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Published: July 28th 2010
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Berneray Youth Hostel
Nice place but lost spirit (see text) Thursday
Wet and grey and windy and wet and grey and windy...but not cold, unless you got wet in the grey murk and then stood in the wind...Guess who?
First things first. Woke up to the above so had to bring the kitchen (see photos) to the tent entrance and wrap the doorway flap around the box to enable the cooking of our Lorne Sausage, our first 'home cooked' breakie of the trip...bananas and dry oats ok for one, maybe two days but a week gets a little toooo much. It tasted delicious and set us up for our walk.
Set off along road and headed to Borgh, but stopped off at the Visitor Centre, formerly a Nurses Cottage, run by the Berneray Historical Society (http://www.isleofberneray.com/groups/historical.html) on the way and I have to say, for such a small place it was very informative and the gentleman in charge on the day (who is originally from Harris) gave us lots of information to supplement what is already on the walls with many past b&w photographs, from cars slung across old wooden sailing boats to school children with no shoes until quite recent (at least thats the way it seems if you ae
Rough seas
you had to be there to appreciate it. as old as us!)
If you want some fun, go and camp near the cockneys' house at end of island, we were told he thinks he is lord of the manner and owns the island...he dosen't.
Following this we set off again, giving a cheery wave to the seals on the rocks at Loch a Bhaigh who didnt seem to mind the rain, wind and grey skies and continued onto the slipway for ferries to Leverburgh (Harris) and along to Loch Bhuirgh before retracing our steps to the road South East of Benn a Chiaidh where with careful eye towards the hill you will pick up the blue marker post for part of the walk around the island.
We saw the standing stone atop the hill and walked about looking at other rock formations and deciding these were not natural and that we had discovered bronze age burial sites that somehow all the experts have missed, next time we will take our shovels.
Heading down the hill we made our way towards the dunes on the West side of the island but the rain and cloud was coming in low and fast and so detoured back to the community hall
Orca
the killer car...which turned out to be owned by Biggles, i nearly ripped its tongue off! at Borgh only to find it closed.
We sat in a small memorial area, set between 1900 and 2000 with approx 20 names of people in both Gaelic and English, but could not work out what the memorial was to?
After this we briefly headed the few hundred yards across field to see the "Sitting Stones" where it is folklored (is that the right term?) that vikings would sit in judgement and the accused would either be set free or if found guilty, taken and...refer to above web site for more info.
We then headed back to our tent followed al the way by the wind and rain so it was time to take action...we headed to the Youth Hostel with its roaring fire, hung our clothes to dry and sat reading in the warm, pure luxury!
Right then, time for some clarity. While in the youth hostel in the evening the warden made her rounds "more lovely wallets.." is her usual greeting. I explained we were only using some facility and woul make a donation when we let the area, subject to when we leave and how many times we used the facilities.
The wardens response was that is
The Predicting stone
At Beneray shop and cafe you use facilities as a camper you pay £6 each per day no matter how little you use, even if its only for a couple of hours to sit in and warm up. I noticed the hostel has no rules posted and papers are kept in locked box.
Campers beware of this incorrect statement at Berneray Youth Hostel, this is not in the spirit of YHA or SYHA.
For clarity when we visited another hostel on South Uist later on holiday to use toilet, the instructions for the hostel were clear, if you pop in to use facilities, do a bit of cooking or use toilet, kindly leave 90p per person as a donation to help with running costs.
Righto, rant over.
Anway, later in the day Carol and kids arrived and set up camp near us, the second tent had survived...waheyyy.
We all sat in YH and cooked our dinners, we had spam and beans on dry toast, more luxury to soften us up.
We stayed in for most of evening before going to bed...in the wet grey windy night.
Friday
Imagine a really annoying noise...say a fly sat on your pillow buzzing away in the early morning
Seals
as seen from road light...ok...now give that fly a megaphone with the big end connected to your ear canal...got the picture. This is what we were awoken by.
I stuck my head out of tent and realised we were being buzzed by our very own 21st Century Biggles. A bloke with a propeller strapped to his back and a parachute...and no bloody regard to those of use don't get much sleep while tent is being hammered by the wind and rain all night. Yes, it was blazing sunshine but as I only seemed to get unrepeatable harump type sounds from Marian, and seeing as I was now wide awake I was dressed and out on the beach before Biggles had reached the end of the beach.
Had a glorious walk along the beach and back, only seeing the one seal popping up and looking for directions or at least thats what they look like, did a spot of fishing as tide started to come in but nothing caught except seaweed, took my time for two hours but as I got back to tent and Marian made an appearance...the sun decided that was enough as the clouds came rolling in.
We decided we did not
Standing stone
Marian holding up the stone want to pack up and move with a wet tent and quite a bit of damp clothing.
Luckily for us Carol offered us a lift to Lochmaddy where they were headng for the day. We immediately accepted this kind offer and were soon on our way.
We visited the museum (http://www.taigh-chearsabhagh.org/?sess=7d8afff75dda9c1d54c0f86222dd8bc1) website currently under construction) where the kids immediately disappeared to the video room to watch the dolphin and whale videos while we perused the display of the moment about Vallay, the small island to the North of Beneray and the art gallery, some of the current paintings on display of St Kilda looking like photographs.
The stomachs were soon grumbling and we retired to the cafe for some very tasty toasties and pot of tea.
We then walked to the watersports centre just up the road half a mile...and along the lane half a mile...and around the bend half a mile...you get the picture. Its is also the Lochmaddy youth hostel. Carol and kids were looking to book a beginners kayak course, and at £35 per adult, £20 for kids for half day in trhe adjoining sea loch with possible short trip out, it was tempting...but maybe next time.
Anyway, Carol and kids were sorted and then we met a gent who had been waiting three days to capture the local otter on film.
Once we were outside and starting to head off, the elusive otter made its appearance, at least until Carol screeched "theres the otter..."
We didnt have to wait too much longer until the otters made a reappearance, swimming together at the far side of the loch and these were soon joined by a seal and also a buzzard gave a fly past...you had to be there.
Carol drove us back and we say our thankyous and goodbyes for now and headed into the tent. Carol, Aimee and Keiron were heading back into Lochmaddy for dinner at the hotel and despite waiting for the invite...it never appeared, so we were left to cook from inside the tent, Sag aloo potatoes, peper, courgette, smoked sausgae and beer mix with cooker out in rain...it was lovely but we really must learn to impose on people but we are both so shy and retiring.
Neil asleep by nine.
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