Tuesday 5 March

Another strange day, weatherwise, with occasional spells of brightness in amongst a half-hearted veil of midlevel cloud.

Today, it was recommended to me to read The Stornoway Way by Kevin Macneil, a local author. I purchased an e-book, which I went through in a couple of hours. The book is highly acclaimed, as a reflection of local - culture? No, I don't call it culture. Even if I ignore and omit all the F-words (I'm used to swearing by the way), I still cannot find anything worthy of acclaim. If that is supposed to be a reflection of Stornoway life, well, I'm sure that would be accurate in parts. But it is nothing to be proud of. Goodreads does not allow me to award negative stars, else I'd do it.

Part of the main BBC news was taken up with the fact that a teen popstar, Justin Bieber (19), had failed to turn up for his performance on time. He was two hours late, leading to ferocious complaints from parents. Bieber is popular with young teenagers and children, and some of them had fallen asleep by the time he turned up on stage. Further more, this being a backpost, am I interested in his near-punchup with some paparazzi? No. Am I interested in his near-collapse on stage? Well, I hope he got over it, but it does NOT merit front page news, thank you.

Monday 4 March

Strange weather today, with a pale sun trying to shine through a vale of midlevel cloud, like through frosted glass. This is usually an ill omen, but in this instance there is no immediate bad weather in the offing.

The local council has announced that it intends to scrap the subsidy on the air service between Benbecula and Barra, further south in this chain of islands. The planes are not well subscribed, but are essential for transporting patients to and from hospital, as well as emergency supplies. A petition has therefore been launched to protest against these plans. The Comhairle has banned the petition from Council premises, which is apparently quite in order, but leaves a very bad impression. This does not affect people in Lewis (being a couple of islands away), but those in Barra and the Uists are not happy.

Back posting

Look at that. For the first time in more than 8 years of blogging have I neglected my blog for a week or so. I have been very preoccupied, which has shown itself on Facebook once or twice. However, no further excuses, and I'll put up postings for the past six days or so. Can't not blog.

Sunday 3 March

A fairly bright day with good spells of sunshine and a decent 9C on the thermometer. Further south, the mercury is expected to shoot up to about 15C later in the coming week, but we shall stick by the early March norm. I'm always pleased to be in a moderate climate with a limited range of temperatures.

I just want to say something about events in the island of Raasay (shown below) last week.

Raasay, which lies just east of Skye, and some 55 miles south of Stornoway, was taken off its absentee landowner a decade or two ago. The shooting and fishing rights on the island were in the hands of the local residents - until a tendering exercise put them in the hands of an outside company. Raasay is managed by the Scottish Government, and there was an outcry over this tendering exercise, showing that the Scottish Government 'overlooked' the sensitivities in the island. The previous landowner, Dr Green (aka Dr No) did nothing and would not do anything for the islanders. I'm not impressed with the government's laxity and carelessness in this matter. It is on their watch too that the Pairc buy-out here in Lewis has dragged on for 10 years now.

Friday 1 March

Overcast but still fairly bright, and apart from one shower at lunchtime, dry. It was very mild today, with a max of 10C / 50F, which we haven't seen in a while. Went out for an amble, measuring 9 km / 5½ miles, taking me to Sandwick along the shore, then up to Plasterfield and along the northern perimeter of Stornoway to the War Memorial, From there, I returned to base through the Castle Grounds. Took me just over two hours, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Thursday 28 February

The last day of the meteorological winter, and there were hints of spring about. We managed double figures on the thermometer for the first time in many weeks. It was quite misty at times, with low clouds hanging about the tops of the hills. Further south, I am told it was downright foggy, but as I often say, there are compensations for being in a high latitude.

I went for a 4½ mile walk along the harbour and right through the Castle Grounds today. It went from the Waterwheel in the north, across the Golf Course to just north of Gallows Hill, then back via Cuddy Point and the Castle.

Wednesday 27 February

We lost the sun today but it remains fairly mild. I have done a fair bit for my project, in that I have covered Great Bernera.  Twenty men from that wee island, off the west coast of Lewis, went forth to war between 1914 and 1919, never to return. Some perished in the sinking of the Iolaire, their total being 205.

