Friday 11/02/05

Today's expedition heads north again, but this time to the Butt of Lewis, Rubha Robhanais. Fellow B&B guest is a bit of a character, much to the despair of landlady Barbara Burns. This gentleman drinks half a bottle of whisky a day, and smokes like a chimney. Got to busstation at 10.30, in slightly better conditions than yesterday and took the Ness bus. After 55 minutes, this dropped me off in Eoropie, at the start of the road to the Butt. It's chilly today, met only one other person on that road, equally well wrapped up. Had a look in Port Stoth, ½ mile before the Butt. Nearly slipped on the stones on the slipway, and had to run from a big wave. The water is very clear, turquoise green in colour. At the Butt, I looked along the clifftops. These are about 120 feet / 35 m above sealevel. The spray nearly reaches the clifftops. Crossed a stile behind the lighthouse and proceeded south towards Eoropie. Met a pleasant lady, who advised me I could walk all along the coast towards Shader. So off I went to the big beach behind Eoropie, then up to the moors and along the coastline. This went well until I reached an unfordable river at Dell. I found quite a few cemeteries along the shore. Bit morbid, but that is the common location here - on sandy soil. Also many sandy beaches. Went inland past Dell Mill, a now ruined watermill. Then along the A857 to a busshelter. It just started to rain. One other person was waiting as the bus arrived at 4pm to take me back to Stornoway.