The island of Lewis/Harris is so popular now. It is harder to find accommodation, although I picked a half term without knowing. I was lucky to find a lovely place in Harris - Bayhead at Lingabay. Travelled up on Friday, leaving Somerset at 03.30 and arriving at Arrocher later in the afternoon, after a brief stop with friends at Larkhall. The Arrocher hotel is in a stunning location but the room was noisy. Left at 8 am and arrived with plenty of time at Uig for the 6 pm ferry. Did a bit of shopping and photographing in Portree to pass the time.
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| Loch Long |
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| Carving at Loch Long |
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| Padlock on the bridge |
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| Broken pier at Loch Long |
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| Portree cemetary |
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| A blend of two bluebell images from Watersmeet and Portree |
The ferry was about half an hour late in to Tarbert but it was still light and I took the golden road to Bayhead. Chilled out day on Sunday hunting for the cuckoo which was in the vicinity. Luckily it posed on the telegraph wire while I changed my lens.
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| My first cuckoo of the year |
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| Images from a nearby abandoned house |
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| Starling with food for young |
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| View from the kitchen |
Weather changed on Monday and looks like it is in for the next week. I stocked up at the community shop in Leverburgh and went on to Tarbert and Scalpay before coming back in the pouring rain. Off to Stornoway tomorrow to pick up Pam who is staying for a week.
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| Seilebost in the morning |
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| Seilebost in the afternoon through the car window |
Into Stornoway for a bit of shopping. Bought more wool! Picked up Pam from the ferry and drove towards Carloway, the blackhouse village and Dal Beg for the first bit of sightseeing before going back to Harris via Seilebost.
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| View from the broch |
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| Pam taking in the sun. Sheltered in the broch but VERY windy outside |
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| Seilebost |
Went to Skoon Art Cafe for coffee, checked into Hebscape to see Darren Cole's new work and then walked on Luskentyre. There was a photography group on Luskentyre. We returned to Lingerbay and Bayhead for a walk.
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| Pam and the wave |
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| Pam in the distance |
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| One of the photography group |
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| Still can not stop taking sheep |
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| Down at the quay |
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| There are at least 6 seals in this pic. I counted 7 seals in the next one but I think one may be hiding. I didn't see the seals until I got the pic back to the computer. |
Went for coffee at Hebscape on Wednesday. Darren has been practising with the coffee. This is the best coffee (double espresso) I have tasted so far. On to the second most beautiful beach in Scotland which you can not reach by car - Crabhadail. The rain caught us up on our return walk which happened regularly for the next few days.
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| View from my bedroom at Bayhead at sunrise |
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| The first glimpse of Crabhadail |
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| Pam on the beach |
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| Beautiful clouds |
We nearly went to the Uists on Thursday but I changed my mind. Wrong decision. It was a beautiful dry day on Harris and Lewis on Friday but rained most of our time on the Uists. Saw two birds of prey, one was a hen harrier and a barn owl. All while I was driving so no pics. Luckily I spotted the white tailed eagle when I was on the ferry going back to Harris.
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| Managed a short dry walk on Eriskay |
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| Flags at Eriskay |
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| Fishing boat |
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| White tailed eagle |
Went into Stornoway on Saturday to show Pam around the town and the new museum. Met Jenny for lunch in the Woodland Cafe. Jenny suggested we tried for tickets for Hunter and the Bear instead of the Stornoway Big Band which we had been considering. The tickets had sold out but there were returns and we were top of the list. After buying a new hat from Rarebird - an impulse buy, we returned to An Lanntair and there were two tickets waiting for us. Had dinner at An Lanntair and into the concert. A great show - definitely a right decision. Both Pam and I would have liked to take the Bear home with us!
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| Trees in Lews Castle grounds |
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| The Bear with drummer |
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| Hunter & The Bear |
To Temple cafe on Sunday for coffee and walk to the chapel. It was busy at the cafe as it is the only place open on a Sunday. Coffee not as good as I have had before. Dry walk to the chapel and wet on the return. Popped into St Clement's church on the way back.
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| Wheatear by the information board |
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| Beachcombing by photo |
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| A few gannets were diving |
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| We met this dog and her owners when we walked on Monday. |
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| A ghost (or Pam) at St Clement's |
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| Pam's photos of my hat |
Pam suggested walking the Coffin route and we did the circular walk with a stop for lunch looking over towards Luskentyre. Without the lunch stop it took us 4hrs and 40 mins even with taking photos.
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| The route |
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| Bogbean plant |
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| Back to the signpost late afternoon |
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| Sheep sheltering from the rain on the golden road |
Up early on Tuesday to take Pam to the airport. I went on to Jenny and Murdo's for another catch up. Took Mick for a walk with Jenny. Sadly, Neve died earlier this year and Mick is missing her alot.
We spotted the two deer which had been chased from J & M's garden last night. I went on to Arnol afterwards, stopping off at 40 North for lunch and supper provisions. Did not see much at the RSPB reserve. I think I was a week too early.
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| Two deer |
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| Mick |
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| Multiple exposure of azaleas in the garden |
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| Sheep in the background at Arnol |
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| Bog cotton |
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| More bog bean |
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| skylark |
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| Golden plover |
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| The seals were leaping at Quidnish on the golden road |
I decided to stay at Bayhead on Wednesday and catch up with the photos. Did a short walk from the house. It is warmer but the mist stayed on the hills all day and we had some rain.
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| Lots of cute lambs about but I haven't managed to get them leaping |
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| Lichen |
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| Patterns in the landscape |
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| small waterfall in the stream by the house |
I was determined to see a corncrake so went to Northton early. I had been told that they sometimes come out of cover on to the croft land. I was there about an hour - very cold early on Thursday. I was about to leave when I spotted something brown creeping in the grass. Yeh, my first sighting. Went on to Hebscape for my fix of coffee - definitely the best espresso this trip. On to Luskentyre to spot the grey horses without any success. Darren Cole at Hebscape has a beautiful image of the horses at Luskentyre. Decided to return to Bayhead for a late lunch via the community shop at Leverburgh. It was a very late lunch as I was about 30 min at the roadworks.
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| The rabbit was feeding when I arrived |
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| The male was calling when I spotted this corncrake so I think it is the female |
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| Luskentyre |
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| Dog going for the ball |
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| Luskentyre |
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| Snapped these fine set of horns while I was stuck at the roadworks |
After lunch in the hot sun, I went for a short circular walk at St Clement's church and managed to photograph a wren and a better image of the cuckoo.
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| St Clement's with the star and sun which you can find in the wall |
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| Wren with meal for young |
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| Cuckoo |
Hoped to see a good sunset in the evening but cloud cover came up from the horizon so nothing. Pleasant drive though in the lovely light.
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| Thrushes near Finsbay |
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| Ceapabhal |
A drive around the Bays on Friday, in the sunlight as I usually see them in rain. Then a short walk from Leac towards Stocnish and back for lunch at the cottage. A sheep day for images.
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| Waiting for the bus |
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| What are you looking at |
A last coffee at Hebscape, bought more wool at Wool 4 Ewe in Stornoway, met Jenny for lunch then caught the ferry back to Ullapool. Stayed the night at Balloan house in Marybank near Inverness. Quite expensive but I had booked too late to be choosy. Left at 5 am and drove down to Taunton. Would have made it by 5pm but for an accident at Bridgewater which meant a detour.
