Summer Holidays - Part 8, Homeward Bound

Sadly time had passed and after 10 days and 11 nights island hopping it was time to return to the mainland and head for home. The car was re-packed and after a quick walk it was time to head for Lochmaddy and the ferry to Skye. We have thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the islands and will return one day.

We stayed outside on the ferry, partly because all the seats in the dog section were taken but mostly because it was a nice day. There was a coachload of twitchers on the ferry and we had to go to the other side as they were making us laugh (and Hilda was coveting their packed lunches), the leader was scanning the skies with binoculars in one hand and uneaten sandwich in the other all the time keeping up a running commentary on what he was hoping to see.

Departing North Uist

I'm Trying To Sleep

The Spiky Hills of Skye

Round the other side we found peace and quiet and then some spectacular views of Skye and the mountains. After disembarking it was time for a quick walk for Hilda (and to let the rush of ferry traffic go past), a stop at Broadford for a late lunch of fish and chips which were eaten while sitting in the sun looking out to Pabay Island and the hills of the mainland beyond. Just like the journey up we were taking two days to make the journey home, our overnight stop was Lagnaha Campsite. A lovely place and there was only two tents in the camping field. We had a gentle stroll after pitching up and spotted a pair of Stonechats.

View of the campsite from our walk

Stonechat

Our pitch and the view behind the campsite

I had wanted an early start the next morning as it was going to be a long drive and I didn't want to feel rushed. When we woke at 7am it was raining, when we emerged for a trip to the utility block I discovered that while we had been out on the islands the midges had emerged on the mainland. It used to be that I never got bitten by midges then a couple of years ago that changed and now I am the preferred option. Despite the pouring rain and a liberal coating of midge repellent every time I came out of the tent I was descended on by the nasty little blood-suckers. The original plan had been a relaxed but not too leisurely breakfast and to be on the road for 9.30am, time for a plan B. Hilda got her breakfast in the back of the car and while she ate I shut myself in the tent and rolled up sleeping bags, folded blankets and checked for anything else that needed packing away. They got put in the car and the tent was then dropped and stuffed unceremoniously into the bin bag. We were on the road for 08:45!

I have driven past the Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum several times but never stopped. Today we stopped and while Hilda stayed snug and dry in the back of the car I went in and had a cooked breakfast with a large mug of tea - and not a midge in sight! A potter round the gift shops for me, a trip round the grass for Hilda and we were back on the road, remembering to go South and not West back to Oban. We travelled through lots of weather, glorious sunshine that made me think about turning round and going back, grey drizzle with low clouds that hid all the scenery and torrential rain that turned the roads into rivers and dropped the average speed by a significant number.

We made it home for about 5.30pm and had the first load of washing in the machine by 6.30pm. I was a wonderful holiday, even with the gale force wind and rain. The odometer in the car reported that from setting off from home we had travelled just over 950 miles before getting back.

Journey Home Photos

Summer Holidays - Part 7, North Uist

That first afternoon we walked a section of the West Highland way from Carnish to Pobull Fhinn leaving a car at either end. The dogs had great fun in many muddy puddles and crystal clear lochs. The humans observed an abundance of wildflowers, Red Deer, Mute Swan, a very hairy caterpillar and a buzzard. The dogs slept well that evening and so did the humans, the rain had stopped and the sky was blue but there had still been a brisk breeze bringing an abundance of fresh air.

Dogs + Mud = Muddy Dogs

Zooooooooom

Just one of the spectacular views

clean-er dogs

red deer

a very hairy caterpillar

Buzzard

The second day there was a debate about where to go, as we had had a long walk the day before we opted for a quieter day on Berneray. First stop of the day was to Seal View and we were not disappointed. Sitting on the bench we looked out to some rocks sticking up out of the water and spotted a couple of harbour seals. Further watching and inspection with a pair of binoculars revealed that there were 14 seals in total, behind us there was a field full of small black Hebridean Sheep and Lambs.

Panorama of one of the views on the way to Berneray

Can you spot all the seals in this photo?

Seal and sheep watching over we carried on round the road and parked near the hostel. From the car it was a short walk to the beach where the dogs could run about and play tug with long stems of kelp and we could look over to Harris and Lewis and watch the bird life.

Lewis and Harris

Oystercatchers

The return journey has us stop off at Balranald where there were twitchers galore all carrying tripods and telescopes and not venturing too far from the car park all in the hope of seeing a corn bunting. We dropped down onto the beach and then walked round to the headland before going back to the cars on the dunes. We spotted Mergansers, Redshank, acres of Meadow Daisy’s (it looked like it had snowed on the dune) and half a dozen corn buntings. Not bad considering we had three energetic dogs running round and only a pair of relatively small (compared to the twitchers) binoculars each.

