiting other remote islands such as Harris and Lewis, where Joanna is shown above.
Nathan is pictured above exploring Harris and Lewis, which Joanna says must have “some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.”
He added: “In Edinburgh, my favorite place was the beach, but the beaches on Skye are much more beautiful and peaceful. There is also plenty to explore and we plan to try a new trail or walk every week.”
They even spend their free time exploring other Scottish islands, such as Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides, which Joanna says must have “some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.”
For those fancying a trip to the Isle of Skye, Joanna recommends walking around Old Man of Storr, a rocky hill on the Trotternish Peninsula, before heading to the beach.
He also suggests heading to the colorful town of Portree to enjoy its restaurants and shops.
To see more from Joanna visit her at Tik Tok in www.tiktok.com/@joannaelizagull or visit their website www.joannaeliza.com.