Friday 26/11/04

This morning dawned brighter than the day before, and I merrily set off at around 9.50 for a hike across the moors. Went over the fence at the Abhainn Ealaidh, on the boundary with Habost, and tried to head southwest. Bit of a problem with the fences, but managed to reach the open moor eventually. I had left my compass in the hostel, so had to play very carefully with the map and the sun. Skirting three large lochans at a distance, I veered in a quarter-circle to Loch na Cartach, just off Loch Sgiobacleit. Then headed south towards the eastern end of the latter loch. It was very wet indeed on the moors, and at times I felt I needed a boat rather than waterproof boots. Reached the little footbridge across the inflow of L. Sgiobacleit (gridref 320160) at around 12 noon, and proceeded along the loch's southern bank. Took my lunch on a small promontory. Noticed an eagle gliding over the hills to the south of me. At 12.50, I reached Seaforth Head and decided to head due south into the wilderness. This was wetter than wet. Several times I slid on the slimey ground, but managed the one mile to Loch Airigh Thormoid. That name actually means Lake of Norman's Summer Meadow (I think). It was 13.30, and although I contemplated going further south, theneast towards Eishken, the lack of remaining daylight hours (only 2½) meant that this was not possible. Returned by the same route, and the same bogslog. Was glad to reach the road at 2.30. This time a buzzard hovered overhead, mewing intermittently. The difference between an eagle and a buzzard is the sheer size of the eagle and the rounded wingtips of the buzzard. Am wondering if it is possible to reach Airidh a Bhruaich from here. It means a 4 mile walk along the northern bank of Loch Seaforth. There were no problems during the 90 minutes it took me to come to the Landraiders' Monument at Balallan. Although I had planned to take the bus at 4.30, a family in a car very kindly offered me a lift to Kershader, so I reached there at 4.30, nice and on time.

Thursday 25/11/04

Came into town this morning and noticed that several of the shops displayed notices that they would be open today, as if that was something unusual for a Thursday. Well, it is if that Thursday is Thanksgiving. Something that I am hardly familiar with, but the strictly religious Lewisians observe by taking a bank holiday. Found myself nearly kicked out of a bookshop at 1.30. There were loads of people on the buses, even young children at 10 in the morning. They'd normally be in the school, I should think. The weather today was grey and very dark. Just after 1.30, it started to rain and when I reported to the busstation for the journey back to Balallan and Kershader, the light in the town hall clock was on. This was at 1.55! Several large carparks were lit up. On the bus back, people were carrying huge amounts of shopping - it seems the Christmas season has finally arrived. In the evening, I said farewell to the other hosteller, he is off to Findhorn to sort their computer problems. Findhorn was on the television the other night, it is a spiritual community east of Inverness. Not quite my piece of cake. I might feel more comfortable in Iona.

Wednesday 24/11/04

Wednesday dawned wet and windy. Nonetheless, I am not fuddled by the weather, so I jumped on the 10 o'clock bus and headed west for Balallan. The driver did not have change for my 20 pound note, so he said he'd bring some on the way back. Walked down the A859 towards Tarbert for just under a mile, where there is a large memorial for the Pairc raiders. This was a group of men who, in 1887, trespassed on the Pairc estate and feasted on venison. It was a protest against the then landowner, whose name eludes me. Pairc is a large area; on the map, it stretches from Loch Erisort all the way down, past Loch Sealg / Loch Shell. Nowadays it is virtually derilict south of Lemreway / Eishken. After reading the riot act to the trespassers, they decided that they had made their point and left. Seven were prosecuted in court, but were acquitted of all charges. I headed down the Eishken road at 10.20, in horizontal rain. There was a westerly wind, force 5-6, and although there were breaks in the higher clouds, the rain never stopped. It is 7½ miles (12km) to Eishken, and they were long miles. The first 4½ were familiar from last Friday, although the track across the mountains at Seaforth Head was not visible. Visibility is very poor at any rate, and I'm not going off-road today. Past the large loch, then headed south for 3 miles until I reached Eishken Lodge. Had a wander round, then turned back. Sat munching soggy sandwiches (eugh) in the rain, then set off despondently at 1.30. Fortunately, a local fisherman pulled up and offered me a lift. Thank you; I am absolutely dripping wet. We chatted a bit about local history and life in this part of the world. It's hard. I cannot remember the man's name, but he fishes for prawns and langoustines off Loch Sealg. It's either that or going out on the rigs. Not much else to do round here. At 1.50, he dropped me off at the South Lochs turn, where I trod the road to the Claithair Hotel. Having waited for 10 minutes at the bar, I was finally supplied with a bowl of soup, which gave me time to warm up and wait for the bus. This turned up at 2.50, and I could finally pay the driver his £1.60 fare. Noticed that there is going to be a vote on the community buy-out in Pairc on Monday 29th November.

