Tuesday 2 May 2017

A Trip To The Hub Of The Island

Our trip to Stornoway was a huge success we had a drive around the outskirts and found an industrial estate with a few little surprises, not least a shop selling pre-loved, upcycled, recycled furniture it was a joy to pop in and see what they had.  I fell in love with a large wardrobe but sadly it had already been sold.  Certainly a place to keep popping in apparently stock changes quickly.

We were certainly blessed when we discovered a charity shop having a book sale.  Bethseda  charity shop were selling books for 1p each.  Apparently they had a surplus of books, we had a field day picking out books for ourselves and the Grandchildren.   Here is a sample of some of the books.


 
We have also joined the Library, the library bus comes to the village every three weeks so we will not have a shortage of books.
 
We found a lovely shop selling local crafts which was a delight, the window display was certainly eye catching.
 

 
I found a stool that I fell in love with, a perfect piece for the fireplace.  It has a certain charm, the tag says it all...
 
 
It has pride of place in the fireplace, a wonderful addition to our little croft cottage.
 

 
The cottage was de-crofted prior to being marketed and after a lot of heart searching we decided not to buy the croft as well which indeed does go right down to the sea.  We felt that it was too big a commitment, we have got a substantial piece of land with the cottage and the outbuildings so we are thrilled with out lot.
 
There is also a craft market held in the Town Hall on a regular basis and a couple of little shops selling craft supplies.
 
I was amazed at the programme at An Lanntair there is certainly a very impressive few months of events, activities and festivals.  We had a stroll around the main gallery of the building showing the Naked Craft Exhibition, an exhibition exploring heritage and contemporary connections between craft traditions and makers from both Scotland and Canada.  Let me show you a few pieces:
 







 
A wonderful surprise and a great addition to our day out, well worth a visit.  There was a very good fish and chip shop, we know this because we sampled their fish supper, such a shame that we have to drive  27 miles to get some.  Hope that has answered some of your questions, I am thrilled that you are so interested and are humbled by your comments and encouragement.  The attic bedrooms are guest rooms there is also a master bedroom downstairs which is at the moment a work in progress and will be revealed soon.
 
See you soon.

32 comments:

  1. I only found your blog recently and just love it. Your cottage is just perfect and it looks like the area you now live in is too. I think you have found a little slice of heaven.

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  2. What a bargain you found in those books! I love the stool you bought and the description of it on the tag.

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  3. I am thrilled that there is such a place 27 miles away. My goodness, I was worried that you two had made a moon landing at first. Now I am greatly encouraged. The stool is a delight for its local lore. Perfect for your sweet cottage.

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  4. Love the stool. When we went to Stornoway there was a great street food cabin opposite Argos.

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  5. Oh I love all of the crafts....just look at that cloak...how amazing.
    Good fish and chips, a charity shop, upcycled and recycled furniture and craft supplies too...it really does sound like a little corner of heaven.
    I think we can safely say that you will be very happy there.
    Hugs-x-

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  6. It sounds like you've got everything you need, if not very close by then not that far away. Those books were great bargain, it's all about being in the right place at the right time.

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  7. I've enjoyed all of this so much! I like the stool. It is very unusual. Can't wait to see the master bedroom.

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  8. Thank you for taking us along on your outing. The stool is a very interesting piece and it looks perfect by your fireplace. I love the description of it. That was quite a bargain on the books. You can never have too many books! I'm so glad you're making your way around and finding things that will make you more at home in the new cottage and the surrounding area. I'm looking forward to seeing more photos of your cottage and the remodeling that you're doing, especially the kitchen area. I always find kitchens the most interesting.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  9. I think I'm enjoying your exploration of the island almost as much as you are. So many new things to discover.

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  10. It sounds and looks such a beautiful place and plenty to keep you busy too xx

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  11. I've really enjoyed reading this post and seeing what you have discovered. I love your little stool by the fireside and you found some wonderful books too:)

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  12. Just catching up, congratulations on your move it looks wonderful. I think you have made more progress than me already!!

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  13. Fascinating crafts [and books] you were able to view/purchase, and a bookmobile visiting on a regular basis is something to look forward to. The work of Angus is especially interesting. Thanks for posting, Lorraine. I am still enjoying episodes of "Escape to the Country" and it is fun to know it is another interest we share!

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  14. OK, will admit I had to look up croft. Dumb Yankee and all. Seems maybe a crofter is a farmer? That's as close as I could figure. If I'm off base, please correct me and set me straight. I'm as fascinated with your new world as the rest of your readers are.

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  15. I very much enjoyed seeing more of your new home area and the crafts you found. I LOVE the stool! I look forward to seeing more images of the interior of your cottage and the kitchen will be fun to see. Thanks for sharing!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  16. so enjoying your blog and learning about the island you now call home.

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  17. What a treasure trove of neat shops you can visit and find amazing items for your new home. The up cycled ( if that's the word) stool is such a one-of-a-kind find!

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  18. I have just been catching up on your blog! The countryside pictures are lovely!! I loved reading about all the new places you are exploring and discovering. Your new stool is absolutely adorable. What a great find!! Thanks for taking us along on your travels :)

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  19. I'm so glad you enjoyed the trip. It looks wonderful. I was especially interested because we are going to Scotland in June.
    Amalia
    xo

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  20. I'm enjoying reading all about your island adventures. What lovely things you discovered on your day out. The little footstool is perfect beside your fireplace.

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  21. I am enjoying your adventure... but what does de-crofted mean?

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  22. What an enjoyable day out for you and your husband. The stool looks cosy and glad you found some fun shops to visit. Too bad fish and chips is so far away from you...but maybe you can pop in once a month. Is there a smaller town by you as well? Take care!

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  23. What a wonderful trip! The crafts and furniture are gorgeous.

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  24. You are indeed in the right place! You have found all these wonderful and interesting place for you to shop. Love the stool too! Have a beautiful day!

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  25. how could we not be interested? Your adventures are ours as well. I love that you are happy and tell your Mr to take care of himself and don't overdo it but to have FUN anyways :)

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  26. The stool is adorable and I completely understand why it had to come home with you, I would have felt just the same. It is fascinating hearing about your new life and adventure. I'm looking forward to the next instalment already. It sounds like a wonderful place to live.

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  27. Looks as though you had a fabulous day out. Lots of interetsing little places to fossick around in and find treasures.

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  28. Love the picture of the giraffe...

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  29. Oh my! That stool is fabulous. What a wonderful day and a wonderful place. X

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  30. What a delightful blog post. I so enjoyed it and thank you for sharing. I have missed your wonderful posts. Glad to see you are back!

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  31. I'm so happy for you and your days my dear I love home details too
    Kisses

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  32. I just love following your adventures! The little stool is great. I loved reading the tag.
    xo
    Lynn

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