Homeward Bound

I had planned a slow journey back home, stopping in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland and Northern England starting with a brief return to Skye. 

We arrived at our accomodation, late in the day, but with the sun still shining. Our cabin was in Luib a small village on the shore of Loch Ainort, with views of the Red Cuillins. It was right on the shore of the loch and once we'd unpacked our bags and settled in we sat and just watched the sun sink below the peaks of the Red Cuillins across the loch. 

Sunset over Loch Ainort

When unpacking I realised I'd left all our breakfast cereals at our last place which meant we needed to find somewhere open (and serving breakfast) the next morning before doing anything else!

Broadford was the closest option and fortunately a nice little place called Deli Gasta opened at 9.00 am. We were waiting at the doors when they opened and as it was such a lovely morning ordered a takeaway breakfast - in my case smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

I'd suggested to Mrs B that we might climb something in Skye and identified a possible route up a hill overlooking Portree. I knew that a visit to the Cuillins would be vetoed but assured Mrs B that Ben Tianvaig at 413 meters wouldn't be too demanding. We made our way to the lovely little bay at Camastianavaig in an area of Skye called The Braes. It was very quiet, just a couple of other cars and a couple walking on the rocky shoreline and about half a dozen sheep escaping along the road until a sheepdog appeared to round them up and return them to the field from which they'd just escaped. 

The bay at Camastianavaig

Once we had parked up and put our boots on, we started the climb. The path hugged the cliff edge, initially climbing through bracken before giving way to moorland and rock and heading inland slightly. As we gained height and paused for breath views opened up behind us of the Cuiilins and of some little pinnacles of rock on the cliff edge.

What Ben Tianavaig lacks in altitude it more than makes up for in views. The top is marked by a circular trig point and from here there are 360 degree views. To the south the Cuillins, to the east the isle of Raasay and to the north Portree and Trotterish. 

Views to the north

Ben Tianavaig summit

It was quite breezy so we found a sheltered spot just below the summit and refuelled with handfuls of nuts and raisins to keep us going until we made it to Portree. I'd promised Mrs B tea and cake.

We made a speedy descent and found a cafe we'd visited during our last trip to Skye called Relish that we remembered as being good for food. They were only doing take out because of staff shortages, so we opted for some very generous portions of cake and a takeaway cuppa and sat eating and drinking in the small square at the centre of Portree. After shopping for some food we returned to our cabin to soak up the views. The cloud had come down obscuring the mountain tops but it was dry and there was just enough of a breeze to keep the draded midges at bay. 

Clouds rolling in over the Red Cuillins

Our time on the islands had sadly come to an end and the next morning we packed up once more and I set off to drive towards Kyleakin and then over the Skye bridge back onto mainland Scotland. Our destination for the night was a lodge in Tyndrum, but with no particular need to rush I immediately detoured for a walk around Plockton.

This village always features in guide books and calendars of Scotland as one of the 'picture postcard' places in the Scottish Highlands and it is a very pretty harbour village. We briefly visited a few years ago - on a Saturday - to find the road closed, a street party in full flow, with scottish dancing and plenty of alcohol being consumed. This time, early in the morning in the middle of the week, Plockton was more sedate. A few villagers were around popping to the local stores but it had a sleepy atmosphere a complete contrast to our previous visit. We walked along the main street with views over the water to Dunlarig Castle, got as far as the harbour before returning after a stretch of the legs.

Plockton

By lunchtime we'd reached Fort William. Early morning cloud had broken up meaning it was sunny and ideal weather for a picnic. Mrs B had prepared some rolls before we'd set of so we sat in a little green eating these before walking down the main street in search of tea and cake. A bakery called Rain supplied these - and we sat just outside in Cameron Square until the very same bagpiper who had been giving it full throttle on our drive up reappeared and performed an 'encore'. This drove me from my seat. Its not that I dislike pipe music - but this particular piper seemed to prioritise volume over anything else.

The road out of Fort William follows the shores of Loch Leven until reaching the road junction that takes you through Glencoe. This was the very first place I visited in Scotland and I have vivid memories of climbing the peaks that tower over the glen when younger - including one foolhardy walk up the side of the Clachaig Gully from the door of the Clachaig Inn, all the way to the start/end of the Aonach Eagach Ridge. 

