Reflections

winter time, time for reflections

Waves

An afternoon walk to Cliff beach fascinated by the waves‘endless advance and retreat. A group of oyster-catchers close by the water was watching as well but fly away as soon as I approached too close.

Back in Lewis

Back in Lewis for a winter break
for long walks on lonely beaches, where the luminosity of a soft light glitters up the rolling waves.

Farewell

The ferns and other plants are turning rusty brown and summer seems to come to an end.It is time for me once more to say FAREWELL.

Uig Sands

At low tide you get a good feeling for the immensity of Uig Sands. I spent many hours yesterday afternoon walking the full length of the beach, from the Crowlista end to the sands nearest to Timsgarry and further on to Ardroil until I reached the Carnish end.
The sky was amazingly subdivided in a vast crowd of mackerel colored clouds to one half and in bright blueness to the other.
It was most pleasing to watch the gentle waves slowing approaching the land.

Light

Today it was overcast but the sun managed from time to time to break through the thin layer of clouds. Penetrating those slots the light transformed the scenery dramatically and as the clouds opened up and closed continuously it was worth the while to sit down and watch the change.

Sadness

On Thursday, our friend was laid at rest, a modest, sincere man, very kind and caring. Life was not easy for him, especially when his beloved wife suddenly passed away 22 years ago leaving him, his son and four daughters devastated. He was hard-working and kept his house spotless. When his neighbour died a few years later and next door became a holiday home, occupied only during a short spell in summer, John must have been very lonely. He had a good sense of humour and a strong, unwavering faith evident in the way he lived his life. I attended the funeral service with great sadness feeling that another human tie has been cut off. We are most grateful for 30 years of friendship and will keep John’s memory dear. The mist of the morning cleared by afternoon and I could not only put a washing on the line but walk among the boulders above Cliff. While sun and clouds were casting a spell on the rocky scenery I got carried away and spent hours opening my eyes and heart, contemplating.

Loch Suainavat

The pattern of the weather for most of August was that a good summer‘s day would be followed by days of poor weather, drizzle, showers or mist.
Therefore much to our surprise Monday turned out to be glorious. Strolling by Loch Suainavat, scrambling over rocks, smaller ones partly covered with heather we walked on and on. The sun was warm and shining brightly. From the lower slopes of Flodraskarve Mor, Beannan a’Deas and Beannan a‘ Tuath the moorland looked magnificent, within the carpet woven of purple heather and grass turning rusty at the tips, blue lochans sparkled here and there. The light was just perfect, the colours amazing and the blueness of the lochs surpassing. We were entranced in a small world in harmony.
Earlier on we passed by a friend’s house in Adroil , but did not call. He was not to be seen outside and knowing that the lamb’s sales were going to be on Wednesday, we expected him to be very busy. Only when we reached home in the evening we heard that he has collapsed and passed away just before midday.

Coast

A leisurely walk along the coast towards Aird Uig on Sunday afternoon opened magnificent vistas of the rugged coastline: The swell of the sea played gently on pebble beaches, encircled crags and steep cliffs, bathed scattered rocks of various sizes, then flowing on to caves and natural arches leaving white lines of foam on the bright blue surface.

Loch Grunavat

Tuesday last week was a good day for fishing. We went to Lochcroistean by bus or on bikes and followed the peattrack to the end, then scrambled across boggy ground and over rocky hills until we reached Loch Grunavat about an hour later. A light breeze kept the midges at bay. We had to cast the line carefully, to keep it from floating with the waves towards the peebly shore where the hook would get stuck easily.

The sun was moving in and out of clouds

and at the end of an enjoyable afternoon we had caught enough brown trout for our dinner and some more for the freezer…


On our way back across the bogs I was fascinated by the luminousity of little shallow pools

Scarp

A glorious day on Monday, one of the few this summer…Friends took me in their car to the upper end of Uig, to Brenish where we spent the afternoon by the shore, watching the waves breaking on big slabs of stones. An amazing vista opens here with the small Mealasta Island only a mile away and the larger Isle of Scarp 6 miles distant which belongs to Harris. On Friday I was to see Scarp again as part of an exhibition at An Lanntair celebrating the work of Robert Adam, who took photos of Scarp in 1937.

