Mike's Natural Musings: Isle of Harris

Showing posts with label Isle of Harris. Show all posts

Sunday, 11 June 2023

Over the Sea to Skye

It was time to say goodbye to our cottage, the tame chickens who always come out to greet us and to the Isle of Harris. It has been a wonderful week and we are are determined to return. It didn't take long to pack and we were soon loaded and on our way back to Tarbert to park in the queue for the ferry with plenty of time to visit the distillary - well it would be rude not to!! It is a new distillery and currently only selling gin. The first batch of whiskey spirit is made, though, and in barrels maturing, but this will no doubt take 10 years or so. Although hazy over the Minch it was still warm at 23C and when we landed back at Uig it was clear again. It was a quick drive to Portree and we soon found Rooms on the Highstreet, our accommodation for the next three nights. We found the ensuite room beautifully clean and comfortable. Having settled in it was time to explore, starting with some rehydration at the main hotel out on the terrace. We soon found that a lot of eateries were booked up but we managed to get a very good pizza in the excellent Cuchullin.

Resident chicken

The most important place in town.

The harbour

The ferry

The road to Portree with a distant view of the Cuillin

Portree Harbour with the Cuillin Hills in the distance

Portree Harbour

Saturday, 10 June 2023

Bernaray

Up early and out this morning to another superb day. We were off at 9.00 to catch the 10.45 ferry across to the tiny island of Bernary at the tip of North Uist from which it is separated by a causeway. In a way the main objective of the day was the ferry crossing itself and it was amazing. The deepwater channel does not follow a direct line and so the ferry twists and turns through myriad islands, islets and shoals set in inky-blue waters leaving a creamy jade-green wake. Birds were plentiful on the crossing; highlights were the large flotillas of eider, a trio of great northern diver, black guillemots, terns and arctic and great skuas. Seals lazed on the islets and shoals following our progress with interest.

Once landed we walked the short distance to the harbour and excellent visitor centre and then over to west beach via the machair. This was alive with birds: oystercatchers, redshank, dunlin, lapwing, common gull and arctic terns. The sound of displaying birds defending territory and trying to attract mates was incredible. The machair was studded with numerous beautiful flowers: daisies, clover, trefoils and orchids. It was early for many flowers and it will be ablaze with them in another month.

When we arrived at West Beach it was like nothing I have seen before; turquoise waters lapping onto a 3 mile stretch of gleaming white sand backed by towering sand dunes. It is so impressive that the Thai Tourist Board have used images of it to advertise their own beaches. The icing on the cake was to spot a little tern fishing just off shore, a bird I have not seen for many a year.

Back in the village we enjoyed a pot of tea and a Magnum before wandering back to catch the ferry. Another enjoyable aspect of the day was swapping tales with other travellers including plenty of 'Silver Surfers' like ourselves.

What a fantastic day - time for some rehydration, a nightcap and bed.