I suggested to Mrs B we do something a little less risky and take a walk around Glencoe Lochan Trail - a very pretty spot just outside Glencoe village. It wasn't a very long walk, but with the sun on the water and a few ducks in the reeds it made for an idyllic few moments.

Views of Glencoe Lochan

By late afternoon we'd arrived in Tyndrum. Dining options are a little limited but by far the best choice for travellers is the Real Food Cafe. This roadside cafe sells first class fish and chips with home made mushy peas to either eat in or take away. Its serves ethically and sustainably sourced food and is a living wage employer. We both had the fish supper and if you pass this way be aware: the portions are generous.

Tyndrum is a stopping point on the West Highland Way, a 96 mile path that runs from just outside Glasgow to Fort William. After the meal I suggested to Mrs B that we walk a little section of it to work off some of the calories we'd just consumed. The route going north climbs very gently out of Tyndrum and skirts the lower slopes of Beinn Odhar. This is a far gentler landscape than further north, with grass and trees and a gentle stream offering visual distraction from the stony track.

A superfluous notice....

West Highland Way views outside Tyndrum

We walked about a mile and a half taking in the views and passing a completely superfluous sign on an old metal gate, before heading back to our accommodation and a comfy bed in a very spacious room.

After a good night's sleep and before our first drive of the day, we had a short walk along the southern section of the West Highland Way - walking about a mile through a community woodland, passing an old lead smelting site, until we reached a little lochan, 'The Lochan of the Lost Sword'. According to legend Robert the Bruce cast his sword into this small lochan after losing a battle. Needless to say this is an unlikely - given metal detectors have found no trace of anything in the loch, but it makes for a good tale.

The Lochan of the Lost Sword

We started to drive south, leaving the Highlands in the rear view mirror. I stopped part way along Loch Lomond at Firkin Point - a picnic area and rest stop on the A82. We walked along the old road that's now a footpath and cycle track, stopping to take a few photos and at one point distracted by a Common Sandpiper that appeared on the path and then flew away before returning.

The Firkin view of Loch Lomond

As we reached the southern end of Loch Lomond we made a planned detour to Helensburgh, a well, to do coastal town on the banks of the Firth of Clyde. Our desination was The Hill House, widely considered to be the domestic masterpiece of architectural design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

We were fortunate to see Mackintosh's other great building, the Glasgow School of Art, ten years ago not long before it was devastated by a fire. The Hill House is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland who have tackled the conservation challenge of preserving an important building in a unique and interesting way.

The Hill House was built between 1902-1904. It was the home of a wealthy publisher, Walter Blackie  who commisioned Charles Rennie Mackintosh to design a new family home. What we see today is a product of Rennie's Mackintosh's architectural style and his wife, Margaret Macdonald's artistic designs for the interior.

The Hill House as it looked in the 1920's

The house was clad in a concrete render. Sadly time has not been kind to the building and damp has penetrated as the concrete render has cracked. The National Trust for Scotland have had to envelope the building in a 'box'. Its an ingenious metal structure with a roof and a mesh on each side to allow air to flow but keep rain out. The aim is to prevent any further deterioration in the building and allow it to dry out whilst a more permanent solution is found.

The Hill House under wraps.

Visitors now get the chance see the interior of the house, but to also walk on external walkways up to and above roof level to get a birds eye view of the building. Inside is a lovely set of rooms with contrasting design. Some are dark with wood panelling, whilst others are light and airy but the whole feels very harmonious. Throughout the familiar motifs of Rennie Mackintosh are visible. 

Inside The Hill House

Outside the walkways take you around the outside of the house and climb to above roof height, giving visitors a chance to see the design of the building from multiple heights and elevations. 

A birds eye view

It was fascinating to be able to see so much of the building and a very enjoyable visit. We grabbed a quick bite from the on site cafe, built within the 'cage', sitting outside on a little terrace. It was a bit breezy and we were the only people brave or foolhardy to eat outdoors, even though the sun was shining.

