A Walk On The Wild Side

 Sunday was overcast and dreary not really conducive for a stroll across the machair.  But after listening to the morning church service and over indulging with lunch, we both felt it was a good idea.  The wind was blowing and underfoot was very wet but it was worth a little bit of discomfort.  The views were indeed spectacular.  We took a left turn quite near our cottage down a single track road and this is what was at the end of the track.  We have been there before but it is still a delight to find this hidden treasure.

The bothy was amazing, it really does look like it has been made from an old building, maybe an old blackhouse dwelling.  What a place to sit and watch the sea and enjoy the natural surroundings.  The sea was wild creating some great waves, I must admit I wouldn't have wanted to be out on a boat.

As we were walking it was quite apparent that the seasons were changing.  There was a lot of brown where the thistles were changing colour from the vibrant green and purple.

What I love is wherever we walk there is always sheep and as I am such a yarn lover I always like to admire their coats.

All in all it was a delightful walk on the wild side...Hope you enjoyed coming along with me from your armchair.  Come on back to the cottage my neighbour has just made scones and I will put the kettle on.  This is the single track road.

We will have to sit outside I'm afraid the new restrictions have been announced and we are not allowed home visits.  We will of course abide by the rules but I must admit that I feel saddened by these steps, our social life is very much visiting each others homes.  I will do whatever it takes to be rid of this terrible virus that is sweeping the world. Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Failte gu Taighean-dubha nan Gearrannan

Welcome to Gearrannan Blackhouse Village and we certainly did receive a very warm welcome.  There are nine house amongst the complex.  One is a Youth Hostel, another four are self catering accommodation and the others are a meeting room, a working blackhouse/museum and a cafeteria/shop.

 

We travelled back in time to visit Taigh Thormoid Anna, back to 1955 to stroll around a working museum to experience life in a genuine blackhouse. 

 

 

A hard life but warm in so many ways.  The peat fire added warmth and the fragrance added to the atmosphere.  The blackhouse interiors had many of the features of more modern "white" houses of the time.

The traditional way of life continues beyond the 1950s but eventually the blackhouses were left with only ageing residents who were unable to maintain them so in 1974 they were moved to local council houses.

There are also two coastal walks, we had a little stroll and explored the top of the world.

Wilbur was the King of many a castle.

Definitely worth a visit.  We then continued along the Westside of the Island with Wilbur and Hector thrilled to see sheep wandering around in the road.  Wilbur also loved seeing the sheep grazing on the rough terrain and hanging off the sides of the mountains.  We certainly had a fun drive and stopped to visit the standing stones of Calanais.

It was a delight to see the two boys wandering around, holding hands and taking it all in.  We talked about how the stones got there and how many men it would need to carry them.

We finished off our outing with a visit to the coffee shop for lunch and admired the view over Loch Roag.

 

 

 

So nice to see the beauty of the thistles along the machair.  The thistle is the National flower of Scotland and also the national emblem of Scotland since the Reign of Alexander III (1249-1286).

 

Hope you enjoyed our little tour around our Island Paradise, its magical powers certainly worked on our visitors who are already planning their next visit.

 

As always thank you for all your wonderful comments, support and encouragement.

 

See you soon.