Back to Isle of Lewis - Part 1
Set off in July to Isle of Lewis. I was accompanied by a photographer friend Debbie for the 3 weeks away. We stopped off at Aberfeldy for 2 days as I wanted to visit a wool shop there. Stayed at Station House hotel - definitely worth staying here. Debbie introduced me to Glen Lyon and surrounds.
Then on to the Black Isle for the Moray Firth dolphins. Such a short detour but well worth it. We were treated to lots of breaching but I think we missed the best bits of the dolphins fishing very large salmon out of the river.
After an overnight at the Caledonian Hotel in Ullapool we boarded Loch Seaforth for Stornoway. We had no accommodation for 3 nights as I had planned to live in my car to see how it was. Poor Debbie had to camp as well and had brought a tent and camp bed. We stopped off briefly at Lochganvich to see Jenny, Murdo and Jenny's mum Lyn then on to Horgabost on Harris to camp. I was pleasantly surprised at the camping facilities and we managed quite well despite the howling gale and rain on the second night.
We went to Hushinish on Thursday to see the machair. The toilets there have been redone and now there are showers too and a viewing spot with picnic tables in the dry. Definitely a location to camp but you would need to bring everything with you. Stopped off at Hebscape for lunch and to view Darren's new photographs. Then the North Harris show and off to Anchorage for dinner. We went to the concert at the Tala na mara in the evening but didn't go to the One Show beforehand as it was pouring.
I had a weekend ticket to Hebcelt and Debbie managed to get one of the last Friday tickets. The One Show were there on the Friday too.
On Saturday we drove to Great Bernera and booked into our cottage at 9a Hacklete - Traigh Solas run by Michelle and Janice. A beautiful location looking out on to a sea loch and lots of wildlife to see. I left Debbie unpacking and went back to Heb Celt. Managed to catch Adam Sutherland, a great fiddle player. Had to see Willie Campbell in Tumbling Souls but was too tired to stay for Deacon Blue.
On Sunday we stayed on Bernera and recced for photos.
Monday it was off to visit Uig, Mangasta and the end of the road.
Stayed close to home on Tuesday to rest from driving. We drove into Tobson and saw a woman with binoculars looking at two large birds. We discovered they were the resident golden eagles who have a nest on the road to Bosta. Unfortunately, their chick fledged before we had a chance to find the nest. We still managed to have lots of sightings of the parents while we were on Bernera.
On Wednesday, I woke early and drove to Leverburgh, Harris to join Sea Harris on the trip to St Kilda. The weather has been so good this year, there have been spaces but I had booked a few months ago. It rained as we landed on the island but then the sun came out and I sweltered in my wet weather gear.
It was the Lewis loop on Thursday. We stopped off at Tolsta Chaolais where some of Katie Morag is filmed. Visited Gallery 5 (http://www.gallery5hebrides.com) with Margaret Stevenson's inspirational paintings.
More to come in Part 2 in the next few days.
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| Part of scenic Glen Lyon |
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| Water at Killin but not as much as usual |
Then on to the Black Isle for the Moray Firth dolphins. Such a short detour but well worth it. We were treated to lots of breaching but I think we missed the best bits of the dolphins fishing very large salmon out of the river.
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| Dolphin with salmon at Chanory Point |
After an overnight at the Caledonian Hotel in Ullapool we boarded Loch Seaforth for Stornoway. We had no accommodation for 3 nights as I had planned to live in my car to see how it was. Poor Debbie had to camp as well and had brought a tent and camp bed. We stopped off briefly at Lochganvich to see Jenny, Murdo and Jenny's mum Lyn then on to Horgabost on Harris to camp. I was pleasantly surprised at the camping facilities and we managed quite well despite the howling gale and rain on the second night.
We went to Hushinish on Thursday to see the machair. The toilets there have been redone and now there are showers too and a viewing spot with picnic tables in the dry. Definitely a location to camp but you would need to bring everything with you. Stopped off at Hebscape for lunch and to view Darren's new photographs. Then the North Harris show and off to Anchorage for dinner. We went to the concert at the Tala na mara in the evening but didn't go to the One Show beforehand as it was pouring.
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| A little bit of camera movement |
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| On the road to Huishnish |
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| Oyster catcher stretching |
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| Debbie photographing the machair |
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| Tweed at North Harris show |
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| Just look at those horns |
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| Highland cattle with a tweedy background |
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| Taransay from Horgabost beach |
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| Harebells at the campsite |
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| Peat on the short cut from Leverburgh to golden road |
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| There are lots of ruined places on the island. |
I had a weekend ticket to Hebcelt and Debbie managed to get one of the last Friday tickets. The One Show were there on the Friday too.
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| Iona Fyfe |
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| Dante |
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| Kinnaris quintet |
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| Getting ready for filming |
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| Adam Sutherland |
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| The Tumbling Souls |
On Sunday we stayed on Bernera and recced for photos.
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| Wool on post |
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| Ardroil sands |
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| One of my favourite beaches Mangasta |
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| gull in waves |
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| Gannet diving |
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| A handsome poser |
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| Bosta beach |
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| One of Bernera's resident golden eagles with rabbit at Tobson |
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| Seaweed landscape |
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| Found object at Tobson beach |
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| Sallie Tyszko at Driftwater Weaves Tapestry Tobson |
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| Debbie looking on at the yarn I bought |
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| Sallie's angora goats |
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| One of many ruined houses we took photos of |
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| Soay sheep |
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| Boreray from Hirta |
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| View from the top |
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| Fulmar trying to find a place to land |
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| Puffins in flight or midges as they are also known |
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| Gannets at Boreray |
It was the Lewis loop on Thursday. We stopped off at Tolsta Chaolais where some of Katie Morag is filmed. Visited Gallery 5 (http://www.gallery5hebrides.com) with Margaret Stevenson's inspirational paintings.
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| Another empty house |
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| Shawbost beach |
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| Bog cotton taken in wind |
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| On Barvas moor. These shielings are photographed so often, there is now a good parking place here |
More to come in Part 2 in the next few days.
posted by carodragon at
4:05 pm
1 Comments:
my favourite is the middle one between the bog cotton and the sheiling on Barvas Moor.
By
Jenny M, at 6:42 pm
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