Jura is a somber and beautiful place, with the familiar rainy, grey weather enjoyed by the rest of Scotland, interspersed with days of bright sun and cold, clear night skies.  On one of my first nights on the island, it was clear enough that I was able to see the aurora borealis flickering faintly on the northern horizon.  One lonely road connects the ferry with the village of Craighouse and the estates scattered across the southern and eastern parts of the island. The northwestern side of Jura remains uninhabited and difficult to access, except by foot or by boat.  At dusk, Jura’s signature red deer, after which the island is named (Jura comes from an Old Norse word meaning “deer island”), can be seen everywhere.