Balranald panorama

Redshank

Acres of Meadow Daisies

Corn Bunting

The third day was a full days trip complete with packed lunch. The plan was to park at the Grenitote Picnic area and walk round the Udal outcrop visiting the cemetery and trip point along the way. The sun shone and turned the sea a turquoise - aquamarine colour, who needs the Bahamas? So warm was the sun that once more the shoes and socks came off, the trouser legs were rolled up and I paddled with the dogs. On the walk round the eastern side to the cemetery we spotted seals and also that it was raining quite heavily on Berneray where we had been yesterday. The little cemetery was a lovely spot to rest in and as we looked out to sea there was a grey seal out at sea looking back at us. The rain clouds were now over Harris and Lewis while we were still in glorious sunshine but we decided to move on before they came over to dampen our day out. As we made our way round the headland we found some tiny little yellow violets growing wild and also a lot of sheep so the dogs went back on their leads.

Lewis and Harris from Udal

Raining on Berneray

Hilda with Cemetery in background

grey seal

Rain over Lewis and Harris

We climbed up to the Trig point where we had planned on having lunch, but when we got there the wind was relentless so we admired the fantastic clear view of St Kilda before dropping down to the most North Westerly beach on Udal where we sat on a handy outcrop of rocks to eat our sandwiches. We didn't rush lunch or the walk down the beach as we were sheltered from the breeze. At the bottom end of the beach we spotted great flocks of sandpipers and eider ducks. From the next beach we spotted what we thought were great northern divers, but they moved too fast for complete certainty in identification. The dogs racked up a total of 5 beaches that day and we saw only a couple of other people on our walk and always in the distance.

St Kilda panorama

Trig Point

Looking down onto the beach

View from the Lunch Spot

Eider Ducks

Reflections

It was decided to take the Committee Road back; this is known locally as Raptor Alley. If we were going to spot either a golden or sea eagle then this was the place it would happen. We drove slowly along it and saw plenty of twitchers camped out in motorhomes and cars, a few peat-cutters at work but no birds of prey. Not until we were almost at the end when a short eared owl appeared and glided along parallel to the car for about quarter of a mile.

Short Eared Owl

My friend's house looks out over a bay and as well as the most amazing sunsets there is a whole host of wildlife to see. I Think every evening and most mornings we saw a male Harris Hawk out hunting in the surrounding fields and one afternoon a Sea Eagle suddenly appeared, flew along their property boundary and then disappeared behind a hill. We were all too stunned to grab camera and it close enough that you didn't need binoculars.

Sunset across the bay

North Uist Photos
More North Uist Photos

Summer Holidays - Part 6, Benbecula

The original plan from here had been to have a night on Benbecula (un-booked) and one on North Uist (also un-booked) then going to stay with friends for a couple of night before catching a ferry back to the main land and going home. I dropped them a text message on the Monday morning to say we had survived the night and got a call to say the forecast for the next day or two was worse than the previous night so to abandon all camping ideas and go straight to them instead.

The car was loaded and ready for off but as it was raining sideways we started by going back South to Eriskay and the Community Stores there for a look at the craft section with a view to buying items for Christmas presents. After that we returned to Kilbride and stopped off at the cafe on the campsite and discovered that just about everyone else on site had chosen to do the same. I had breakfasted much earlier in the morning so had a cuppa and a slice of very good cake but the breakfasts looked and smelled tempting.

View through the cafe window

Hilda was persuaded out of the car and onto the nearest spot of grass then she made it perfectly clear that she would be more than happy to spend the majority of the day asleep in the car especially if the weather was going to continue to be as foul as it was there and then. I was happy to agree and we set of gently north to our first stop off of the day, Kildonan Museum. A lovely little museum plus cafe and craft shop. I spent a couple of hours pottering round the exhibits before stopping for lunch in the cafe and finding a few Christmas presents in the craft shop.

I had decided that we were going to drive round the coastal road on Benbecula so we could look at the campsite. I looked at the map and decided it looked simple enough, after crossing the causeway take the first left turn. So off we set, we crossed a causeway so I took the first left turn we came to. On the map it showed that after a mile or so the sea would be on our left so I was a little confused when a mile or so later the sea turned out to be on my right. It took another mile or so to find a sensible place to pull in and haul out the phone, switch on the GPS and fire up maps to see where we were. What I hadn't realised was that there was a big loch at the top of South Uist and the road went over it on a causeway. We were still on South Uist and were now following the coast road south. One U turn later and we were back on track. Now on Benbecula we drove slowly past the campsite and decided that stopping there in the forecast winds would not be a sensible idea. Flat is not a word you usually associate with the Scottish Highlands and especially the Islands but this campsite was on a stretch of coast that would not have looked out of place in Holland or Lincolnshire. It was flat and bare and looked straight out to sea, I could feel the winds moving the car, tonight was not going to be the night to be in a tent.

Benbecula from South Uist

A bit further round we found a parking area by a beach and stopped, the rain had stopped so Hilda was quite happy to get out of the car and go for a little run on the beach. It was hard work walking in any direction. Walk into the wind and you made little progress, walk with your back to the wind and you were convinced you were going to get blown over. Sideways on and you couldn't keep a straight line so after about 20 minutes we gave up and retreated back to the shelter of the car.

