A quiet first week on Lewis, photographically wise. The Saturday ferry ride on the last day in November was calm and dry. It has rained everyday since! I have been settling into the lovely cottage - Abhainn cottage in Breasclete. The good news is that Callanish visitor centre is open more hours in the winter than it did when I was last here at the same time. Bad news is the coffee machine is playing up and may go for its service earlier, meaning only filter coffee!!!! I walked there on Monday for my first walk around the stones.
Bridge evening on Tuesday, shopping Wednesday and a good morning in Wool4Ewe on Thursday where knitting and chatting went on. I finally started on the photography on Friday morning at Dal Mhor and Dal Beag, dodging the rain.
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| Taken through the living room window with rain lashing down |
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| I liked the sun rays but wanted them on the foreground |
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| More geese, greylags |
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| There was a group of 3 cows around this house |
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| Lots of painterly waves |
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| Playing with all the geese images I took last week on Black Isle |
I managed to get out on Sunday inbetween the so called 'light' showers. Luckily the walk went passed a couple of fishing shelters which were open so I sheltered in them when the rain came.
A dry day on Monday which was not forecast. I only took my travel lens out so of course I found I needed a longer one. I went to recce a place I hadn't been to and found a group of surfers. Apparently the conditions were excellent for surfing. A place to return to.
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| I knew this heron would finally fly when a returning surfer got to close |
Stayed in on Tuesday. An excellent baking and cooking day as the wind and rain lashed down outside.
Not sure where the time has gone. I haven't done that much photography - mainly snaps. Had a lovely walk with Jenny and Murdo with their new rescue dogs Ollie and Kate. In the evening Jenny and I joined Lesley (a bridge partner) for the Kristingle service at St Moluags in Ness. Frost hit us on Monday. I walked with Jenny and the dogs at the croft opposite their house Then I had a walk around Callanish and Loch Roag which was beautiful in the ice and frost. To the Laxay path with Jenny and the dogs to find greenery for a wreathmaking workshop we were going to on Wednesday evening at Breasclete community centre. Afterwards I drove to Ness and stopped off for a walk along the coast.
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| Ollie |
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| Kate with Murdo in the background |
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| Ollie |
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| Treats from Jenny |
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| The Kristingle service |
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| View from the Abhainn cottage |
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| Ollie |
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| Callanish view |
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| Loch Roag |
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| Frost on seaweed |
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| Looking towards the Callanish visitor centre and stones |
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| Loch Roag abstract |
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| Sunsetting |
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| Kate on Laxay path |
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| Coastal abstract |
Finally made it to Uig on Sunday. Spent Monday baking and tidying up before picking up Amanda from Stornoway on Monday evening.
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| Shieling on Pentland road which I have taken before |
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| Mist over the Uig hills on the way back from Stornoway |
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| Are these sheep telling me something! |
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| A good set of horns |
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| Looking towards Ardroil sands |
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| Near Mealastadh |
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| On the Mealstadh walk. There are a couple of small beaches here on a lower tide |
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| Apparent site of a medieval nunnery |
Not sure when I will be posting as it is Christmas week and I am showing Amanda around Lewis and Harris. Have to move out to a nearby camping pod as I didn't confirm this cottage in time and lost the New Year week. Back to the cottage on 4th. I have extended my stay here until 18th. Viewing places to buy.
Hurray, I have decanted into one of the Hebridean Holiday Cabins which look down on the Abhainn Cottage. Up early to take Amanda to the airport. Had a great week with lots of eating of Christmas dinner and leftovers - my first time cooking a Christmas meal.
On Monday I made bread and dinner for Tuesday. Then left about 3pm for Stornoway to pick up the turkey then after a meal at HS1 to the airport to pick up Amanda. There was a beautiful mist over the lochs at Achmor so I had to stop for a snap.
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| I was so busy admiring the mist, I didn't spot the 3 deer until I was processing the photo |
On Tuesday we went to Harris. I picked up the photo book of beautiful images created by Darren Cole. Then shopping in the Harris Tweed shop. On to Luskentyre and my favourite Harris beach Seilebost. Had lunch at the Temple cafe. We had time to go back on the Golden road.
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| Amanda on Luskentyre |
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| People walking on Luskentyre |
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| Seilebost |
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| Temple cafe cat |
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| View from Temple cafe at Northton |
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| View from the Golden road |
Before our Christmas meal, we walked to the Callanish stones and back. Were caught in a short sharp shower then the sun came out again.
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| Another good set of horns |
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| Posing at the stones |
We did the Lewis loop on Thursday, visited Stornoway on Friday and took a drive to Point stopping at St Columba's church. The weather changed on Friday to wind and rain so we got soaked visiting the church.
