Still enough visibility to be able to enjoy the cliffs and hills which flank the loch, but not quite the brilliance we enjoyed yesterday, but it could change as the sun is trying hard to break through. . Very smart new boat and we have birds-eye seats in the very comfortable passenger lounge and observation deck. Not sure whether the choice of music on the van to the ferry was the best for nervous travellers - The Titanic! Particularly as our bright a chirpy new driver, George, had mentioned that it was a new boat!
In fact, we had a superb crossing with virtually no boat movement whatsoever, and half way across the Minch the weather started to change and the sun returned. I can't believe it. I spent most of the time outside, getting to know some very nice Americans who hopefully will come out to NZ . We enjoyed watching the gannets fishing and also saw several porpoises as we stood and chatted.I am glad it was such a great trip. I was a bit worried at the prospect of two hours on rough seas!
Food for thought in our first cafe stop!
' Life is a journey and not a destination'. How very true and I do feel I am making the utmost of my journey.
At our first stop, Stornaway museum, I had a good chat to a local young lass about Gaelic, pronounced garlic here. Very interestingly, it has only 16 letters! Our more complex letters like ' j,k,q,v,' etc are only used in loan words. Fascinating - at least to me!
I liked this!?It could have various interpretations I guess.
The Isle of Lewis is very different from Orkney. After lunch we visited the far north, oddly enough called Butt of Lewis. The drive up there took us past kilometres of moor land nd swamps, and large ' peat banks'. No trees around and very few villages.
We came to a beautiful cove not far from The Butt, Five Penny Ness. What a gorgeous name for these golden sands and turquoise waters.
The colourful lillies everywhere further enhanced this magical scene.
George was very relaxed about time so we could really enjoy walking on the golden sands in what were remarkably mild temperatures. There were very beaitiful patterns in the sand.
Our final stop of the day was at the lighthouse at the Butt. Strange name for something at the top of the island! Last land point for 4000 miles and then we would get to Canada! Incredible thought. It was a wonderfully rugged and wild place with seals, gannets and cormorants. Apparently one can often sees basking whales there, but not today.
It was certainly a great start to our Hebridean adventure
Our full day on the island of Lewis was probably one of the best travel days I have ever experienced - fantastic driver, who did everything possible to ensure we would have a great day out, amazing historical sites dating back 5000 years, fantastic scenery, very varied, and last but not least unimagineably mild and beautiful weather with hardly a puff of wind! To spend the entire day in t- shirt late in September on one of the windiest islands in G.B. was rather unique. The entire day certainly 'flicked my switch' as George loved to say!
We stopped at one of the Blackhouse villages at Carloway, which in itself is outstandingly beautiful with its views out to the Atlantic Ocean, over miles and miles of stone walls and pastures. I do not have photos of the little thatched cottages but I do of the area around them
The cottages, probably over 150 years old , are remarkable in that there is a peat fire in the centre of the living area, but no chimney, so the whole experience is pretty smokey and we all smelled of peat all day. Luckily, I find it much more tolerable than tobacco smoke! Surprisingly enough, the people of those times lived to a ripe old age. When a cottage fell into disrepair, like the one below, they simply built a new one and left the ruins. This is in fact what they still do today, so you often see ruins in a garden next to a newer home. 
The road along the south- west coast is really breathtakingly beautiful. It is often one- lane t with heaps of passing places. However wide it is, there were certainly no traffic issues. Most of the time, just like NZ , we were alone in a remote area, surrounded by simply stunning scenery. The colours on this marvelous day were out- of- this- world.
About 5000 years ago the Calanais Standing Stones were erected in Lewis not far overlooking a spectacular sea loch. This makes the stones older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids and yet although preserving them is paramount, visitors can walk freely amongst the stones, touching them or hugging them. There is no entry fee, no graffiti and no guard. But, it works and is exceptionally impressive. Here we have 50 standing stones, many more than I have seen elsewhere, in a huge cross shape. With the midday sun casting shadows, they were even more spectacular.
With some patience, I waited till everyone left for lunch and then found myself virtually alone in the centre of the central 13 stones, some towering 4 metres above me. It was very special and really gave me a chance to contemplate, and to imagine how the people and life at that time had been.
Despite thousands of visitors each year, the sheep still seem to be inteigued by us humans.
Only minutes down the road George pulled off on a very tiny road to explore! It was well worth it because the lochan we reached was gorgeous.
The Harris Tweed industry has moved from Harris to Lewis more or less and now there are many independent weavers, like Norman, who we visited, who spend their days at the loom creating masterpieces, kwhilst keeping mind and body really active. Norman was a fascinating person to listen to. He never really learnt the trade but spent most of his holidays watching his uncle working ( 'no television in those days', he said!) and then took it up. He explained the whole process in detail and demonstrated how he weaves. It is really a physical job, but it obviously pays dividends.
