Mawbray to Allonby - sunny days!

As always this was a lovely walk - made even better by the late summer sunshine and good company.

Allonby basking in the sunshine

Greylag geese in the waves

Solway skies 

Enjoying the water 

Hesket New Market Show

Another great show - various prizes with Rocky getting a fourth in the big dogs.

Tapestry weaving - Hebrides

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this tapestry weaving on returning from the outer hebrides - nice and easy to pick up and put down while supposedly working! Official title- 'Turning Wave'.

Mussels and Barnacles watercolour

The first, of what will hopefully be more, paintings from the Hebridean holiday!
Mussels and barnacles from what was ironically the worst day weather wise!

Rocky's Outer Hebrides Holiday

Rocky had the time of his life! Chasing seagulls; digging holes; chasing rabbits; sleeping in the tent porch; sleeping in the sun and of course being a third prize dog in the North Uist Agricultural show! 

Soft pastels of the Outer Hebrides

Doing soft pastels on large sheets of paper - outdoors, proved to be rather 'challenging'!

Sketches of the Outer Hebrides

As usual I did watercolour sketches when possible - all were done on the spot - some with midges; some with sunshine; some with drizzle; many with a combination of these! 

The final day - walk from Dail Mor to the Blackhouse village

A splendid walk with lovely views and weather; a fitting way to end our expedition!

Stornoway and the beach to the north of Tolsta

Carloway Broch

This was actually really well preserved. You could see and explore the double skin and the stairs and levels within the space between the walls - excellent.

Calanais stones

Up early to get down to Calanais before the tourists arrived.

Black houses on Lewis

The Blackhouse village at Gearrannan - and top right - Arnot

Inside the Blackhouse at Arnot 

Port Nis, Isle of Lewis

A dramatic walk around the headland starting at Etropie beach and then off to Port Nis for a dramatic downpour! 

Lewis Chessmen and Whale tail vertebrae

A walk on the beach where the Lewis Chessmen were found and then in the evening another beach walk where we found the tail of one of the larger baleen whales.

Harris Millenium Tapestry

Called in to look at the Harris Millenium Tapestry that tells the history of the island through a series of textile panels - well worth a visit to Leverburgh Co-op - where it is housed in an upstairs room.

Scalpay

A great walk round the island including exploring one of the first four lighthouses to be built in Scotland - which is currently being renovated.

Harris Beaches

Fortunately a brief break in the weather and the most spectacular of views of the most spectacular of beaches at Sheileboist and Losgaintir.

Clearing weather 

The green line! 

Baile Sear/ Baleshare - North Uist

Another walk along Baile Sear but this time going north. Lots of finds in what could be an Iron Age midden.

Common blues and corn buntings 

North Uist Agricultural Show

Rocky being judged and awarded third prize in the dog show - and being too enthusiastic and fast for the scale of the obstacle course! A good showing of  tractors, stock and produce - a great day out!

Berneray

A walk around the island of Berneray - lovely machair; a long, long beach; common seals.

Section of compass jellyfish; moon jellyfish; by-the-wind sailor 

Corn Marigold

We moved on from the Shell Bay campsite on Benbecula up to Balranad on North Uist - a super spot. The site is close to the beach - after walking through fields of corn marigold.

Beinn Langais Neolithic passage grave and stone circle.

A way marked path links these two sites. A spectacular setting for both.

Benbecula - Ruabhal

After reporting the stranded Orca on North Uist, we went up Ruabhal on Benbecula to gain a good vantage point.

Orca stranding, Baile Sear/ Baleshare, North Uist

An amazing day on Baile Sear - found this beautiful and immaculate Orca freshly stranded. Finished our walk and then drove back down to South Uist to report the find to SNH who forwarded the information to the relevant organisations.

Tobha Mor thatched village and chapels - South Uist

Standing stone at Pollachar; Dalabrog round houses: Eriskay pony - rare beed

Eriskay

After leaving Barra we headed up to the Kilbride campsite on South Uist before returning to the ferry terminal on Eriskay for a coastal walk.

Calm waters; Kilbride campsite South Uist 

Eriskay 

Vatersay walk

A lovely round walk taking in the best of the island.

Machair flowers 

The roadside remains of a Catalina flying boat

Outer Hebrides Expedition

..and so begins the blog; we've just returned from a fabulous three weeks travelling from Barra up through the Uists; onto Harris and up to Lewis. It may take a while to get all this down ...

Castlebay, Barra; The view from the tent! Croft No 2, Barra - a great campsite: the beach across the road from the tent.