6 weeks on Lewis Part 2

Ferry crossing was very smooth.  It was very rough to Stornoway from Ullapool the previous day.  I stopped in at my friends' Jenny and Murdo before going on to Valasay and my home for the next & weeks.  I unpacked in the rain but soon made myself comfortable after a lovely welcome from Anne Ryan.  The cottage has all mod cons.  After a long lie in (clocks went back) and a late breakfast, the weather improved enough for me to think about a walk.  I just went to the nearby cove with a derelict croft by it before the rain came in again.

I have yet to see the otter.  S/he comes to fish when the tide comes in and can be viewed from the kitchen window.  I will keep looking. 

Just down the road from the cottage

Rooms in a derelict croft on the walk from Valasay to Bosta

On Monday, went into Stornoway for provisions.  Stopping off at Callanish for coffee and a view of the stones.  Met up with Jenny and Murdo, Sue and Paddy and Jenny's mum by coincidence at the Woodland cafe.  Went for a walk at Col beach (on the Tolsta road).  Jenny is looking for natural Fs so I am on a mission.

Jenny wanted natural 'F's so I found a bit of seaweed.

Anchor on Col beach

Still wet today - Tuesday.  Only mallards and 3 mergansers fishing in the loch. 

Sun is out today and I took a trip to Callanish and Dal Beag.  Yesterday the merganser total went to 5, one male and four females.

View from the stones over the loch

Rainbow over Dal Beag

A wonderful day today with Matt, the North Harris ranger.  Matt was worried we might not see anything as it is late in the rut season.  As it was, we saw more than we thought.  Lots of deer in the glen although it took us awhile to spot them.  We could hear them calling.  As we left, the group put up a mountain hare which was in its winter coat.  I managed to snap 3 pics which I have put together - not sharp but it was moving fast.  After that, two golden eagles made their appearance.  I didn't try to take them - they were too far away.

Listening to Matt in the rain

Stag with hinds

View of the glen

lunch break

Stag on the skyline

Skyline stag's hinds

There are four or five stags in this pic

Mountain hare running past

Another showery day but plenty of rainbows.  I paid a visit to "Blue Pig" in Carloway - a must for gift buying.  Then I took the peat road from Carloway back to Callanish and visited the stones at Callanish II and III. I managed to get rid of the lines on my images by saving to web.  Now I seem to have strange blocks of colours.  No answer from Blogger.

View from the kitchen porch window.  This is where the otter fishes.

On the road to A8011

Sheep corralled on the peat road just past Carloway.

Callanish pig.  Callanish III on the horizon

Callanish stones taken from Callanish II site

Callanish III

6 weeks on Lewis Part 1

Had a good drive to Glasgow from Taunton, via Martin Mere WWT.  Stopped off at a Premier Inn - very comfortable.  The next day's drive to Dornie was in the only sunshine of the UK.  It made a difference from last year when I drove up in rain, in June.  However, I missed the best of the colours by a week.

Photos from both days.

geese arriving at Martin Mere

Whooper swans

more geese

scenery just after the Green Welly shop

Parked after snapping yet again

 Onwards to Glencoe National Trust visitor centre

Glencoe

trying creative zooming

Boat at Glencoe village

Glencoe pier

Glenfinnan monument

view from top of the mounment

view from a walk at the monument

Berries in blue

A curious highland cow

On the way for dinner at Dornie when I saw a few photographers waiting to take the sunset and the lit up castle.  I had to use the roadside barrier as my tripod is still in the car.

I left Dornie early this morning and explored South Skye.  Arrived in Uig, only to wait about 2 hours at the B & B I had booked without anyone turning up.  I booked into the Ferry Inn instead.

On the road back from Ergol

Seaweed at side of the loch

shed by side of the loch

Celtic cross

After a comfortable night at the inn, I set out.  Weather had changed and I had to wait for the windscreen to defrost.  I was aiming for Portree for coffee but saw the Cuillins in snow, so went on to find a good spot for a photo.  Unfortunately, a large cloud came over just as they were about to come into light.  I had to make do.  Took a few more on Waternish peninsula, then some from my room window.

Cuillins in the snow

Cuillins from the Struan road

On the road to Glendale

The rain arrived

At Point Neist.  I did not get out of the car to walk to the lighthouse.  I found later that I only need to climb a small hill to my right and I would have had a view of the lighthouse!

Last ferry of the day