Seascapes and sunsets

The Lewis trip was no more successful for sea eagles than the Iona trip but a little loch between two beaches on the Braighe connecting the Eye peninsula to the main island provided some compensation as it was the resting place for hundreds of long tailed duck presumably on migration.

The beaches and the loch margins were patrolled by a mixture of waders. Oyster-catchers, sanderling and knot but also some dunlin in their handsome summer plumage and little ringed plovers.

Some odd ducks appeared on a loch near Tiumpan head lighthouse. At first glance I thought they were shoveller duck but close to, I guessed they were some mallard cross-breeds, especially when they waddled up to be fed.

The trip to Bernera across the "bridge across the Atlantic" was equally unsuccessful erne-wise but provided some spectacular views and a sight of the tidal bell at Bosta beach. 

 

A bronze bell that sounds different notes as the tide ebbs and flows. We really ought to make an effort to install such a splendid piece of art locally. We have the coastline for it here.

A scramble out onto the promontory at Crothair brought me close up to the remains of a small broch, Dun Stuigh, only a few feet of walls remain but it still commands the headland. Beneath it, in the bay was what seemed to be an ancient fish trap with a low wall allowing the fish to swim in at high tide but preventing their escape as it ebbed.

Dun Stuigh

Ancient fish trap

I have been trying to capture the Green Flash at sunset for years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash

Best seen over the sea, with a flat horizon, I have watched many sunsets from our Lewis base. They are spectacularly beautiful like a Rothko painting but, without a sea horizon, the green flash has always eluded me.

This year I think I captured, at least the green ray, on video, or maybe I'm kidding myself.

I think there was a green element to those rays

I'll try again next year and maybe the sea eagles will be less camera shy.

If stones could speak

Off to the Western Isles for our annual trip, we made our way up to the furthest tip to see if that rarest of migrants, the red-necked phalarope had arrived at Loch na Muilne ( Blog 3rd June 2014).
We were too early. The summer visitors hadn't arrived so we contented ourselves with a walk over the Ness machair in search of some ancient stones. We had done the famous Callanish stones and their satellite groups many times but there are stones with stories all over the island.

We were also too early to see the machair at its finest with the carpets of wild flowers that come later in the summer but the sun was shining and the views were magnificent so we set out, with some guidance from archaeologist Chris Barrowman at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis, to find Clach na Gruagaich - The Maiden's Stone and Clach na Fala - the Blood Stone.

Clach na Fala - The Blood Stone

Clach na Gruagaich is now recumbent and in pieces but at one time probably stood erect.

The maiden in question was a fairy, a magical creature. People would leave liquid offerings of milk or whisky in the depression on the stone to ensure the well-being of their animals or for a good harvest.

Clach na Gruagaich

The place for libations

Passing a souterrain discovered by the army in 1944 when building a look-out post and yet to be fully excavated, we headed out towards the shore and found Clach na Fala which has a much more gruesome tale. 

The Blood Stone is where the chief of the Morrisons, the dominant clan in the area who had the title of Breve or law officer conferred by the Lord of the Isles, would order the execution of offenders. More often or not, these were Macaulays from Uig, sworn enemies of the Morrisons.

The red colour of the stone is said to be from the blood spilled there.

Dun Carloway Broch

Inside the walls

Later that day, we passed the Broch at Dun Carloway where the Macaulays turned the tables on their neighbours. They caught some Morrisons stealing cattle and, when the latter took refuge in the famous tower, Donald Cam Macaulay climbed the wall to drop in burning heather and smoke them out to meet their fate.

Teampull Pheadair

Further over the machair we came upon Teampull Pheadair - Peter's Chapel, an early mediaeval or even dark age, chapel with its rows of unhewn stone grave markers, headers and footers.

 Like all such early Christian sites it stood beside a stream with a deep pool for instant baptism of the converted.

Back in the village, at the local museum and family history archive, there was another reminder of the times when the Celtic church was merging with the pagan beliefs that had erected and cherished the stones and their meanings.

The Rona Cross is a rough-hewn cross from the island of North Rona with three holes in it and the outline of an obviously naked man superimposed.

So, no phalaropes but a journey back to the dark ages. All in all a good day out.

Wonderful views