Our destination for the end of the day was a hotel just outside Lockerbie - chosen for convenience rather anything else. Before driving there I detoured to another National Trust for Scotland site just a short distance from Helensburgh, and pretty much on route; Geilston Garden. These 200 year old gardens are close to the banks of the Clyde between Helensburgh and Dumbarton and whilst they are not spectacular it made for a pleasant diversion. One of the advantages of being National Trust members is reciprocal arrangements give free entry to Scottish National Trust properties - so it had been a cheap day!

Geilston Garden

By late afternoon we had arrived at our hotel on the outskirts of Lockerbie. I wasn't intending to explore any more places that day, but as we turned into the road leading to our hotel a brown sign caught my eye: 'Ukrainian POW Chapel'. This intrigued me - so once we'd checked in and unpacked I pulled up an OS map on my phone and found where I thought it was located. It looked to be about a mile away so I set off on foot to try and find it. I walked along a country lane, then a bridle path and then another lane until I spotted it tucked away on a derelict piece of land behind a bus depot. In 1941, Italian prisoners of war were transported from Italy to Glasgow and then housed in a POW camp just outside Lockerbie and put to work on the land. They asked the landowner for permission to use one of the corrugated iron huts for religious services and created their own chapel. Later in the war Ukrainian internees were housed there and took over the chapel. When the war ended most stayed in Scotland. Being returned to the Soviet Union would most likely have resulted in their execution as traitors. The chapel was used up until the present day and most recently acted as a donation point for food and clothing for Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

The chapel is still standing but by the look of things now undergoing major repairs. I found a picture of what it looked like on the internet and it reminded me of a similar chapel created by Italian POWs that I saw in the Orkney Islands a few years ago. 

How the chapel used to look inside

When I peered through the windows I couldn't see much. The walls had been stripped and wires were hanging loose. A large pile of plasterboard was stacked in the centre of the room. Beyond I could just see some faded wallpaper - just a hint at how colourful it once looked.

There was nothing by way of signage to indicate it was undergoing refurbishment, but I assume that's what's happening. Its now a listed building. 

Hallmuir Ukrainian Chapel

I left reflecting on how our perspectives change over time. In 1941 the Ukranian soldiers interned in this place were considered our enemies - some had belonged to the Waffen SS. 

Now we are supporting Ukraine and its people in their struggle against invasion, and Ukranians are considered our friends and allies. Those we welcome to the UK are refugees in need of our compassion and help. This unexpected 'find' in the middle of the countryside outside a small Scottish border town acted as a reminder of how the passage of time can change our views of the world and why, therefore, it is always important to see beyond nationality and focus on the human being. 

Our time in Scotland - after almost a month of travelling - was drawing to a end. We had our final meal in Scotland in the hotel and prepared for the final stage of our journey. The next day we'd be crossing the border back into England but taking time to visit some parts of Cumbria and Lancashire before we finally returned home.

Harris Without The Tweed

 If you look at a 2D map of Harris and Lewis it's hard to see why they are considered separate islands. Look at things in 3D and you see the very different character of each island. Lewis has vast tracts of featureless peat bog.  Harris has mountains. And beaches. One features on postcards and magazine articles on a regular basis: Luskentyre. It is often rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world.

On a breezy and overcast morning we set off to see whether the hype lived up to reality.

The drive through Harris revealed a completely different landscape. Mountains shrouded in cloud rose up around us. The road climbed over a mountain pass, amongst boulder strewn slopes and first on one side and then the other sea lochs. In the cloud the landscape looked quite brooding and inhospitable. We eventually reach the turning for Luskentyre and followed a single track road for three miles until reaching a small car park with just a handful of other cars and camper vans. For a world class beach Luskentyre certainly wasn't attracting crowds. We walked through the dunes and onto an expansive beach. Despite the cloud and stiff breeze it still looked beautiful. The sea had a turquoise tint and the sand stretched on and on. We walked into the wind and soon had the entirety of Luskentyre to ourselves. It didn't look like the Instagram photos, much wilder with waves crashing in from the Atlantic but still magnificent. After walking about three quarters of a mile the cloud turned to drizzle and we turned back with the wind behind our backs making walking much easier. It's hard to overstate how significant the wind is in the Outer Hebrides and how much effort is needed to walk when it's blowing hard.

