A Week of Islands

Our week in the outer Hebrides started with a long 2 day journey and a stop in Fort William to break the journey. This is Island No. 1 and the bridge over to the Island of Skye. It is a very long island and it took almost 90 minutes to drive to the Ferry Terminal at Uig.

 

The Ferry Terminal at Uig. From there to Lochmaddy in North Uist it is an hour and three quarters Ferry crossing and the weather was perfect.

Island No. 2 North Uist and my first walk on our nearest beach on our first evening.

Another beach near the cottage and a perfect expanse of white sand.

Island No. 3 called Baleshare to the west of North Uist and this is the Causeway across to it.

This is John and Sandria on the huge barrier of loose pebbles next to the beach on Baleshare.

Island No 4 is Flodaigh which is the smallest island we visited. John was very impressed with this old Vauxhall car but decided it might cost a bit too much to repair.

The Causeway to Flodaigh

A thatched cottage on Flodaigh

Island No 5 is Benbecula and a fresh water Loch.

These are 2 panorama photographs on North Uist at a place called Sollas taken by John to show the magical colours of the sky and sea at the time he took them.

Island No 6 is Berneray and the causeway to it from North Uist.

This is Peat Cuttings just next to Berneray.

Island No 7 is Eriskay, the island featured in the film Whisky Galore and the Ferry arriving at Eriskay Ferry Terminal to take us to our next island Barra.

John and myself on a lovely viewpoint overlooking the harbour at Eriskay

Eriskay harbour.

Island No 8 is Barra and this photo taken by John is one of the nicest views on our week long holiday. This is the bay where the scheduled flight from Glasgow arrives. We watched the arrival of this flight just to the left of this.

The plane from Glasgow is just about to offload its passengers.

Island No 9 and our favourite one is Vatersay. This is the East Beach on the Isthmus that splits the island. 

This is the West Beach on the other side of the narrow Isthmus. It was a most enjoyable holiday despite the bad weather and I drove nearly 1000 miles in the week with a fair bit of them on single track roads. 

An Aborted Attempt to Walk to Vallay Island

Our plan this morning was to walk to Vallay Island in the north of North Uist. This was the only day we could do it due to the tide times. It as blowing about 20mph gale when we started the 1.5 mile crossing to the Island. Unfortunately after about 20 minutes we hit a snag as there was a long and broad strip of water that was 18" deep in places with no way round it. We had to abort our attempt although if we had been wearing Wellies it would have been ok. Gaye and Sandria with the right gear on for this weather. When we got back to the car and drove a mile along the coast to a Coffee Caravan the weather took a turn for the worse with torrential rain and real stormy winds so we saved ourselves a soaking and a battering.

Vallay Island in the distance and you can just see the ruined house on the Island.

John with Gaye and Sandria before we set off.

A Thatched Cottage and outhouse just next to where we had our Coffee.

New Thatching on another Cottage

This was the bit that beat us. It would have gone over our boots.

Returning to the cars after aborting our walk.

Another starting picture before we realised it was not possible.

Gaye trying very hard not to show her disappointment at having to turn back on this adventurous walk.

 

Seven Islands in a Day

We set off early this morning to catch the Ferry to Barra from Eriskay which involved a drive through North Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra, and Vatersay. A wonderful day with ferries on time and the weather almost perfect except for our 3 mile walk on Vatersay when we all got soaked during a short but very heavy shower of rain and no cover anywhere. This is on the Ferry to Barra which took 45 minutes and was very calm seas. 

Our Ferry to Barra with only 10 cars on board.

One of the main beaches on Vatersay. This area is like a Tombola with a beach on either side of this narrow isthmus of sand. 

This is the beach at Eriskay next to the Ferry Terminal.

The bay next to Barra Airport with the colour of the sea just magnificent.

This is the other beach on Vatersay. John and I walked on this one that had big breakers coming in from the Atlantic while Gaye and Sandria walked on the more sheltered beach. We all ended up soaked from the heavy rain shower.

On Vatersay there was a field full of Primroses

The Ferry leaving Eriskay

An amazing little cottage on the shore at Eriskay Ferry Terminal

Eriskay Harbour

John with the Primroses

Two old friends who have been travelling on Scottish Islands for almost 20 years.

More Primroses

Barra Airport

A 4ft barrier of pebbles on the north beach at Vatersay

The flight from Glasgow arrives at Barra Airport

 

A Visit to Berneray and a Meeting With two Crofters

A drive this morning to the north of North Uist and a visit to the Island of Berneray. This is a Croft near Berneray where we stopped to visit a War Memorial and I had a long blether with a Crofting couple.

This is Crofters Effie and Andy who were cutting Peat just near the War memorial. They were both in their early 70s and had about 50 acres of Croft with Sheep and Cattle. They cut Peat every year and its really hard work, but they were the happiest and most contented couple I have ever met and very happy with their life on North Uist. It was a real pleasure to meet them.

A lovely inlet near Berneray

Cut Peat left over from 2020

Andy and Effie's cottage

This is called Macleod's Folly

A Caterpillar near the Peat cuttings

The memorial placed by Andy and his family. Their son served in Afghanistan for 10 years.

Land to be cut for Peat later this year

Inscription at the War memorial

One of a pair of Buzzards sitting on a disused cottage chimney

The other Buzzard

A grand view from the Peat cuttings

The Causeway to Berneray

The Peat cut by Andy and Effie this spring. 

 

My First Corncrake

Monday started with torrential rail and 40mph gales so it was early afternoon before we ventured out of the house. I went a walk in the rain and got drenched and within half an hour of me getting back the rain had gone and blue sky's prevailed. I went 2 miles up the road to a nature reserve and had an amazing walk with birds flying everywhere. On my way out of the reserve in the car I noticed this Corncrake in a field crossing between two patches of Iris beds. I quickly used my phone and got this. He started calling soon after and even although he was within feet of me I never saw him again. They really are very elusive these Corncrakes but everywhere we go in the evening you can hear them calling. 

The beach at Balranaid Nature Reserve. It was busy with the Camping site there full of Camper Vans with mostly Bird Spotters.

Later in the evening I went my regular walk near the house and this field planted with grass seed I think has freshened up after a morning rain.

Another view of the beach at the Nature Reserve

My evening beach walk at 8.30pm

 A Lapwing on my evening walk and there were loads of them about and their cry's were wonderful in the late evening sunshine.