If you have visited Skye in the last few years you might have heard of a small shed at the end of an eight mile single track road, selling homemade tablet.
Visitors from around the world have flocked to Donnie Montgomery’s tiny shed to sample his tablet and snap a selfie with his famous purple box.
Weary travellers are delighted to come across Donnie’s Tablet Shed which has an honesty box for paying and a visitor book for customers to leave a message.
‘My dad is from Vatten in Skye originally and we spent lots of time on the island over the years. I decided to make Skye my permanent home four years ago and moved to the stunning Waternish Peninsula,’ Donnie said.
‘I live at the end of one of the most spectacular single track roads in Scotland, visitors love finding Donnie’s Tablet Shed on their travels.
‘The views on the way to the shed are spectacular with wonderful sunrises and sunsets. We often see dolphins, eagles, sea eagles, stags and have resident Highland cows and an alpaca in the neighbouring crofts.
‘The wee tablet shed is stocked daily with a selection of tablet bars and bags of different flavours. Original is the best seller, but each flavour has a great following.
‘Skye has a great history of honesty boxes, so it was a completely natural sales outlet for the tablet.
‘I keep an eye on stock levels all day and top up as required. There’s a price list inside the shed and some change in an old jam jar.
‘Customers just buy what they want and pop the money in the jar. Customers without cash can pay using a PayPal QR code and I also have a card reader available if all else fails.’
Alongside his original tablet, Donnie also whips up flavours like maple syrup, Isle of Skye sea salt, and malt whisky made with Talisker.
‘I have been making tablet for over 35 years,’ Donnie said.
‘I remember going to visit my uncle Ewan and auntie Mary in Kinlochleven and there was always tablet in a tin, and we always went home with a square or two. At Halloween, we would target the houses where the best tablet was made.
‘I loved tablet so I decided to start experimenting myself. Everyone loved it and said that I should sell it. I started selling on eBay and then set up my website to sell online.
‘Making tablet allowed me to give up corporate life and become self employed with all the flexibility that offers. It’s hard work but I’m my own boss and I love the flexibility it provides.
And now Donnie is shipping his tablet to fans around the world – from India, Peru and New Zealand to Dubai, Canada and Americ.
‘I have customers all around the world. I regularly post to Dubai, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand,’ Donnie said.
‘There is a visitors book inside the shed and it’s lovely when tablet shed pilgrims leave a wee message.
‘Lots of customers also take a tablet shed selfie to mark their first ever honesty box purchase and I love when they share them with me.
Every few weeks Donnie embarks on a 60 mile round trip to Uig to collect supplies from the local shop, but keeps the shed stocked up everyday with tablet.
‘We have a wonderful shop in Skye called Rankins in Uig. It’s a morning out every few weeks to drive the 60 or so mile round trip to collect supplies,’ he said.
Quick Fire
What’s in your fridge at home right now?
Lots of butter, strawberries from Perthshire, Isle of Skye Black pudding, a lettuce from the garden, beer and raspberry jam and whisky marmalade from The Bield honesty red chair along the road.
If you could have any try your tablet who would it be and why?
I think it would have to be my old auntie Mary – just to see if she thought it was as good as hers.
What’s your favourite restaurant in Scotland?
Edinbane Lodge and Kinloch Lodge here in Skye – both excellent and equal favourites for different reasons.
Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s food and drink pages.
Plus, don’t miss the September’s issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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