Mist

This week most of the days started misty. Sometimes you could hardly see next door. The mist and drizzle could last all day, or lift slowly in the afternoon opening the curtain for some great views.

Last night when walking home from a ceilidh at friends the sky was clear and disclosed in its dazzling spaciousness a magnificent firmament of luminous stars.

On the moor

A walk in the moor can be full of surprises.
On a beautiful day climbing up a small hillock often opens a magnificent view on numerous blue lochans.
Today I came across a small loch away from the nearest village which has been used as skip for various machineries and later I found vehicles dumped at the end of a track. It’s amazing how nature takes over after a while, wheels and other implements sink slowly into the soft boggy ground, as plants soon grow among the cracked parts and once smooth surfaces, now rusting, change to rough, flaky colourful textures.

Cliff Beach

A week of change, friends going away and others arriving. The weather was very unsettled wet and windy most oft he time. Friday on Cliff Beach was a good day for bodyboarding.

While combing the beach I found some magnificent blue-colored jellyfish.

Seaweed

On my various walks this week I found seaweed of fine colors ranging from dark, nearly black, rusty-brown to green, yellow and bright orange-yellow, and a diversity of shapes, big bubbles, long stripes with smaller bubbles, multi-fingered, broad, fine and more, gently floating in the sea…
As it was low tide, I could also reach rocks which were covered with strings of big mussels a fine appetizer for our Sunday dinner.

Ungeshader

My trip took me to Ungeshader were the remains of derelict houses, only 3 used as holiday cottages for a period of the year, illustrate the decline in population in Uig very well. I spent the day by the old anchorage roaming among seaweed covered rocks, looking out towards the range of the mountains at the end of Loch Roag. The sun moved in and out of big clouds which were continuously changing their shape and color. The majestic scenery was dominated by the rusty colors of the seaweed, a windswept Rowan tree on the edge of an old walled enclosure, the greenness of the pastures and the dazzling light on the sea. When the wind seemed to have dropped the rocks and hills on the other side were reflected in a fine dramatic setting.

Baile na Cille

I walked across the Glen to Uig sands to visit Baile na Cille. This old burial ground has always been regarded as a sanctuary. There is a legend that it was once bare rock and that a man called Elidhean brought the soil from a nearby hill called Cnoc Elidhean. It was carried in panniers on the back of two white horses, and a wall was built to retain the soil. Under the mound is said to be a pagan temple or a dun. There certainly are the discernible ruins of a very old chapel built after the mound was created. In this burial ground are remains of the many Uig people who were interred here over the centuries.
There are ruins of two other churches nearby, too small during the Great Revival in the 1820s for the big crowds gathering here. So in 1829 a newly built church, with seating for 1000, came in use. This building is now too big for the declining congregation and at the moment considered to be sold to the community. The Manse itself has been transformed many years ago into a hotel.
At the gate to the burial ground, no longer in use, a placard lists 34 tombstones, some standing still upright, some bending with time, others tumbled over and hardly recognizable in the long grass.
The earliest stones date back to the 1820s and the latest to the beginning of the 20 century. Old and young are gathered here alike but remarkable are two tombstones covering extreme life spans.
In 1859 a stone was erected to the memory of a 7 day old girl and in 1903 a stone was dedicated to a Centenary.
While I walked between the stones the weather changed and opaque clouds were drawing in from the SW, to be replaced soon by a veil of mist. This enhanced the solemnity of the site.
Later on I followed the shoreline to Crowlista where I found bright yellow seaweed and an abundance of cockles – a delicious dinner that night.

Mangersta Beach

It was very much worthwhile to take the more than 10 km walk to Mangersta, a beach known for its majestic rocks exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. The breaking of the waves is certainly very fascinating to watch on a wild day, but today although the sea was rather smooth the light was just right. The mighty, dark clouds had a most dramatic effect on the scenery, followed shortly by a fine drizzle as changing curtain for brilliant sunshine, emphasizing the dazzling spaciousness of the bright blue sky and calm sea. The glittering rocks covered by spray added a freshness only surpassed by their beautiful reflections in pools left by the receding sea. On the vast sandy beach a seal pup was sunbathing until it was disturbed by big two-legged friends…

Big Clouds

A week of mixed weather: showery at times, pure sunshine or miserably wet all day long with howling winds.
On a good day big clouds, fast moving and changing shape all the time, seem to prepare a dramatic setting for the beautiful scenery.

