Lochboisdale

 The German lady travelling with her cat left first this morning. We left last. The sun shone, the sea sparkled and the views mesmerised us. We hoped we would never forget this magical area.

Feeling we'd seen the best of Harris and Lewis and being so near the ferry to Uist, along with increased wind speed overnight we drove down to the ferry terminal at Leverburgh where we telephoned the Cal Mac office at Tarbert and changed our crossing tomorrow to four o' clock this afternoon.The lady from Cornwall, next to us last night, arrived and did the same.

With time to kill we drove up to the tiny church of St Clements at Rodel. The church dates back to the sixteenth century and was well worth the visit. The stonework is in remarkable condition considering the elements it is battered by on the cliff top. Several of the clan Macleod are buried there.

As the ferry slipped from its berth we both had that feeling of nervous excitement when you travel somewhere for the first time. We'd become used to Harris and Lewis and its rugged terrain and white sand beaches. We did not really know what to expect of the Uists. 

Our plan on arrival was to drive to the most southerly point at Eriksay, Norse for Eric's Isle, so we could enjoy the views whilst the sun was still shining, as tomorrow rain is forecast.

As beautiful as it was driving the length of North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist via the many causeways, we abandoned the overnight stop. The wind was strong, forecasted to increase. Sometimes life doesn't go too well. Angela really

A cove at Sgarasta Mhor on our way to the ferry, the water was so clear it was hard to imagine it was 6 - 8 feet deep.

Luskentyre, Isle of Harris

Marge was a little unsettled this morning. Lights on dashboard like a Christmas tree. Fuel showing as empty, when it's virtually full and no indicators. Great Marge! But we set off, and after a while she settled down, thank God.

Today we needed to drive back to Harris, as in two days time we must catch our early morning sailing across to North Uist. Marge, dare we say it, breezed along now quite happy. We passed quite a few cyclists struggling their way up the six and a half miles of steep inclines, and didn't envy them.

Stopping at a viewpoint, where we decided to lunch, two cyclists sat quite despondent. They'd shredded a tyre on their 20-inch wheeled tandem on a cattle grid and were awaiting help from the bike shop in Stornoway. As we lunched, three men arrived one after the other after slogging up a huge hill. We got talking, the eldest, from Merseyside was seventy-nine! The good Samaritans we are, we offered to fill their water bottles before they set off, for which they were grateful. 

Feeling a little soft, we powered up Marge and continued onwards to Luskentyre Just when we thought our overnight spots couldn't become more beautiful, we were proved wrong. This is heaven Marge. We are settled above the three-mile-wide estuary with views to the mountains. The van next to us belongs to a lady from Cornwall. She was near to us when we overnighted at Cliff. Needing to stretch our legs we took a walk of a mile and a half down to the beach passing the magnificent holiday homes along the way.

Our favourite building though was 'The Cake Shed'. A little further on, we stopped at the little beach shop and bought ice lollies. And then, what a beach! 

What a view! What a beautiful starfish! We sat on the sand warmed by the sun and looked across at the small island of Taransay where the BBC filmed the programme Castaway in 2000. The success of the programme launched Ben Fogles television career.

John ventured into the cool turquoise water, amazed at just how clear the water was. We could have been on a Caribean island, it was stunningly beautiful. 

This evening us, and the owners of the other three vans are excited as we wait for the sunset. We think it will be amazing.

North Tolsta

No northern lights last night, when we checked activity was low. But wow! What a view this morning. The sky, blue as that on a picture postcard. This morning first stop Stornoway, a place we see on a weather map after the evening news, and somewhere we'd never thought we'd visit.  And besides they have a leisure centre. £1.30 each buys you a shower in your own wet room, with toilet and wash handbasin. So clothes washing as well as bodies.

We didn't want to drive too far today, so chose a spot about fifteen miles north along the coast. On the way we stopped at the ruins of St Columba's UI church, which dates back to the 14^th century.

