Blogs from Outer Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe - page 3

FLYING SOUTH WITH THE BIRDS If the swallows can do it then so can I, they had vacated their black chimney nest back in early September and during a dull Breton summer there had been two casualties which I discovered on returning from the Outer Hebrides. My 17th century farm-house in Central Finistere has always been open to wildlife, bats lodge between the rafter, mice make their way through the meter thick walls, hornets have discovered the perfect void above the toilet dormer window, sparrows nest in the scaffold holes in gable end while toads find the damp mossy cool spots at the base, and each year swallows fight over who will take over the chimney nest. With all this wildlife there is inevitably death, I returned at the end of one summer to find a ... read more

Motorhome News from Scotland 2 September 17th – 21st 2012 The Outer Hebrides. Harris & Lewis 'The Land of 1000 Rainbows' A letter to my sister, Audrey. My dear Audrey, We only get to see you so briefly once a year when you join us for the family ‘garden party’ in July, but we think of you often as we travel, knowing that for you this is another world now beyond your reach. This letter is for you in the hope that within its many images there will be the opportunity for you to join us on our journey. We would love that. News finally reached us of improved weather on the Western Isles, a brief enough window for us to make the dash across Scotland, fingers crossed for sunshine, from our campsite at ... read more

Today is the day of visiting a record number of islands. Yesterday were up to 25 islands so now we will see what the score will be tonight. What a difference a day makes. Travelling the first 8 miles was a joy with a 20mph wind on our backs and easy pedalling. After this we started to turn into the NE wind on several occasions to visit the small islands to the East of our route, but of course it was straight behind us again on our return. We visited Baleshare off North Uist. Next was Grimsay and off that was Seanabraigh. Benbecula followed Grimsay by a long causeway and this had the most small islands to,conquer; Floddaigh, Griomasaigh and Eilean na Cille. These small islands are either connected to the main islands by a bridge, ... read more

Walking back to our B&B along from the pier was like walking in Antarctica in a howling gale at sub zero temperature? The waitress at the Anchor Restaurant, Leverburgh, said that she would have run us back but her car was not here. I asked if she could go and get it for us and run us back but she said it was in Inverness. Some offer that was. A bit different to this morning when Mrs McCauley set us off with an excellent breakfast into a tail wind and a clear sky, allowing us to be back in Tarbert before 2pm for a late lunch. We even managed to find a transport cafe near the Stornoway junction for a brew on the way down. On our way South from Bernera we also stopped at the ... read more

Last night we were pit up in Portree by a nice chap called Andy, who told us later that it was not his house but he was just house sitting for a friend who was spending a month in Kendal with his daughter. We were a bit worried about the situation, especially when the dogs started barking at 10.30pm, and who should appear but the owner, with Andy neatly ’tucked in’ for the night. We had to hurriedly tell him who we were and settle his anxiety- phew! All went well, thankfully. The morning saw ,much better weather, but as we climbed out of town we hit heavy showers and the cape had to go on again. We made a brief stop at the campsite half way up the hill to meet Steve Lee with his ... read more