Luskentyre beach on a murky and very breezy day

After this 'workout' we drove further south and detoured to 'Croft 36'. I had read about this place. Its a food stall by the side of a minor road in South Harris. Each day the owner puts freshly cooked and baked goodies in it for sale. It operates entirely on an honesty box basis. We dropped by to see what was available. Everything looked tasty and we purchased a loaf of still warm bread, some butteries, (a type of butter bun), and some frangipan. 

Croft 36

Contining on we reached Leverburgh, and then headed east on a minor road towards a village called Rodel. We had started to think about lunch, when we stumbled across another food stall by the side of a croft. This one was called Katies Kitchen and sold hot soup, hot drinks, hot Stornoway black pudding sausage rolls and various cakes including some tempting fruit cake. Again all operated on an honesty box basis. 

We couldn't resist and sat in the car eating delicious sausage rolls, followed by the frangipans from Croft 36 and hot chocolate, but with some fruit cake for later.

Mrs B's favourite!

From Rodel we worked our way along the east coast road, all single track, often very misty with boulders strewn across the bleak moorland. It looked other worldly. It has been nicknamed the Golden Road apparently a local councillor was complaining about how much money it cost to construct it. It  Eventually after passing through small fishing communities and driving at no more than 20mph due to the bends, blind summits and sheep in the road we arrived in Tarbert.

A gin palace...

Its where the ferry arrives from Skye and is the commercial and social hub of Harris. It has a ssecondary school, a couple of hotels and a smattering of shops and tourist attractions including a Harris tweed outlet and a gin distillery. It didn't take very long to take in all that Tarbert had to offer, so on a whim I took us over to the neighbouring small island of Scalpay. This turned out to be an inspired choice. 

Scalpay only used to be connected to Harris by ferry. Its a small island but has a thriving fishing industry. In 1997 a simple but elegant road bridge was built to connect Scalpay to Harris. It was officially opened by Tony Blair, who was apparently plagued by midges during his visit. 

Scalpay Bridge

Once on Scalpay we read an information board spotted by Mrs B, that suggested walks on the island, including one to Eilean Glas lighhouse. This intrigued us and patches of blue sky had appeared with the sun had starting to shine through, so we parked and set off on a well marked track. The stiff breeze still made walking a harder proposition that might be expected on fairly level ground, but we soon got views of the red and white striped lighthouse on the cliff edge. 

Eilean Glas lighthouse appears on the skyline.

The lighthouse tower you can see today dates back to 1824, but nearby is a smaller stumpy tower that is one of the earliest to be built in Scotland, in 1789. 

Eilean Glas lighthouse

The first lighthouse

After reaching the lighthouse which is now cared for by a trust, we found a makeshift cafe operated by a volunteer who has to walk a mile each way to offer this service. We had a hot drink, partly to support the trust, and had a chat with another couple who were visiting like us. Both were retired members of the European Space Agency and like us had travelled a lot. We swapped a few travellers tales before making the return journey and then the long drive home to our base.

After a week of cloudy and occasionally rainy weather, things improved for the last days of our stay in the Outer Hebrides. We had one full day and we agreed, because it was sunny, to return to Uig beach and then to revisit Clibh bay, because they are such special places on Lewis. First we drove down to Uig. Whilst the sun was shining brightly the wind hadn't abated in fact it had got stronger. We went through the dunes and found ourselves walking into a 40mph wind, blowing sand at high speed across the beach. We gritted our teeth, both metaphorically and physically and walked across the bay. It was tough but much easier returning -with the wind at our backs. 

Our final views of Uig

Once out of the wind it felt as though our faces had been exfoliated.

We drove back through Glen Valtos, back to Clibh. Mrs B paid a final visit to her late fathers gravestone and we walked along the beach. The waves rolling in from the Atlantic were impressive - we could only imagine how wild this place would be in a winter storm. 

Clibh Beach 

In the afternoon I explored a little more of Great Bernera on foot. The sun was shining, the wind was still blowing hard and I ended up at the end of the road, in Kirkibost after walking four or fives miles. 

