Around Lewis and Harris end of November

 I have had my last visitor of the year.  Pauline came up in June and was my first visitor too.  She only spent a couple of days so it was a quick tour around the main tourist spots on Lewis and Harris.  This time she had a week so we spent a little more time doing some photography.

We went to the west side of Lewis on the first day.  First stop was Bragar, then Shawbost and Dal Mor.  Lots of lovely waves.  There was a runner with a dog on Dal Mor then she went into the sea - very brave as Dal Mor is not the safest place to swim.  Luckily she wasn't swimming.

An attempt at in camera movement.  The gulls lifted up when the waves came in.  It was a freezing wind at Bragar

The whites remind me of merinque

Lots of foam

abstract icm

Oh no a wave is coming

Better run to shore

Beating the waves

On Thursday we visited the Wobbly Dog of Lewis at Ness for soup and cheese scones.  We went to the bird hide too but there was nothing on the loch and we were soaked on the way back.  Went to No Time to Die at An Lanntair.  I thought it was a bit same old same old but Pauline enjoyed it.

The weather wasn't the best for photography so I showed Pauline a bit more of Stornoway on Friday

Saturday was a day for Harris.  We stopped at the waterfall on the road to Renigadale.  A lovely spot and we just managed to get back to the car before we got soaked again.  Had lunch at the little beach at Scarista Mhor and then to Manish before driving home.  

View of some of Seilebost

Taking the short cut to Finsbay

Sunday saw us in Valtos and Uig which we hadn't managed on Pauline's first visit.

Spotted this raven on the Pentland road

I thought this was a raven going by when we were at Valtos but it is a juvenile eagle

Birds at Valtos

Mealasta 

walked to the secret beaches at Mealasta in the evening light

Lots of rainbows and lots of rain

That's it for now.

Photo workshop in Harris with Margaret Soraya

 I went on a photoshop in Harris starting on 31st October.  On the day before, I met up with Karen and Lesley who were fellow participants.   We drove to Callanish, Garenin, Dal Mor and back to Stornoway via Barvas moor.

Whooper swans on Tiumpan loch

Callanish stones

We spotted a white tailed eagle over the stones, a golden eagle at the blackhouses and a buzzard at Dal Mor

Waves at Dal Mor

First day of the workshop.  We went to Lingabay, Rodel and then spent the afternoon at Losgaintir.

Seals on the rocks

Lesley was photographing this rock face.  I thought I would turn it into the image below by turning my lens as I took it.

Another icm turn of fishing floats

A photographer in the landscape

An old machine at Rodel

Seaweed at Rodel

We saw lots of rainbows this week

One of many abstracts

A pattern in the sand

Sue walking on the beach

The second morning saw us at the salt flats at Northton and then a walk to the temple.  A lovely day.  As usual we went back to the house to have a delicious lunch of soup and other tasty bits.  

A rainbow of photographers

The rainbow followed us to the Northton beaches

Oyster catchers always know where to stand

Lots of highland cattle

Photographers at the Temple

We spent the afternoon taking pics on Scarista but I didn't come up with anything too much.  

On Wednesday we were back on the golden road in Manish and spent a pleasant morning there.  In the afternoon it was back on a beach at Scarista Mor.  Definitely a place to get wet as the waves rushed in without warning.

Waves from the river under a tunnel to the sea

bubbles in the river

More river action

thistle

Manish

Stonechat on a stick

seaweed

rust

icm on the side of a boat

Manish shed

white foam

sticking plaster for the sand

wave chaos

After another excellent dinner we retired early.  I was woken by the sound of excited voices.  James had been monitoring the skies and came to let us know of the aurora.  We found ourselves on Horgabost watching this wonderful spectacle.   It was seen as far south as Devon.

On Thursday we had a day in Lewis - Cliff beach then pizza at Crust at Achmore and finally the Callanish stones.

Dogs on Cliff beach

On the last day we went to Seilebost and spent a lovely morning there.

Lesley taking photos of Seilebost

There were a few roses scattered on the beach probably from a recent wedding

Looking down from the viewpoint at the top

Check out Margaret's you tube clip of the week at https://youtu.be/3sFK-cZUVhs

I recommend the workshop.  Lots of great locations and opportunities for photography as well as comfortable accommodation and delicious food.