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| Taking a dive surfing off Dal Mhor |
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| Loch by the Norse Mills |
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| A buzzard |
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| waterfall by the Norse mills |
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| Abstract detail |
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| Sunset on the Pentland Road |
My fifth week, where is the time going. I moved into the camping pod above Abhainn cottage. Not advertised yet but I had not confirmed my booking so missed out on the New Year's week. Wind and rain continues but there were bright spells on Monday and New Year's Eve. I went for a walk at Aline. I took the road down to Grigaspul hoping to see otters but only disturbed a heron.
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| Grigaspul |
On New Year's Eve, I finally finished the walk above Reef beach -third time lucky. You pass Norse watermills but I am not sure if I spotted them this time. I was nearly pushed into the loch by wind the last time so tried for a stiller day. It was still windy at the loch but walkable. Lunch on Reef beach watching all the walkers. It was probably be the sunniest and driest day in all the time I have been here. Met a doggy walker who was having a busman's holiday walking dogs. Over from Waggytails Doggy Daycare in Dumbartonshire.
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| View of the loch from the top |
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| The third loch I passed with a view toward Cnip beach |
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| Walking back down to Reef beach |
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| Collection of dead beetles I found possibly poisoned. |
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| Into the sun from Reef beach |
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| Waggytails |
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| The waterfall seen from the road near the camping pod |
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| Sheep on my walk on the Pentland road |
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| Sunset over Breasclete taken from outside the pod |
Spent New Year walking on the Pentland road in the wind and the afternoon with Jenny and Murdo. On Thursday, the wind and rain continued and the temperature dropped. I managed to get out and took wave photos at Dal Mhor and at Bragar. At one stage, I was so intent on photographing the rainbow at Bragar that I got caught in a hail storm. The wind was so strong, I couldn't open the front car door. Eventually managed to get the rear door open and clambered inside. It soon stopped so I was out again snapping! Cold but exhilarating. I am glad I went out into the weather
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| Abstracts of waves |
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| The sea foam at Dal Mhor |
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| The view before the hail storm hit |
Back in Abhainn cottage for two weeks more. Strong wind and rain continue. Spent Saturday with Jenny and Murdo while the cottage was being cleaned. Had my first game of Catan with Jenny since Australia. Hoping for many more. Sunday spent baking bread, unpacking and updating.
Had lunch on Monday with Sarah, who showed me around her new house which she had built. Joined by Jenny and her brother in law, Donald. We walked Ollie and Kate in the afternoon. The morning was too wild to take the dogs out.
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| An unusual vehicle passing by |
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| Kate |
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| Rain coming in again |
On Wednesday I drove to Tolsta and took a stroll on Garry Beach. Frost on Thursday and the car windscreen provided some images. I went to the Knit and Natter at Wool4Ewe and looked at a house in the afternoon. The house was just right for me - otters visit the loch in front of the house regularly. I have made an offer - so exciting.
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| View from the Achmore road |
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| Images from Garry beach |
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| Frost on the car |
Wind and rain forecast for most of next week which is my last for now. The forecasts seem to change by the hour. It can be nearly gale force winds then the sun comes out. We have had a lot of hail.
The sun was out on Sunday for the beginning of the week and I walked on the Laxay path again but detoured to the left then made my way down to Loch na Criadha. The sheep are here now so Ollie and Kate will have to wait a couple of months before returning. There was a shower on my walk but I made it to the car before the hail hit.
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| Showing the wind was still blowing |
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| View from a little hill |
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| Looking towards Ach mor which is where the path, part of the Hebridean Way goes |
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| Loch na Criadha |
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| Lichen icm |
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| The rain to come |
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| Oh oh, a human coming |
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| Wait for me |
On Monday before storm Brendon broke, I managed to make it into town before going to Dal Mor and Dal Beg to take wave pics.
On Tuesday it looked as if it was going to be dry so I started to walk to Callanish 2 and 3. The hail started just before I reached the bus shelter at the corner. Changed by plans as the weather stayed over my planned route and it was blue sky over the visitor centre. Planned to walk to the pier but only reached the wrecked boat before the rain came again so had a hot chocolate at the visitor centre. Dry when I came out but I could see more rain coming in from Uig way. Walked back managing to get to another bus shelter as the hail came down in force.
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| View from the bus shelter |
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| Peeling paint on the boat |
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| icm of the broken radio on the boat |
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| Lichen pattern |
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| icm of the paint |
A lot of water in the night but it cleared up in the morning for a brief stroll in Lews castle grounds.
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| Stornoway from castle grounds |
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| Men at work behind the wall. |