The drive around the west coast of Uig ( I love that name!) was gorgeous. We could have stopped hundreds of times at pretty little lochans, huge lochs, or mountains. We were heading for a spectacular beach, just huge with a backdrop of dunes. Uig beach simply goes for miles, particularly at low tide, as it was when we arrived mid afternoon. You have to walk a mile or so to get to the water. I guess swimming would take you out yet another mile further because the water is so shallow.
What a sight! It reminded me of the fabulous beaches around the Catlins of New Zealand, vast and deserted, even on a near cloudless, mild day. It was heaven on earth.
As the sun sank a little deeper we were treated to fabulous lighting effects on the wetter sandy areas. We could have easily spent an entire day here, but all too soon we had to leave for yet another lovely spot.
On the way we passed a carving of one of the Lewis Chessmen, some of which had been found by Uig beach. Apparently a Viking chess set was found there inside a small stone chamber. Inside were 93 small chess pieces made from the husks of walrus teeth. We had actually seen an exhibition in Stornaway just after we arrived. I should have paid more attention as it seems really remarkable.
Our last, and certainly not least impressive, stop was on the little Island of Great Bernera. It was worth going there simply for the spectacular scenery on each side of the extremely narrow one- lane road. Itvwas brilliant to be up front and able to see everything so clearly. As we followed the very long and winding road up and down past shimmering lochans and little white crofters' homes, I am sure everyone on the bus was wondering where we were heading.
Answer - one of George's favourite bays, Bosta Beach. There is even a little stone age village next to the beach, but we were too late to visit it. Never mind! I was more than happy to stay on these soft white sands. Some of the group even ventured in for a paddle! It was certainly inviting.
What a day! We had had seen and taken in so much, we could not have asked for a more perfect day.
Now, I am actually writing this outside, in a covered area, on the ferry from Tarbert in Harris to Skye. A bit chilly and it is foggy and raining, but so far I am happy that we don't seem to be bouncing about too much!
We could not believe our eyes this morning when we left our b and b and found it was cool, about 13 degrees, and raining. After such pleasant temperatures and a sunny day yesterday, it did not seem possible. But, at least we could experience the Hebrides as most people do and we were pretty lucky to have very little rain in the morning, giving us the chance to see most of the little island of Harris ( actually it is not an island, but they call it one!😀). There are only 2000 inhabitants there, many of them holiday home owners from England, who live in wee hamlets along the coast. Those living there permanently are farmers, fishermen or artists it seems. Tourism is not as big as in Lewis.
Harris tweed. Famous throughout the world and starting on Harris but now mostly made on Lewis.
Having a maiden name of Harris, I had to take the above photo!
There is a massive range of colours and patterns
And they sell from dogs' collars, leads and coats to suits made from Harris Tweed. Very pricey and not really my style.
No. these 'Hairy Coos ' are not on a cycle track! That was our road for the morning, the Golden Road, named so because it cos so much to build. Talk about narrow! There was only just room for the van but there were loads of passing places and drivers are very well behaved, like the local sheep which sit inches from the road watching the traffic go by. They are so calm and rarely wander on to the road - unlike the Highland cows here
This was the view from the jump seat. It was a fabulous trip despite the narrow, winding, undulating track. The scenery was really breathtaking, with little stoney bays on the one side and what looked like a moonscape on the other. We were following in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, so George was able to tell us some interesting tales and play us some music written about this famous man. Somebody asked what happened to him. ' Och, it didney end well, for him. He turned to drink and womanising. Actually, not so bad really!',
Hardly a soul in sight, perfect for lots of stops for photographs. A paradise even though the sky was not as blue as it was yesterday.
Our most southerly stop was at the stone church of St Clement perched up on a hill in South Harris. It hsd some very interesting tombs, well preserved and dating back to the sixteenth century.
I did find, by chance, this lovely heart in the middle of the stone wall surrounding the churchyard. I wonder if there were more?
It was here that the rain set in for a while unfortunately and all George' s plans to have a picnic on this beach turned to custard! Whilst most of the group huddled in the van, I made the most of some breaks in the showers to enjoy these massive sandy and cliff beaches, such contrasts of colour!
The trips out were short- lived as the rain swept in. Just as we were about to leave we had a short burst of sun and this lovely rainbow. The end to a great morning, not quite on a par with yesterday, but still fantastic.
As we got to the ferry the guy there asked if I had enjoyed it on the Hebrides. When I said 'yes, very much' he said ' do you like rain then? ' people have very short memories, don't they?
Perfect timing, we are coming in to Skye. Has been a great crossing and now I can enjoy watching the diving gannets again.
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