Thursday 16 May

Another bright but cool day in Inverness saw me at the bus station at 7.30, in order not to miss my bus to Ullapool. A dozen folks piled on board the bus, which left on time at 8.10. Crossed the Kessock Bridge, and headed northwest to Ullapool. The gentle sloping fields of the Black Isles gave way to the enclosed valleys west of Contin, until we left the railway at Garve, and ascended onto the moors near Aultguish Inn. The mountain tops were still crowned in snow, like the Cairngorms yesterday. Got into Ullapool at 9.30, an hour before the ferry was due to depart. Had an amble about the village, and bought another book by Tom Devine about Scottish history. Ferry came at 9.45, and departed for Stornoway at 10.25. Had a late breakfast, then sat back to enjoy the scenery of Loch Broom. Once out in the open sea, the vista widened to Rubha Reidh to the south and Suilven to the north. A band of rain in the Minch announced the approach to Stornoway, but it was sunny when we docked there at 1.15pm.

Wednesday 15 May

Got up at 7 am to catch the 7.55 train from Inverness to Edinburgh. The day was bright and sunny, although cool to start with. The train set off on time, but ground to a halt some 13 miles out of Inverness. The train conductor came on the tannoy to announce that the front locomotive had broken down, and the rear locomotive did not have sufficient power to push the train all the way up to the Slochd summit, 1400 feet above sealevel. So we sank back to Inverness, where coaches were provided to take us to Edinburgh. My coach left at 9.30 for the 170 miles to the capital. The ride was long but fairly scenic, passing by all the places where the train would normally stop; Carrbridge, Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Dalwhinnie to the Drumochter Pass, 1550 feet above sealevel; on to Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, Dunkeld and Perth. Beyond Perth, the coach went down the M90 motorway to the Forth Road bridge and into the city. The timetable stated that the train would have got there by 11.20; the coach arrived at 12.50. I had an appointment at 1pm, so I had to hire a cab to get me there on time. A walk round the city took me to the second appointment, and before 3pm, I was clear of the lot. I couldn't help but notice that Edinburgh was full of the tender green of new leaves. But Edinburgh was also full of traffic and people, something this country bumpkin is not really used to. Went to Waverley Station to await the 4.32pm train back to Inverness. I was quite happy to roll out of town into the countryside again. The evening sun lit up the mountains and hills as we passed the way I had come in the morning. The A9 north of Perth is never far from the railway line. Got back into Inverness at 8pm.

Tuesday 14 May

At 1 o'clock, I went to the ferry terminal to go on the ferry to Ullapool. If memory serves, my last crossing was in 2009. It was a dreich day, with low cloud and occasional rain. After leaving port at 1.50pm, the island soon disappeared behind the mist and murk, and the mainland hills took a while to appear. There was hardly any swell. The crew decided to enact an emergency drill, to liven up a dull crossing. By 3.15, the mainland hills loomed up out of the mist, and the ferry presently sailed into Loch Broom. The cruiseliner Artania was anchored off Ullapool. A quick transfer saw me on board the 961 bus to Inverness. It was raining steadily from Ullapool to the watershed at Loch Glascarnoch, but the sun started to appear after Garve. Got into Inverness around 6pm, and proceeded to my digs. After a bite to eat, I went for an amble round the city. Found the old Youth Hostel on Old Edinburgh Road, which burned out in 2007 - it still stands as a shell. The edifice is a listed building, but it's best torn down. I stayed there in 1992. Had an early night.

Monday 13 May

A very wet and windy day in Stornoway, although it did improve through the afternoon. We had snow and sleet mixed in with the rain, and that pegged the mercury back to winter-like values like 8C.

A criminal trial is currently taking place at Glasgow Crown Court, related to the murder of 16-year old Liam Aitchison back in November 2011. Two men stand accused, but have pleaded not-guilty. The unpleasant details of the murder have been spelled out in court, making for at times distressing reading.

Last week, the body of a 51-year old local woman was discovered on a beach at Swordale. She had taken her life by jumping off the cliff. Ann Maccallum had been the manager of the local Woolworths, succeeded by its successor WeeW. The suicide came as a complete shock to the community here; a memorial service is to be held in Stornoway later in the week.

Saturday 11 May

The MV Hebridean Princess came into port today for the first of this season's visits. She is a small, 49-passenger cruiseship, converted from the former Calmac ferry Columba. For £5,000, you can spend two weeks hanging over the railing, being seasick around the Hebrides. Sorry.