Summerweather

I cannot complain about the weather, the sun is shining and it’s pleasantly warm with just a nice breeze to keep the midges away…
You can see quite a few sailing boats, some canoes and a few surfers. I enjoyed peace and quietness at Loch Mor , the ideal panorama for a good read!


At long last the bluebells are appearing here and there, but I am missing the corncrake which was breeding near my house among the waist-high nettles and grass. I could never see the bird but her boundless ”creic-creic” was unmistakable…

Sheep

Although a little overcast in the morning the sun came out in the afternoon and it was another good day. Crofters were rounding up sheep today, their shouting and the sheep’s bleating was to be heard all afternoon as they were ferried across from the Island of Pabbay to be shorn and taken to the moors during the next days. I still remember the small boat that used to sail across many times. Nowadays the crofters use a bigger vessel, there are fewer able crofters but I suppose the same number of sheep on Pabbay.

Back in Lewis

Back in Lewis and back to sunshine!!!
Seemingly the sun was shining all week while I was away on the mainland. I started clipping my hedge on Saturday and have to water my garden daily as the sandy soil has dried up. There is still a cold easterly wind but it feels like summer at last. More flowers are showing up on the fields. There is a tinge of rusty red coming from long sorrel stalks, the bluebells are still very scarce – I suppose I have to be more patient .
There are more tourists around than previous years, more caravans on beaches where they were rarely found, quite a few people are walking on the road and you can meet them at places where you used to be by yourself…

Bow Fiddle Rock

It always pleases me to watch the sea, the never ending rhythm of the breaking of the waves which slowly over a long time alters the face of the rocks. A fine example of erosion is the famous Bow Fiddle Rock near Findochty.

Fordyce

Fordyce, once a“ kirktoun“ of a large parish and a focal point in a farming community holding markets and fairs is now a historic villages which celebrates 500 years of history by opening the picturesque private gardens to the Public on several Sundays every year . There is also a well-restored Castle in the center of the village and a historic Kirkyard worthwhile to visit.
But the Ale-house is closed long ago, so is the little Sweet-shop and the Post-Office which once used to sell also lemonade. The old joiner’s workshop was turned into a museum.
If you walk nowadays through the village on an ordinary weekday you will hardly see a living person…

Historic Sites

The East Coast of Scotland is steeped in history and rich in ancient sites.
Although the weather was poor I visited Elgin Cathedral, affectionately known as the “Lantern of the North”. One of Scotland’s most beautiful buildings is now a magnificent ruin, much of which dates back to the 13th century. Its many outstanding architectural features fascinating to admire include the country’s finest octagonal chapterhouse. The impressive building still dominates the flat and fertile Laich of Moray.

I also visited Spynie Palace, the residence of the bishops of Moray for five centuries until 1686. The gaunt ruin once on the edge of Spynie Loch represents one of the largest surviving medieval bishop’s houses in Scotland.
In Spynie stood the Cathedral until the see was transformed in 1224 to Elgin, a royal burgh since the 12th century and safer in those tumultuous times. The palace where the bishops continued to live is situated only 2 miles outside Elgin and was also used by the monarchs on their travels. On 1562 Mary Queen of Scots stayed here for two days in the course of journey through her kingdom 1562.
Nothing remains of the early palace. But the magnificent 15th century David’s Tower, 6 storeyed and thick walled, several wide-mouthed gun-holes and the remains of defensive walls can tell of difficult times.

East Coast Visit: Fishing villages

The beginning of the Glasgow Fair a week ago brought many visitors to Lewis while I departed for a week on the mainland. Although I left Stornoway in bright sunshine it was pouring in Inverness and the poor weather continued for most of the week…
I visited a few of the East-Coast fishing villages : Buckie, Cullen, Portknockie, Portsoy, Findochty. Most of the fishing vessels that where around when I visited some years ago are now replaced by yachts. In Sandend a small, beautiful village down the road where my friends live, a good many of the houses are holiday homes.
But it was lovely to hear Fred the fishmonger and his son speaking Doric to me when I purchased some locally smoked fish.