The road to Kirkibost

Kirkibost view across to Lewis

It was now time to pack up and start a long, some might say leisurely, return journey. So the next day we tidied up, packed our bags (or more accurately rucksacks) and plotted a route to the ferry port of Tarbert for the first leg of our return journey, back to Skye. Because our ferry didn't leave until late afternoon, we thought it would be nice to see a bit more of the Golden Road on Harris and, if we had time, try and see Luskentyre beach in sunshine. It was a revelation driving through Harris in good weather. We could see the tops of mountains and views - before everything had been hidden by dense cloud and mist. 

We bypassed Tarbert and started off on the Golden Road. Being a Sunday it was very, very quiet. We passed tiny settlements with red phone boxes, numerous little lochs and, at Finbay, stopped to take photos of seals. Most resting on the rocks, some swimming and one leaping out of the water. 

The 'Golden Road', Harris

Golden Road views

Finally we worked our way around to Luskentyre and saw it as it is pictured in the guidebooks - with a backdrop of mountains, soft golden white sand that goes on and  on.It was a marvellous way to spend our final few hours. On arrival we found that It was busier than when we first visited, but parking wasn't a problem and in no time at all we left people behind and were walking once again across the sands,with a turquoise sea and white capped waves breaking against the shore. It was pretty much perfect. There was even a breeze to keep any midges at bay.

Spot Mrs B!

Luskentyre

Our ferry departed a little late but by late afternoon we were sailing away from Lewis and Harris a little sad at leaving a place that is both special and magical. I'd planned to spend a couple of nights on Skye before we returned to mainland Scotland and we started to check the weather forecast and make plans.

Exploring Lewis

On a rather grey and damp Monday morning we set off for Stornoway. It is the commercial and administrative hub of the Western Isles, a harbour town and ferry port connecting the island to mainland Scotland. 

We walked through the town centre which is actually really only a couple of streets. It felt very sleepy. Lots of places don't open on Mondays - even the Tourist Information Centre was closed. Its a working town and not especially attractive from an architectural perspective but most of the retail premises are independents. We couldn't find a bakery  -  much to Mrs B's consternation.

Stornoway Harbour

After exhausting the retail opportunities offered by Stornoway - which didn't take long - we walked over the footbridge into the grounds of Lews Castle. This is a Victorian house that was the home of James Mathieson, one of the founders of the Jardine Matheson trading empire. In 1842 he purchased the Isle of Lewis and built Lews Castle between 1847 and 1851. It is now publicly owned and houses the museum - which, being a Monday, was closed. After a brief walk around the grounds we returned to the car and went off to explore the coast of the North East in search of a coffee shop. Cafes and coffee shops are not plentiful in the Western Isles and the only one we found was part of a petrol station and didn't look very inviting. The coastal views were however much better and the stand out beach is at Tolsta. 

Tolsta Beach

I had looked, very briefly, at google maps and it appeared to show a road continuing on from North Tolsta around the island but it very soon came to an abrupt halt at 'The Bridge to Nowhere'. This bridge crosses a gorge and has this nickname because it doesn't actually go anywhere. In 1918 Lord Leverhume bought Lewis and had a plan to construct a road connecting Stornoway to the Port of Ness on the northern tip of Lewis. The bridge was built but the plans to complete the road were abandoned. Once over the bridge there is just a rough track and then miles of moorland. 

The Bridge to Nowhere

I turned the car around and as I'd spectacularly failed to find either a coffee shop or a route around the island, headed back to our base for what turned out to be a late lunch. In the afternoon I went off exploring on foot and took a walk up into the moors, following a stream to Loch Morsgail. After crossing a stream on a footbridge the path became increasingly indistinct and I found myself searching for something vaguely dry on a very wet peat bog. After any semblance of a path disappeared I called the walk to a halt, retraced my steps trying to avoid sinking into a bog and returned to the car. 

Loch Morsgail in the west of Lewis

The next morning we decided to go somewhere that's undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Western Isles, Uig Bay.

