Thursday 21/04/05

Another bright and sunny day, albeit with a cold easterly wind. Go to library, to scan the photos into Yahoo. This goes handsomely quick, but then the library is on broadband. At 1 pm, I jump on the Ness bus and 50 minutes later I commence the tour on Eoropaidh beach. Have rolls with sand and flies in addition to the more conventional jam and cheese. A young couple cavort on the tideline; others actually swim in the sea, but they are in wetsuits. I proceed north across the machair, past Eoropaidh village. A group of people are standing on a hillock. Coastal scenery is quite beautiful. Arrive at the lighthouse just as a coach pulls away. Head towards Port Stodh. Two grown men are trying to coax a beach puddle into draining into the sea by digging a channel. I continue east across the machair and along the cliffs. Lots of fulmars on the rocks, the distant sounds of sheep and lambs. At Eisdean I have a teabreak as I watch a cargo ship sail past the Butt. Then I head inland. Past a foul-smelling field full of cute lambs and their mums. Have to go to the little shop in Lional for batteries. Man in the shop finally digs out a pack of the requisite size and power from the back, thanks. Return to Port Nis and the harbour, then take the Callicvol shortcut towards Eorodale. Admire the huge peatstacks by some of the houses. At Eorodale, a lamb has managed to squeeze itself out of a field and is now bleating furiously; the rest of the flock in the field itself is baaing in response, quite a racket. Farmer tells me not to worry! Continue down the road to Skigersta where I wait for the bus. Thought I could see the big bus coming, but it’s a smaller vehicle that’ll ultimately take me back to town. It waits for the Shawbost bus outside the Galson garage in Barvas, then delivers me into Stornoway at 7.10 pm.