Near to it, the Aiginis Raiders, Cairn, built to honour families whose farmland was taken from them by estate owners back in 1888.

By early afternoon we'd secured a prime spot in the small car park at North Tolsta beach, a small inlet opened out to a vast white sanded beach that stretched as far as the eye could see. It reminded us of the landing beaches in Normandy, France. A walk down on the beach, the sand marked by the waves was likened to mackerel skin.

The rocks covered in mussels and tiny whelks. Curtains of seaweed hung over them offering camouflage. Amongst the marram grass primroses peppered the sand. We'd chosen a great spot. John had earlier described the outer Hebrides as peaceful. Despite the roar of the surf you were lost in your own thoughts. It was peaceful indeed. 

Received from one of our followers, thanks Dawn x

Barbas, Isle of Lewis

We knew the view would be stunning this morning, and it was, The whole bay was illuminated in the bright morning sunshine. The white sand, flat as a bowling green awaited the footprints of the morning dog walkers. Just off shore a porpoise played. Right Marge, we're off. No nonsense today please. 

We took the slow road passing the bays at Kneep and Reef, stopping at An Suileachan, a monument honouring the nineteenth century, Lewis, land clearances. 

Then on to the Callanish Standing Stones where we ate freshly baked fruit scones whilst enjoying views towards East Loch Roag. Next stop on our tourist trail, The Black Houses at Gearrannan. for the first time, Angela was a concession!

There are some advantages to getting older. We spoke with one of the guides who explained about the 1920's loom used by the crofters to weave Harris tweed, and showed us inside one of the houses restored to how it would have been originally. The village and house were used as a film location in the 2019 Christmas episode of Call the Midwife. 

Overnight locations are few and far between in this area. We headed to Port of Ness, stopping along the way to look at the whale jaw bone of an eighty-foot blue whale found harpooned and beached at Bragar bay in 1920. 

At Port of Ness there was parking above the harbour, but one of the vans that was with us last night at Cliff had already taken the best spot. Not too keen on being on a slope above the harbour with wind speeds of 27 mph forecast Angela wanted to move somewhere else. So, we did, and it turned out to be for the best.

Barbas bay, what a location. As we marvelled at its beauty a car pulled into the small parking area. The driver, the lady who worked in the shop at the Callanish Standing Stones. Small world. Her husband told us the northern lights would appear tonight which excited us and the owner of the other van here with us. But when we looked on the internet it said a sighting tonight was unlikely. So, we'll just have to wait and see. The oyster catchers outside are in noisy conversation, perhaps they know something we don't.

Cliff, Isle of Lewis

We knew the view would be spectacular this morning. The sea of clearest blue cleaned the wind whipped sands. Time to take the road back, Marge, and yes there will be cows to negotiate. Right on cue they sat in silent protest as they saw us approach. Marge squeezed by, almost touching one, but thankfully not, they were big beasts. After a slow drive up steep inclines in low gears, Marge wasn't happy. Why have you gone into safe mode? We stopped, investigated and she did it again. Thankfully, the rest of the day passed uneventfully. 

Our drive took us to Gallan Head, the most north west point of the outer Hebrides. A former deserted  MOD site greeted us along with scruffy houses and rubbish, What a dump! The cafe, called the Edge was recommended in one of our guide books. Angela ventured in. The woman she spoke to was rude, and seemingly not really interested in customers. 'We don't advertise we're here, we like to keep ourselves to ourselves'. O.K. Good business plan. We drove off! We felt like we were in the bad lands as we negotiated roads across peat bogs and around small lakes looking for an escape route.

Cliff, our overnight stop was a welcome sight. Parking on the machair right above the beach, it was like paradise. Five pounds in the donation box was all that was required to enjoy this beautiful place. We settled Marge and walked up onto the cliffs, sitting for a while to look back down onto the bay. What a view. And yes Marge we can see you down there.