Sunday 17/07/05

We have a birthday girl in the house, who doesn't want too much of a fuss. So we don't fuss, apart from a meal in the town in the evening. After breakfast, the men in the house head off to South Lochs for a double walk. The weather is wet, but not all that bad. Noted on the way there that the village of Balallan stretches for 4 km along Loch Erisort. The run down the B8060 is a trip down memory lane, as I was staying down there over the winter period. We proceed to Cromor, in the far northeast of the district. After parking the car, we walk back through the village to the bridge across Loch Chromor, but almost at once turn left to proceed along a grassy lane. Pass through a gate and climb onto the moor. Have to take my 2 companions plus one dog into consideration, so progress is slow. Pass the broch of Dun Cromor. It's raining steadily as we continue southeast, parallel to the loch shore. At the end, we climb onto a ridge of Soval, the nearby hill (70 m) to look south across Loch Mharabhig and Marvig village. Return over Soval to the eastern shore of Loch Chromor. Nice view out to sea through the islands that lie off-shore. Finally drop down to the road-end in Cromor. A lamb had escaped from a field, but now wants to get back to its mum. The lamb finally made a mad dash past us, jumped 4-5 feet in the air, over the dog's head. Fingal was pleasantly surprised to see his lunch running straight into his mouth - not. On return to the car, at 3pm, we drove to Marvig, Calbost, Gravir and Orinsay. From Orasaigh / Orinsay we intend to walk to the deserted settlement at Stiomrabhagh, 1½ miles to the west. The weather was growing worse by the minute, visibility deteriorating and heavy rain in a strong southwesterly wind. First you go up some steps, then follow the waymarkers across the moor. Route leads to the south of Loch Shagachain, which is where I cancelled proceedings due to the conditions. Got some complaints for rushing - sorry, that's my normal walking speed. Returned to SY within an hour. Were presented with High Tea by mrs B - tea with cakes. Then it was off to town for dinner. Well, I've never seen such a shambles in my life. Four of the main restaurants in town were closed. It may have been busy due to the festival , and it being Sunday, but this was very, very poor. To cut a long story short: we went to HS1 on Cromwell Street, where there was an hour's wait. Three hours later, at 10.30, we still hadn't had a bite to eat, so we went back out again. We chatted to a Polish girl, Martina, who was out in the Laxdale campsite. She had come for the festival but didn't like the island, didn't like the town and didn't like the music. Why the heck bother to come all this way? We did offer her to join us in Newton, but by 10.30, some in the company were singing aloud, so I don't blame her for declining the offer. Food was prepared at Newton at 1 in the morning. Incidentally, I'm getting on fine with Fingal the dog; his master isn't that much to speak of when drunk. So is his wife, who tongue-lashes him about bedroom problems at the dinner table.