Festival

This week was a week of cultural extravaganza.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival in its 12th year draws about 16000 people to Stornoway each year and brings 1 Million Pounds into the local community.
This multi event of super shows in the big tent with a capacity of 5500, concerts in An Lanntair, the Islands art center, community events including venues in various parts of Lewis and Harris, ceilidhs in the local Pubs and a wide fringe programme features well known bands of Celtic background, talented young musicians and fabulous bands from as far away as Canada, Spain and Turkey.
On Saturday I went to An Lanntair for a concert featuring the Shetland fiddler Jenna Reid and the Quebecois band Genticorum. Once more the Scottish part was excellent but the Canadian band was just stunning and had the audience enthralled within seconds. For the encore both bands joined in playing spontaneously a couple of reels together which the audience and the artists enjoyed alike.
By the time I was waiting for my bus to take me back to Uig you could hear live-music by bands like Skerryvore coming out of most of the Pubs and the town was still very busy with revellers…

Weather...

Cool for this time of the year, drizzly damp, but at least this keeps the midges away. There were two reasonable good days this week with sunshine and blue skies in between...

Summer???

The meadows are yellow with buttercups and a few spotted orchids, but no red clover yet, no ragwort, meadow sweet or bluebells...

In my garden the weeds were up to my knees and it took me 3 days to clean my potato patch...

Farewell

Farewell for a couple of weeks

Happy memories, until then..

New Born Lamb

Lively newborn Sunday lamb.
The little lambkins which are skipping about remind me of a verse of the Poem
EILEAN NA H-OIGE ( Fr. Allan Macdonald):
which I translated some years back

ORAIN GHEALA FEADH NAM BEALACH
GUR E AN TEANAL GRINN IAD:
SUD IAD AGAIBH FEADH NAN LAGA
ANN AM BAIDEAN CRUINN IAD.
NALL AM MULLACH THAR AN TULLAICH,
DHAIBH IS ULLAMH SINTEAG;
DIREADH CHNOC, GEARRADH BHOC
SAOR O LOCHD 'S O MHIGEAN

White lambkins among the passes,
What a pretty gathering:
See them there among the hollows,
In a close packed flock.
Over the crest, over the hillock
Readily they skip, Climbing hills, leaping about,
Free from hurt and sadness.

Weiße Lämmchen zwischen den Klüften -
Welch eine schöne Versammlung:
Seht sie dort zwischen den Schluchten
In enggedrängten Haufen.
Über den Kamm, über den Hügel
Hüpfen sie willig,
Erklettern Berge und springen umher,
Frei von Leid und Traurigkeit

A gloomy day

22.04.07

Cliff Beach is my favourite beach and watching the sea never tires me.
The change of colours and the sound of the breaking waves is always fascinating. I am missing the sheep which were scattered on the common grazing above the beach until yesterday when they were shifted to the crofts nearer to the village. Lambing will be in full swing soon.
On my way to the beach I visited the old graveyard overlooking the bay. The weathered gravestones can tell you many stories of brave sailors sailing around the world, of young women who died in childbed, of children who died in infancy and a of few who lived to a good old age.

Cliff Beach ist mein Lieblingsstrand. Das Meer zu beobachten ermüdet mich nie. Der Wechsel der Farben und der Klang der Wellen faszinieren mich immer wieder. Ich vermisse die Schafe, die auf den Hügeln über dem Strand grasten. Seit gestern sind sie in Nähe der Häuser, denn die Lammzeit steht unmittelbar bevor.
Auf meinem Weg zum Strand besuchte ich den alten Friedhof, dessen verwitterte Grabsteine viele Geschichten erzählen können, von tapferen Seeleuten, Frauen, die im Wochenbett starben, Kindern die eines frühen Todes erliegen und Männer und Frauen, die mit einem langen Leben gesegnet waren.