My escape to a slower pace of life on Rathlin Island

When the pandemic began, and it became obvious it would last for some time, I knew it was time to let go of London. The city that has been my home and centre of gravity for over 17 years, but we have been growing apart for a while. The long, unreliable and overcrowded commutes, costs of living, flats and houses designed for sardines – all have been increasingly damaging to my health and well-being.

I needed to pack and go to a place where I can still work from, have space, fresh air, nature, broadband internet and most importantly the sea. Having spent my childhood in a seaside city in Turkey, being near the sea has always calmed me, made me feel at home. I knew the place to go for all of that: Rathlin Island.

I have been coming to Rathlin for several years. First for a day trip, then a few days, then a couple of weeks, with each trip getting to know and love the island and its people more. A pub, a small hotel with a restaurant, a post office, a café, two churches, a small community shop, an elegant arts and gifts shop, regular and reliable ferries, three lighthouses, resident seals, puffins and dozens of other equally fascinating birds, dolphins, crabs, lobsters and hares . . . What else do you need . . . It was now or never.

As I looked out of the window after my first night on the island, it hit me: the pandemic enabled the dream of living here one day. For years I had bored my friends and family to death by talking about moving to Rathlin one day.

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Thankfully, Rathlin has remained Covid-19 free, however, the pandemic has still made an impact: businesses and holiday accommodation have closed, while the pub, shop and ferry have all worked hard to abide by ever changing lockdown regulations, enabling them to remain the centres of island life. Yet, we are not cut off and lockdowns feel more manageable than in London with such beautiful views and walks. The small community shop has all the basics we need. You can shop for groceries, or what not, online, like you do anywhere. Even the local shops in Ballycastle are happy to take your shopping to the harbour for the ferry to bring it over. It takes planning and a couple of days for sure – and a large deep freezer in the garage.

I enjoy the island ritual of heading out to meet the 10am incoming ferry to pick up parcels and shopping, catching up with islanders in a socially distanced way with face masks on, commenting on the weather, Brexit, and my latest discoveries or rookie mistakes as an urban boy trying to adjust to rural island life. Picking up fresh fish and live shellfish from fishermen and friends always ends up with the same question: what do I do with it now, is it alive? Islanders have been patient, kind and welcoming.

There are some 150 people living on the island. It takes a lot of work to keep things running. The island's legendary postman also works to take care of the lighthouses and the water system, always with a smile. The ferry crew are out sailing most days come rain and wind, even in the middle of the night for a medical evacuation. They are all like Swiss-army knives: next you see them driving the island's fire engine, or in their coast guard uniform helping a medical evacuation, delivering oil and gas, rushing here and there to repair a boat or a car, help to build something, driving a digger or a tractor. One is an amazing nature photographer. Another has an amazing eye for photos with drones, and skills to not lose them in stormy weathers. One skipper received a well deserved OBE for his service to the community, currently exploring renewable energy options for the island. I just tweet and upload pictures on Instagram. Sometimes I bake extra Turkish pastries to take to the crew before they sail. Introducing islanders to Turkish dishes, and real Turkish delights, has been fun.

I no longer wear navy suits, white shirts and ties every day. More than a decade of work in international issues with non-stop meetings, monthly flights out of the country, lectures across the world all feel like a distant memory. While I watch the seals and even the occasional dolphin from my attic room here, I give talks, join workshops and meetings thanks to video conferencing. I continue on new book projects but the distractions of watching ever changing weather and lush sunsets outside of my window are far too real.

Things are far from idle here. A friend and I are dreaming of establishing a microbrewery. We even managed to home brew a few bottles of stout with hops grown in a back garden on the island and gave them away as a Christmas gift to friends. Islanders have amazing ideas to turn the empty facilities of the East Lighthouse into a hub to enable research, retreats, summer schools, seminars, conferences, businesses and remote working. I can see how that will attract more people to come to Rathlin and stay longer and engage not just with the island but the world beyond the Rathlin Sound.

Will I ever be able to leave Rathlin if and when the time comes? Who knows . . . For now, I do not need to find the answers. I can breathe, go on long daily walks, reflect, and count my blessings while so much of the world has been plunged into difficulties.

Ziya Meral is a researcher and writer

Ziya Meral’s Turkish recipes

Açma (Turkish bagels)
This is a Turkish breakfast classic, baked at home or picked up warm from a local bakery. Perfect with cheese slices in it, or with olives, cheese and cucumbers on the side with some tea as a simple but lovely breakfast. 

Ingredients:
200ml milk
200ml water
2 tablespoons sugar
10g dry yeast
100 ml vegetable oil
2 eggs, separated
500g white flour
1tbsp salt
Nigella and sesame seeds. 

Method
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (Fan oven 180 degrees).
Gently heat the milk and water in a pan, put in a bowl and add the sugar and then the yeast. Mix it all very well. Then add the oil and whites of the eggs (put the yokes aside to use later) into the mix. Gradually and gently pour in the flour. The amount of flour you need might change; what you want is a soft dough, not too sticky or hard. As you mix in the flour, add salt. Knead well.

When the dough is ready, cover it tightly and leave it in a dark but warm part of the kitchen for at least an hour. The yeast should turn it into a puffy dough. Knead it further for a few minutes.

Cut small round pieces the size of your palms, making them first perfect round balls by rolling them between your hands. Then, roll the balls into a stick shape between your palms. The longer the stick, the easier the next step and larger the baked pieces. You need to twist two dough sticks together and then connect the ends to make a circle.

Place on tray lined with baking parchment. Brush with the egg yolks and sprinkle with nigella and sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 mins. They are ready when the top crust is a dark, golden colour.

Turkish lentil balls 
A traditional dish, which should include a warning that if you have one, you might not be able to stop. A great meze, warm starter, or an afternoon snack.

Ingredients:
170g red lentils
500ml water
250g fine bulgur wheat
2tbsp tomato paste
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
50ml olive oil
Cumin to taste (start with 1tsp)
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes or paprika to taste (start with 1tsp)
Pomegranate molasses to taste (start with 1tbsp)
3 spring onions, finely chopped
Half a bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 lemon
Lettuce to serve 

Method: 
Wash the red lentils and bring them to a boil with 500ml water until they are soft. Then add the fine bulgur, mix, remove from the hob and rest for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, gently soften the onions in olive oil. When they are light brown in colour, add the tomato paste. Cook for another couple of minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes. The lentil and bulgur paste should be soft and warm but touchable by now. Add the tomato and onion paste and mix well by hand (You might need to add 50 to 100ml of warm water to soften if it is too dry). Add in cumin, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste… Start with one teaspoon of each.

Carefully pour a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses across the mix and blend with your hands – you can add more to taste but don’t overdo it. Add in the spring onions and coriander.

Dampen your hand and take a golf ball-sized piece of the mixture. Squeeze in your fist to give the traditional shape that shows the lines of your fingers. Place them all on a dish covered with lettuce. Squeeze some lemon across and garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately.

As we say in Turkish; afiyet olsun (enjoy your meal).