Holidays

A week ago I got home after a week travelling through Skye, Harris and Lewis. I've been to Skye (briefly) twice, but I've always wanted to visit the Outer Hebrides and, until now, hadn't. At the beginning of the year, prior to the crash, my hubbie and I had talked going in May. Okay, so circumstances meant we couldn't holiday in May, nor could we camp our way around the islands (that is how we like to spend our main holiday - 1-2 weeks under canvas!).

Skye was stunning. The weather was awful, but it didn't detract from the beauty of the place...

The old man of Stor:


A view from the B&B window in Dunvegan:

Unfortunately, we had to leave Skye and head across the Little Minch to Harris. While waiting in Uig on Skye for the ferry I fulfilled one of my ambitions - I saw a sea eagle! No photos, as it was far away enough. Amazing to see and to add to the coolness factor, 2 golden eagles appeared. Wow.

The sailing was fairly calm. Just as well for him in doors - he comes from a line of sailors and farmers. All I can say is he didn't inherit sea legs! Some wildlife was about - the coolest was a pod of three striped dolphins. Again, no photos - I was too taken up in the wonder of just watching these amazing animals.

Our first full day on Harris was so windy there were no ferry sailings on or off the island. In many ways that just added to the beauty of the island - huge waves crashing over rocks. Much of the exposed rock on the island is Lewisian gneiss, some of the oldest rock in the world. This rock was created before life. Before the grass which surrounds it, the animals which live on it. Before the creation of the men (and women) who study it. It sort of blows my mind to think these rocks were among the first things God said was good.


Both in Lewis and Harris there are beaches which seem to go on forever, with huge sand dunes.




The Calanais Stones are among the oldest standing stones in the world. I've always been interested to see them. They are amazing, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed - I was expecting them to be tall, much like the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney. I'm 5'5"ish and some of the stones were barley taller than I am. Still pretty cool, though.

So, after our trip, we started planning next years holiday. We're planning doing the whole of the outer Hebrides. We must have really enjoyed Harris and Lewis. The last time we planned a holiday nearly a year in advance was to visit New Zealand. Usually we decide where we're going about a week before we go!!!