Another Day Another View



The Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris are indeed joined and although often talked about as separate Islands both have their own distinct identity.  Harris has a much hillier terrain with spectacular views.  No need for hiking boots today, jump into the car and I will share the beauty with you.

 

We drove down to Tarbert and had a mooch about the Harris Tweed shop, it was inspirational.  There are certainly a lot of talented people on these Islands.

 

 

I tried my hand at weaving, it was harder than I thought and a great strain to the leg muscles.  It was a great place to learn about the looms and the history of the famous Harris Tweed.  The Act of Parliament passed in 1993 gave the Harris Tweed Authority guardianship of the Harris Tweed and the orb trademark.

 

 

We also had a tour of the distillery and purchased a few gifts.

We carried on down for a few miles and had a drive around the Island of Scalpay.  The Island is attached to Harris by a bridge which was opened in 1998.

 

Another beautiful Island 2 miles wide and 1 mile long, with a population of 291.  We did get out of the car and have a stroll along the pier and a look around the crafts market held in the old school.  The children are now bussed over to the school at Tarbert as the numbers were so low, such a shame.  It was good to see the buildings were still been used and once again some very talented people.

 

 

The seagulls were having a feast feeding off the fishing boats and we did smile at the sheep calling in at the Community Centre.

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed our little tour, buckle up and we will call in for afternoon tea at the tearooms in Tarbert.

 

See you soon.

 

 



 

 

Outbuildings and a Stroll

The weather has been glorious all week, long may it last.  We have managed to get a few minor jobs done but are taking things slowly, making the most of the good weather and taking time to chat to our new neighbours.  We attempted a stroll down to the sea but it was a little too much for Gerard, he sat awhile whilst I ventured down.  It was certainly a lot further than anticipated.  Put your walking shoes on and I will take you on a tour of the outbuildings and reward you with some magnificent views if you walk down the croft.

 

To the left hand side of the original outbuilding is an added garage which has been neglected and in need of some tender loving care albeit extensive.  This is the building that we intend to put a polycarbonate roof on and use as an indoor garden.

 

 

The doors are intact and are just laying on the ground.  We have since been down and lifted them up ready to reinstall and paint.

 

To the right hand side is a small store.

 

 

The paint on the door is peeling and there is no roof at all, but the wood is in good condition and can be repainted.  A lot of work and not for the faint hearted but it will all be worth it in the end.

 

The inside of the main building is a joy to behold with wonderful wooden beams and the original stonework.  It will take some clearing as the previous owners left a lot of paraphernalia which we need to sort out.  A neighbour is going to help us with the rubbish.

 

 

In the small store we found 10 large tyres which we intend to repurpose and make into planters.

 

Are you wearing comfortable shoes?

 

The ground near the fence is soggy so definitely worth looking where you are going.  I didn't focusing on the view and ended up with very wet feet indeed.

 

 

Once you get over the small rise, it becomes a feast for the eyes beauty in which ever direction you look.  It was breath taking, everything I thought it would be and more.  The photos do not do it justice.

 

 

I was surprised to see cattle in with the sheep, but they didn't seem bothered by each other.

Now the trek back but there will be tea and cakes as a reward, there is some banana bread and scones just out of the oven.  Hope you enjoyed the walk?

See you soon.

The Intrepid Explorers

We are certainly getting out and about now that the weather has picked up and we have the beautiful Spring days that I remember from holidays past.  We work on the house for a couple of hours and then do a little more exploration of our local area.  The crockpot has become invaluable putting it on in the morning and just leaving it to do its thing until we are ready to eat in the evening.  It is so much more than stews and casseroles, the gammon joint was a huge success.  A great hit was chicken braised with red cabbage definitely something that I would do again.  I did it with 2 chicken breasts but the recipe suggests thighs or drumsticks.

 

Along with the chicken add 1 chopped onion

                                              500g cored and shredded red cabbage
                                              2 apples peeled cored and chopped
                                              4 fl oz red wine

Cook for about 6 hours, it was delicious.

 

I mentioned in an earlier post that it had not all been plain sailing, one of the issues with our move was that we couldn't get the wardrobes out of the old house.  During our 20 years there we had altered the bannisters on the stairs...the removal men tried everything but to no avail.  Needless to say our clothes remained in boxes making life a little difficult.  We managed to buy some wardrobes from the local charity shop and have painted them to match the other furniture.  They are a work in progress needing sanding back a little to give them more the look I am going for.  The chests have been repainted and I will  decoupage  the drawers that have the stag head handles.  A work in progress but at least it is liveable for now.

 

 

The curtains were the only ones that we had two pairs of in the same colour and will be changed when I find what I am looking for.

We have explored the local villages and found hidden gems, The port of Ness was a delight.  We sat there for quite awhile taking in the stunning views and simple beauty.  Next stop over this beautiful ocean America.

 

I feel blessed that I am living the dream and am so thankful for the glorious beauty that I am sharing with the love of my life.

 

The sun setting over the croft, does it get any better than that?

 

 

A lazy day is planned for today, catching up with emails and writing some letters.  What are your plans?

 

See you soon.

 

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.