The road to Uig winds it's way over moorland, passing inland and sea lochs and then passes through Glen Valtos. Eventually you reach a turning for Timsgarry, a small settlement but the heart of the community with a small museum, community centre and cafe all housed in one building. It's worth taking this loop off the main road as it provides sweeping views of Uig Bay.

Uig Bay from Timsgarry

Two miles further on is a small car park and camper van site at Ardoil. It was an overcast morning but Uig beach still looked beautiful. We walked through the dunes and walked for a mile along the soft sand, having this amazing place pretty much to ourselves. Just up in the dunes an important discovery was made. The Lewis Chessmen comprises 93 exquisitely carved chess pieces dating back to the 12th century and in all likelihood owned by a viking chief. They were found in 1831 but mystery surrounds how they were found and who found them with various tales recounting how they were discovered. In one tale a cow gets the credit. Most are now in the British Museum, (which I've seen) some in Edinburgh but there are replicas on display in Stornoway. On the rough track leading to the parking area is a wooden sculpture of one of the chess pieces to mark where they were found.

Views of Uig Beach

The chess piece is the one on the left

Leif Erikkson

After walking the sands of Uig we carried on south, stopping to see more of the beautiful beaches on the west coast of Lewis.

Mangersta Beach

Once we'd reached Mangersta Beach we turned around and headed back to Timasgarry, stopping to see a small waterfall tumbling through a gorge.  We went to the community cafe for lunch. Mrs B opted for a toastie but I went for some smoked salmon pate, made with salmon from Uig Lodge, an award winning smokery nearby. It was mouth watering. After scaping every morsel from the plate we had a look around the museum, which gave insights into crofting life and information on the chess pieces. It wasn't very big but packed a lot into a small space. Poignantly, in the entrance to the building was a board listing all the men from UIg and the surrounding areas who had served in the two World Wars including Mrs B's late father, Malcolm Mackay.

Our final destination for the day was Gallan Head. A three mile long single track road took us to Aird Uig and Gallan Head, a remote promontory facing the Atlantic. Until recently nobody from the public was allowed to wander here. It was an RAF cold war base, RAF Aird Uig, a radar and communications station and strictly off limits. It was abandoned by the RAF in 2000 and in 2015 the land was purchased by a community trust. It has a forgotten, at the end of the world atmosphere with former RAF buildings now abandoned.

The community trust has plans to build a visitor centre, gallery and observatory but so far there's little sign of progress although some of the old buildings have been painted. What is up and running is a little cafe appropriately called The Edge. We planned to have tea and cake and only found out on arrival it was cash only.

The Edge cafe

Fortunately I had just enough to purchase tea and cake so we avoided a wasted journey. Next to the cafe was a small gift shop with lovely locally crafted gifts - this was also cash only so we promised to return later in the week after finding a cash dispenser. After cake in the cafe we braved the wind and drizzle and walked up to the RAF base which is a desolate spot. One building had been brightly painted but most were decaying.

Former RAF buildings at Gallan Head

Despite the cloudy skies and increasing breeze we'd had a varied and fascinating day, discovering things about this part of Lewis we never knew existed.

The weather hadn't improved much the following morning but it wasn't raining so we continued to explore the west coast of Lewis. We started with a visit to probably the most visited place on the island, the Callanish Stones. This megalithic stone circle is now managed by Historic Scotland but is free to enter and open all year. There's a small visitor centre and cafe but for such an important site remarkably little in terms of infrastructure. It really is a special site. First of all the location conveys a sense of magic and mystery. The stones sit on a small hill overlooking Loch Roag. The weathering of the rock and moss and lichen make the stones rather beautiful. There are many theories about why they were constructed, some simply outlandish but the most probable ideas link their construction to ritual and observation of the seasons. It was a little busy when we arrived but even so we didn't feel surrounded by crowds.

Callanish

Further north on the coast road are two other historical sites that are worth exploring. Brochs were once common in Scotland but very few now remain. The Dun Carloway broch is probably the best preserved and was built around 2000 years ago. It was a circular fortified house. Historic Scotland are doing their best to preserve Dun Carloway broch which meant it was surrounded by scaffolding when we visited and the site is closed. Nonetheless we were able to walk up to the little hill on which it sits, and walk all around it and, unlike Callanish, we had the place to ourselves.