Tuesday 23/11/04

Seems my days are alternating between shopping trips to 'town' and walks on the moors. Tuesday was another jaunt to Stornoway, and I was done that quickly that I could even catch the 12.30 bus back to Balallan. The only downside of that bus is that there is no connection to Kershader, in other words, I had to walk the remaining five miles to the village. It was a blustery day, but not cold, so while munching my BLT sandwich I happily trod the tarmac, until I was nearly there. Then my fellow hosteller turned up and offered me a lift the rest of the way. Not that far at any rate. I decided to take another chance with the washing machine, bunged 11 coins through and only 1 registered. Fantastic. Had to drag the lady out of the shop to rectify things, and dried everything over the radiators.

Monday 22/11/04

Forgot to mention my troubles with the washing machine from yesterday, which threw a spanner into the works. The washing machine works on a coin operated timer. You have to insert 20p coins, which give you 9 minutes washing time each. Unfortunately (yes, read on), the coins don't always register. Sometimes, you put in 10 of the blighters and they don't register. I seemed to go fine, until the final coin. This would not register, so the machine stopped in the middle of its spin cycle, and I couldn't open the door. This was 3pm on Sunday. In case of problems, you have to go to the village shop next door, which was obviously closed, it being Sunday. On Monday morning I had to wait until 10 o'clock for the manager to turn up. She comes off the bus, so I was missing that as well (next one due at 4pm :-\). This good lady opened the money box and bunged in another 20p. Yippee, it worked. The machine spun for a massive 1½ minutes - and that was all. Inwardly boiling, I transferred the laundry to the dryer and had that working on it for nearly half an hour.

A little miffed, I decided to make the most of the day and headed out at 11.30. Down to road to Tabost and up the moor towards Loch Ealaidh, about 1½ miles south of the road. First marker is the chimney stack, the only item standing from an otherwise disappeared house. Cross the wires there, then hug the contours down the glen to the loch. Continue to hug the contours, taking care not to fall into the lochan. Cross the fencing via the stile (incredible, a stile), cross the stream and head east for a small lochan. It is necessary to circle this along its southern bank, cross two streams then head northeast for Loch Leathann. You need to climb up a 'hill' (50m), then traverse some very wet terrain, sometimes dangerously wet. Jumping between tussocks is a better description. Finally, you end up on high ground (60m), and other lochans come into sight, which I recognised from my first foray into this area. I duly followed the markers on the ground and ended up on a peat road, leading back to the B8060 main road. Sat beside a lochan for a while, enjoying the still weather. It is about 11C today, not much wind and not very cold at all. The clouds are very low, barely above 400 ft. The dead, and by now decomposing, sheep was still lying in the track. Returned to the hostel by about 3.30, in time for a visit to the shop for some groceries.

Sunday 21/11/04

Today dawned with most of the snow gone and horizontal rain. In spite of this, I ventured out, heading east with the faint idea of walking round to Cromor and Gravir. Decided against that in view of the very strong easterly I found myself battling into. Diverted onto the moors, initially near the Caverstay junction, then from Garyvard (Gearraidh Bhaird). From the latter village, there is a long road right onto the moors. It was up there that I noticed that something had changed. The wind came from the WEST and the temperature had jumped from +6 to +11C. Strange. The rain was still pouring down, and I did not feel like gallivanting across the moors in that sort of weather. Returned to Kershader early to dry out.

There is one other gentleman staying at the hostel, who has recently returned from Canada after having a divorce. He has some tales to tell. Otherwise, there is the TV to watch. Don't forget, it's dark up here after 4.15.

Saturday 20/11/04

Another shopping jaunt to 'town', which didn't start too well. The minibus was a minute late, but thanks to an observant passenger, we didn't need to wait for the connection at Balallan. He had noticed the Hebridean Transport bus sailing through the village about 5 mintues before we arrived. So he took us right through into Stornoway. Didn't give me ticket though, said the driver would take my word for it. We shall see.

No problems with the bustickets, as I said, people know my face, and know I'm getting off at 'Ravens'. On return to the hostel decided to go for a little jaunt up the road as far as the Caverstay turn. Passed the time by tossing rocks into a frozen lochan. Makes a funny noise; the ice is but thin. On the way back, the light once again failed before I reached the hostel. Temperatures still very low, barely above freezing. It is still beautiful though...