It was a nice sunny day today, but not terribly warm. After 17C earlier this week, we have gone back to 12C. The sun feels warm enough, but the air does not.

MV Hebridean Princess

Friday 10 May

Spring has slowly made inroads into the Hebrides, and our temperatures now reach double figures in the daytime. Flowers are coming out, as are the leaves on the trees.

Yesterday, the body of a woman was found on a beach at Swordale, 4 miles east of Stornoway. Today, her identity was reveiled. Ann Maccallum was a local business woman who had managed the Woolworth store in Stornoway, until the chain folded in 2008. After a stint in Harris Tweed, she had gone to manage the WeeW store in the town - until the tragic news of her death.

Thursday 9 May

At 10.36pm:

Wednesday 8 May

Another bright and sunny day, until the cloud increased with rain following in the afternoon. I accompanied two visitors to the beach at Tolsta; leaving them to paddle in the sea whilst I ambled the mile and a half to Tolsta Head, and the same distance back. Hardly anybody there, and by the time I got back to the road, nobody on it. Lovely.

 

Tuesday 7 May

Brilliantly sunny and warm day, with the thermometer at 17C at one point. Had lunch outside, and an amble around the harbour.

Monday 6 May

MV Wilson Algeciras, delivering another windturbine to the island.

Sunday 5 May

Took a walk from Sandwick back to Stornoway in the morning; rain came on soon afterwards.

Saturday 4 May

NLB vessel Pole Star


The below two pics were taken at around 8pm

Friday 3 May

Cruiseliner Ocean Nova called round this morning, to depart for the Shiants in the afternoon.

Thursday 2 May

Wednesday 1 May - picture post

Wednesday 1 May

The new month started with a creditable performance in terms of springlike weather, except for the temperatures. These remained at pitifully single figures. There was abundant sunshine, with some cumulus clouds moving along on the cool northwesterly breeze.

I went out to the Iolaire Memorial to investigate the appearance of nearly half a dozen windturbines on the eastern horizon. These turned out to be located within the precinct of the local sewage treatment works at Holm, 2 miles out of town. On the way there, I spotted plenty of sheep with lambs, but one little fella was not moving at all - and had not moved by the time I walked past on the way back into town. The lamb was dead. I got in touch with the grazings clerk to report the issue.

I am uploading pictures, but will put them into a separate post.

Tuesday 30 April

Today, the Netherlands got itself a new monarch. King Willem Alexander took over from his mother, Queen Beatrix. She had reigned for 33 years. After the instrument of abdication was signed at 10 am local time today, he swore the oath of allegiance at 2pm, thereby formally becoming king. He is the first male monarch in the Netherlands for 123 years. His eldest child is a girl, so if things go as planned, a queen will once more rule in Holland later this century. The celebrations were closed by a water pageant on the IJ river, just outside Amsterdam, earlier this evening.

Here in Stornoway, meanwhile, a cold wind blew up into a gale this evening. The overnight freight ferry Muirneag is once more not running. This will mean no supplies in the shops until well after lunchtime. We should not complain, however. The lifeline ferry to Orkney, MV Hamnavoe, is laid up with a broken crankshaft, which will put it out of action for at least a month. The Shetland ferry, MV Hjaltland, calls into Kirkwall four times a week, but is a lot more expensive, as it sails from Aberdeen. The alternative is a smaller private ferry, the Pentalina, which runs from Gills Bay in Caithness to St Margaret's Hope in South Ronaldsay, Orkney. Coming at the start of the tourism season, the Orcadians are crying blue murder.

Monday 29 April

A day of sunshine and heavy April showers, but these abated as the day wore on. 7C / 45F is rather below par for late April, but the strong sunshine made it feel rather warmer than that. We are stuck in cold conditions for the foreseeable future, with a gale in the offing for Wednesday.

In recent weeks, there has been no end of problems with the ferries in the Western Isles. One of the ferries to Orkney, the MV Hamnavoe which plies between Scrabster and Stromness, has broken down and it may take a month or more to fix it. That has presumably also been in drydock earlier in the year.

Tomorrow (April 30th), the Netherlands will celebrate the coronation of King Willem Alexander, who turned 46 a few days ago. He takes over from his mother, Queen Beatrix, who will abdicate tomorrow at the age of 75. The event will be livecast on the WWW, but commentary will be in Dutch. Just enjoy the spectacle if the language is beyond you.

Sunday 28 April