Our explorations of the west of Scotland often begin in the port and ferry terminal city of Oban. It is a beautiful old town . . . and also has the best oysters in Scotland.
I love the old fishing trawlers at the quay in Oban, mostly because I am rust obsessed.
Working boats . . . working for our seafood.
We took the ferry from Oban to the Outer Hebrides, a four hour trip.
The ferry left Oban though the Sound of Mull. The view of the Isle of Mull was spectacular.
We arrived on the Outer Hebrides on Barra island, in the town of Castlebay, named after the 16th century Kisimul Castle in the bay.
Most of the Hebrides were depopulated in the 1950s. There were plenty of old abandoned buildings to photograph.
The Outer Hebrides are very remote, one of the most remote places in Europe. We were here at the very beginning of the tourist season and not everything wad open yet . . . some for unforeseen circumstances.
We drove north up the A888, a mostly one-lane road with passing pull-outs every now and then. The otherworldly rocky landscape was fascinating.
A Barra beach.
The chain of Islands are connected by a few bridges and several ferries. We left Barra for Eriskay (old Norse of "Eric's Island") and South Uist islands. In the 2011 census South Uist had a usually resident population of 1,754.
Getting to the ferries early allows time for photography . . . and a cup of coffee in the tiny terminal.
The ferry passage between islands under the leaden skies and misty sounds created a fine dark mood.
South Uist island is home of the Askernish Golf Course, designed by Old Tom Morris (in 1891), the same course designer of the Old Course at St. Andrews. The Askernish Golf course was 'lost' for over 80 years until re-discovered and reopened in 2008.
The fields of South Uist we all abloom in yellow flowers.
From South Uist we passed over a causeway to Benbecula island and then across another causeway to North Uist Island. We followed this road to Lochmaddy, where the ferry to the Isle of Skye terminates.
We had a fine lunch at the port of Lochmaddy and afterward I walked along the fishing pier at low tide to capture some still life photos.
Grey rope and grey stone.
I found a wad of bright orange kelp and took many photos. I use this (in full resolution) as a desktop photo. Fascinating.
Although we had very little clear skies, we also had very little rain. A threatening storm approaches . . . then fizzled.
To say that the Outer Hebrides is a wet and cloudy place is an understatement.
Always wet, always damp, always rocky, always peaty.
The Outer Hebrides is such a completely different environment from any I have ever seen.
There is some agriculture and husbandry out on the Outer Hebrides. These are Highland cows.
We made another small ferry passage from North Uist to the Isle of Harris, the home of the famous Harris Tweed.
We made a beautiful landing on Harris.
More beautiful fishing boats on Harris.
Nothing like the beach on a beautiful summer day in the tropics . . . but wait! This is the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, an island chain a hundred miles off the far northwest shores of Scotland!
Being Scotland in the summer, we were just happy that it wasn't actually raining. The clouds are no problem. In fact, during the 10 days we spent on this trip to the Outer Hebrides from Aberdeen, we saw actual rain only once.
Most of the roads we drove on the Hebridean Isles were one-lane. It seemed we were never more than a few hundred yards from the sea . . . and views of coves, beaches, and cliffs.
Oh! The views!
Brooks and streams pouring into the sea from every hill and mountain.
The Isle of Harris and the Isle of Lewis are conjoined. Crossing them several times, we were taken with the grand views of this dramatic landscape. The stripes are the remnants of peat cutting, or harvesting.
Peat (turf) is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter that is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, or mires. The peat is cut off from banks and left to dry, or drain. Peat, when dry, is slow burning (and smelly!), and has been used to heat homes in remote Scotland for centuries.
We saw many seals basking on the rocks from our several ferry trips, and abundant birds everywhere, but this rabbit was the only land mammal we saw.
Only a few traditional old thatched houses remain on the Outer Hebrides.
Old shepherd's sheds dotted the high bogs of Lewis.
The Callinish Stones as we first saw them. There are many prehistoric sites all about the Outer Hebrides, but the Isles of Harris and Lewis have the most. Magnificent.
Although this Neolithic site dates from before 3000 BC, the standing stones date from 2900-2600 BC. The Standing Stones of Callinish are a complex of neolithic structures, including a burial chamber (closed the day we were here).
The light came and went all afternoon, creating a drama of different moods across the stone circle.
The view from the mound of standing stones was inspirational.
MORE TO COME: STILL CONSTRUCTING THIS ENTRY.
The Hebridean landscape lends itself to fancy photographic effects . . . .