Dun Caroloway broch

A few miles on is the Gearrannan Blackhouse village. This is a collection of rebuilt and restored blackhouses. These were the traditional homes lived in by many islanders until as recently as the 1950's. They now look rather attractive and some of the homes at Gearrannan are let as holiday homes. The reality is that with earth floors and cramped space, often shared with livestock they were poor quality housing that often contributed to disease. Two of the homes have been opened as museums to give visitors an idea of how life would have been like living in one of these homes. In one there was a loom and a demonstration of Harris tweed weaving.

A restored Lewis blackhouse

Although the Western Isles now seem remote the history and archeology shows their cultures have always been important, connected and influential. Nowadays the islands are served by fast broadband and good mobile phone coverage meaning that islanders are far from isolated from the rest of the UK and still have the opportunity to influence thinking and share ideas.  

We carried on our journey, heading further to the very northernmost part of Lewis - the Butt of Lewis, breaking our journey for lunch at a quirky little cafe in Ness called the Wobbly Dog. I had a bowl of excellent home made spicy soup.

The Wobbly Dog Cafe

Then we drove to the lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis, a brick construction built in 1862 right on the edge of the cliff. The skies had brightened but it was very windy so we kept well clear of the cliff edges. This place has recorded wind gusts of 115 mph! On the small islets just offshore are seabird colonies and we spent some time watching fulmars nesting on the precipitous and rocky outcrops opposite the lighthouse and spotted a solitary seal sharing a rock with a cormorant.

The Butt of Lewis lighthouse

After this I suggested to Mrs B we return all the way back to Gallan Head to purchase some gifts from the Edge Cafe. By now we'd managed to withdraw some cash,so we drove all the back to this remote place, confident we'd be OK when it came to paying for anything that took our fancy. As we drove south the blue skies disappeared and it started to become very wet andd windy. We spotted some highland cows that had decided to take shelter from the elements in one of the old buildings abandoned by the RAF.

Local residents of Gallan Head taking shelter from the elements

The cows seemed to have made a sensible choice given the weather was pretty wild, so we took their lead and headed back to our temporary home and spent a cosy evening planning the next few days.

The weather forecast for the following morning wasn't encouraging, so we headed back to Stornoway to visit the museum at Lews Castle. Its free to enter and has a focus on life in the Western Isles. There were some nice displays all housed in a modern wing attached to the original Victorian building. 

Lews Castle, Stornoway

It also has extensive wooded grounds. As the weather had improved after our museum visit we had a walk and ended up on moorlands on a place improbably called Strawberry Hill, well out of Stornoway before finding our way back to a waymarked path following, this until we had views of Stornoway harbour to guide us back.

After this little excursion I spent the afternoon out walking whilst Mrs B did some reading and painting. I decided to revist Callanish but also explore some of the connected circles on nearby sites. A lot of people are aware of Callanish but fewer know that within a mile or so are two smaller stones circles, imaginatively called Callanish 2 and Callanish 3. Parking at the visitor centre again,  I walked to Callanish 2 and 3 before returning to Callanish 1 - which was surprisingly quiet.

Callanish 1

Callanish 1

Callanish 3

Callanish 2

A little further away, set on on a small hill on a peat bog, is Callanish 4, another stone circle and I walked over peat bog to see it and marvel at just how many  neolithic standing stones and circles, all many thousands of years old,  can be found on the Isle of Lewis. 

Across the road I found an old beehive dwelling, probably a shieling, used for shelter when islanders looked after cattle grazing in the summer on the moorland.

Beehive hut.

I returned back to our base, Mrs B had painted a lovely watercolour of puffins, and we made a meal and then drove down to Bosta beach on Great Bernera. It was a beautiful evening, and in one of those strange coincidences of life, found someone had recreated Callanish stone circle on the beach.

'mini' Callanish

We walked on the sands and across the dunes, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun with aqua marine waves gently lapping at the shore, our only company a few curious sheep. It was a perfect way to end the day. 

Bosta Beach

Having spent a few days exploring Lewis it was time to turn our attention to its southern neighbour, Harris and this would be the focus of our travels for the next few days.