Mike's Natural Musings

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.

The Road to the North.

The Harris Hills

Across Loch a Siar to Luskentyre and the Island of Taransay.

Harbour

The first view of Huisinis Beach

Huisinis Beach

The Machair

Scarp Jetty

Rock detail

The Machair

Huisinis Beach

Old Boat

Up the Glen to the Eagle Hide

Sunday, 4 June 2023

Isle of Harris, Day 3. Luskentyre, Scarista and The Bays Road.

After two long days of travelling to get here I slept well in our warm and comfortable bothy - we look forward to trying the sauna. I was woken early by the sun streaming through the blinds of the bedroom. A cup of tea and shower later I was out taking some photographs of our immediate surroundings. There is a fabulous view of the bay from our front door and I was reminded of last night's stunning full Strawberry Moon rising out of the sea. Breakfast and unpacking completed, we set out for a walk to explore Grosebay and the Golden Road. It gets its name by dint of the cost of construction. It is

otherwise known as The Bays Road and runs along the east coast of South Harris. Returning to the cottage, a quick packup was put together and we headed out for the west coast; first stop Seilebost/Luskentyre beach. I have known of Luskentyre for years, partly through photography connections and the detective novels of Peter May, some of which are set in the Hebrides. Our first glimpse, as we descended from high ground, was tantalising. We chose the slight peninsula on which sits Seilebost school. We joined only a very few other visitors and when we reached the beach we had the vast area mostly to ourselves - amazing. As we walked across the dunes from the car, the beach began to come into view with the cerulean blue of the sky and the more muted dark greens and browns of the Harris mountains behind. In the foreground was a whole pallete of blues in the sea: indigo, peacock, turquoise, dark egg and sky, interspersed with stripes of golden sand and the acid greens of seaweed. I have waited years to experience this spectacle.

We continued our drive with a visit to Scarista for tea and cake before checking out the ferry terminal at Leverburgh. We decided to return via The Bays Road and what an experience: narrow, precipitous,undulating and spectacular. Pretty, no! An alien landscape of Lewisian Gneis, more lunarscape than landscape; it was used to depict Jupiter in the film 2001 a Space Odyssey. During the clearances of the early 19thC many crofters from the fertile west were forced to move here to eke out a living or emigrate.

It was of course beer o'clock!

The Bays Road runs past the cottage.

The cottage.....

....and sauna.

The view from the cottage.

The old school