Look Mum, seaweed

Back to the wind

Several causeways later we passed a sign that said Welcome to North Uist so we knew we had arrived. Fished out the direction to their house which included steps such as "turn right at the church" and "drive down the road past the sigh that says "no vehicles beyond this point" We arrived to be greeted by our friends and their two dogs glad to be indoors out of the weather and with room to stand up straight.

The next morning was still grey and wet and very windy so we left our friends to their work and chores and retraced our steps to the top end of South Uist to follow the signs I had seen to Hebridean Jewellery. It turned out to be a lovely little shop where I bought a few more Christmas presents, and it also had a cafe so tea and cake was on the menu again. This time we took the central road through Benbecula and stopped off a couple of times to admire the view and watch the wildlife before returning to our friends house for an afternoon walk.

Summer Holidays - Part 5, South Uist

The view from the Kilbride campsite was back over the water to Barra and with a pair of Binoculars you could see Croft No2 Campsite. However due to forecast bad weather all the tents were being put at the back of the site in the most sheltered location and the hope that the couple of rows of camper vans in front would provide some more shelter as well. Once more there was a beach just over the road from the campsite but Hilda was most unimpressed to discover that at high tide there was no beach left for her to explore.

The next morning dawned dry but blustery so we headed North and East to South Lochboisdale to visit the Listening Place Sculpture and have a short walk (it really was, only 2 miles) around the area. Then it was on to Lochboisdale for lunch and a little bit of exploring before returning to the campsite for Hilda to have a good run on the beach before the tide came in.

Hilda at The Listening Place

Meadow Pipit

As we went to bed that night there were 4 tents in a row at the back of the site, the wind had picked up and now had gusts that were almost gale-force. I remember hearing a car door shut in the middle of the night and assumed it was one of the campers moving their car to provide a bit more shelter as the wind had changed direction. When we got up in the morning there were only 3 tents in a row. One of the campers had decided the wind was too much and packed up in the wee small hours.

Hilda on the beach by the campsite

Turnstones

Our tent and the view to the rear of the campsite

It was still dry so the plan for the day was to start with a visit to Loch Aineort. This is a lovely place to visit and walk, it is on the East side of the Island so was sheltered from the wind. There is a small wooded area full of small birds, mostly heard but rarely seen, which soon gives way to heather and moorland with views over the water. This was where we saw our first Sea Eagle of the holiday circling lazily high above in a patch of sunshine. There was an abundance of wildlife back down on the ground too with butterflies, moths, caterpillars, birds and flowers. There was evidence of previous occupation of the area too, a lovely place in the summer but harsh and unforgiving in the winter. We spent three or four hours pottering and exploring the area, there was a circular walk which we started but when we started to encounter lots of sheep and Hilda was spending more time on her lead than off I decided we were going to turn back and retrace our steps to the car instead of pushing on.

Sun on the Loch

Wren

Sea Eagle

Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Who used to live in a house like this?

Balancing Sculpture

 In the afternoon we went back over to the West side of the Island to inject a little culture into the holiday and visit the Hallan Roundhouses. We parked up close to the Hallan Cemetery and walked along the track to the Roundhouses. There is not a lot to see but a series of information boards explain what you can see and provide all the information you need. We then dropped down onto the beach and discovered how sheltered we had been in the dunes. There was nobody else as far as the eye could see North or South! Hilda had a little run round after her ball on a rope but even she admitted defeat after running in the wind for half an hour, we went back up into the dunes and made our way back to the car and back to the campsite.

Round Houses

We had the beach to ourselves

Sunset - the calm before the storm

The winds were now gale force with stronger gusts but my mid-sized tent was still standing and all pegged down. One of the other tents had gone but four more had arrived bringing the total to six, a couple of people were also island hopping and after looking at the forecast for the next day had decided to make the Barra - Eriskay crossing today rather than tomorrow when there was a good chance the ferry would be cancelled.

It was an interesting night, the wind was relentless and brought rain with it. Hilda slept through it all and I slept through a lot of it. We were due to move on in the morning so I had packed all but the essentials the night before. At 6am the rain stopped so I made a mad dash to the utility block to have a shower etc. By the time I had finished the wind was starting to ease and by the time everything else was packed away it had more or less died away. From looking at the forecast the night before I knew it was a temporary lul so made the most of it. I nearly made it, I had decided that the best thing to do was to loosely roll the tent and put it in a bin bag rather than try to roll it tightly to fit in its carry bag. I had got it all flat and folded up and was just ready to roll it when the winds picked up again. Fortunately, just as I had rolled it and was wondering how to get it in the bin bag when someone in a campervan came out and, after spotting my dilemma, retreated back inside to get waterproofs before coming to lend a much appreciated hand with the final bit of the process.

South Uist & Benbecula Photos