Adam Nicolson's books include Restoration, his account of the fire and rebuilding of Windsor Castle; and Perch Hill, his account of life on a Sussex farm where he lives with his wife Sarah Raven, the garden writer, their five children, a flock of Romney sheep and a small herd of Sussex cattle. He has been a columnist with the Sunday Telegraph and is now a feature writer for the Daily Telegraph. Today's extract is from Sea Room: Life on One Man's Scottish Islands, which was published recently by HarperCollins at £14.99 in UK.