Mike's Natural Musings: Isle of Harris, Day 4. Huisinis

Tuesday 6 June 2023

Isle of Harris, Day 4. Huisinis

We woke this morning to sunny skies again, although a bank of cloud hung over Skye and appeared to be heading our way. In the event it retreated and we enjoyed yet another day of cloudless skies and temperatures up to 20C. Our first job this morning was shopping and exploring Tarbert - which didn't take long. Our objective for the day was the beach at Huisinis and we set out on the 14 mile roller-coaster of a single track road with passing places. The big challenge of this and the Bays Road was the fact that at frequent intervals there are narrow blind summits where the car bonnet points at the sky and it is impossible to see if there is a car coming the other way. Views were stunning: down to indigo blue Loch a Siar and across to Taransay and the gleaming white beaches of Luskentyre and Scarista. Colours were amazing with the cerulean blue of the sky and turquoise of the shallow water over the white sand. This road abounds with oddities: an abandoned whaling station, the world's most remote tennis court (allegedly) and the stereotypical Scottish Castle, impressive but, as our good friend Jacky would say, it probably has no back!! Before long we got our first glimpse of the startling white sand and blue, jade waters of Huisinis. We enjoyed lunch sitting above the beach with the fabulous seascape of islands and South Harris beyond. Walking and paddling along the beach was delightful. Although the water looked idyllic for swimming it was bitingly cold so I desisted. The sand here is said to have the highest shell content (92%) of any other Scottish beach. This sand blows inland to form the hugley fertile Machair. In late summer the guide book describes it as assuming a bewitching khaki-mustard colour and flowers with creeping willow and harebell. Today it is spangled with daisies and birdsfoot trefoil. We walked through the machair to the Scarp Jetty with a vista across to the abandoned houses on the now uninhabited island of Scarp and across inky-blue waters to North Harris and yet more white sand beaches. It was now time to head back as we wanted to stop at the River Mhiabhaig to walk up the glen into the majestic Harris hills to the eagle observatory. Although in the territory of a pair of 'goldies', they weren't playing today. Nonetheless the walk was excellent. On returning to the car, the only thing remaining was home to our bothy and relaxing with sauna and beer before corn beef hash and then a nightcap and bed.