This week has seen large moorland fires near Ranish, about 7 miles south of here. Late February and March is the season for muirburning, but if not executed properly, burning the heather can get badly out of control. Earlier this week, I spotted a huge plume of smoke trailing northeast, and the fire flared up again today.

Tuesday 26 February

Another brilliantly sunny day, where we reached the dizzy heights of 9C / 48F in the afternoon. Later this week, the sunshine will disappear south, but at least we've had a little foretaste of spring. The crocuses, e.g., are out now. Went for an amble into the Castle Grounds, and onto Bennadrove, trying to glimpse the new windfarm on the Pentland Road. (Un)fortunately, I was not able to espy them from the road by the loch, so I was spared that. I saw them from the Cockle Ebb yesterday, and Strawberry Hill on Thursday.

Monday 25 February

Another day of blazing sunshine, but today there was slightly more wind, making it feel a bit cold at times. We still managed 7C / 45F, and it tempted me out for an amble of 9 km / 5½ miles to Steinish and the Cockle Ebb. There were quite a few geese about, but also about a dozen that had come to grief on an overhead phoneline near Goathill Farm. Their skeletal remains were scattered along a farmtrack, not very nice. The sheep are still fat, and no lambs in sight or earshot.

Sunday 24 February

Another sunny day after a bitterly cold night (-5C), and only distant clouds on the southern horizon. Went for an amble in the Castle Grounds, just over 4 miles towards the Creed Gate and back towards the road that leads north from the Creed towards the Castle. I struck down towards the Low Road and thus made it back into town. Took me about an hour and a half. Came across frozen puddles (in spite of afternoon temps of about +5C) and the burned areas of last June's wildfires. Took paths that I had not trodden before, so an interesting amble. By the way, the last two images confirm that nothing moves here on a Sunday.

Another tragedy has struck here, in that a man from Parkend (between Sandwick and the airport) was found dead in that area after being missing for about two days.

Saturday 23 February

Although the day started cloudy, the sun came out before midday and we held on to sunshine until sundown. It was by no means warm, we barely scraped 5C / 41F, and there was a little more wind than yesterday. Still, a nice day by any winter standard.

Watched a couple of detective stories on television - one very old Columbo story and a Midsomer Murder which I had actually seen before. Birdlife remains very subdued; no starlings and only a few sparrows. Just as well the RSPB Garden Birdwatch has been and gone. And to completely bore readers: I had a curry for dinner.

Friday 22 February

An overcast day with not much sunshine. Although elsewhere in the islands (and the country) there was a keen southeasterly wind, we had no wind to speak of. Neither did we have any of the usual birdlife; I suspect the starlings and sparrows have taken a serious fright from yesterday's sparrowhawk. There is none of the usual chittering and chattering that can be heard around the birdfeeders.

Yesterday, an mayday was received from the fishing vessel Achieve which was foundering off Toe Head in South Harris. The lifeboats from Leverburgh and Stornoway rushed to the scene, accompanied by the Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway. Three crewmen were rescued from their liferaft, but one had been in the water for a prolonged period of time. It being February, the water temperature is very low. All three were taken to the Western Isles hospital in Stornoway, where one of them sadly passed away. My sincere sympathies and condolences go out to the friends and family of the deceased.

This morning, the Coastguard helicopter and Stornoway lifeboat were seen going out together, but it is not known to me whether it was an exercise or a 'shout'.

Thursday 21 February

Although the day started with some cloud, the sun came out fully by late morning to leave us with a cloudless and virtually windless day. After an overnight low of -4C, we managed +6C, but as I type this (at 9pm), we have gone right down to -4C again.

Just as I was having a coffee around midday, I happened to glance out of the window to see this:




A sparrowhawk, with a newly culled sparrow - which it proceeded to devour within half an hour, to only leave a pile of feathers. We normally have up to 30 sparrows, a gaggle of starlings and up to five doves around the bird feeders, but following this instance that number dropped to precisely zero for most of the day. Whereas I normally fill up the feeders every day, I was left with them the way they were in the morning. A bit sad, but that's nature's way. Have seen this type of raptor here once before, at dusk a number of years ago.

In the afternoon, I went for a 3 mile walk to Strawberry Hill, which is always a fairly strenuous undertaking. Not because it's so high, the walk in goes along marked paths and gentle gradients. The exertion is caused by the very rough state of the paths, which are paved with sharp rocks.