Thursday 24 November

A foul day, with high winds and heavy rain. The private weatherstation at Eoropie, the village nearest the Butt of Lewis, reports winds at a steady 50 mph, gusting to 76 mph. Most ferry services along the west coast of Scotland are off, and there is a warning that the Braighe, the causeway linking Stornoway to the Eye peninsula to the east, could be closed for high tide at around 6pm tonight. I went to the shop, a few hundred yards down the road, and found walking into the wind difficult. Darkness is falling as I type (3.45pm). It will remain windy until at least Monday.