Next Monday, beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth's 60th anniversary on the throne. No fewer than five will be lit on the Long Island. One at the Butt of Lewis, one at Cross-Skigersta Road nearby, two on the Arnish Peninsula across from my position and one on the summit of the Clisham. I hope the weather will be clement, as the Clisham is 799 metres or 2,621 feet high. The beacons will be lit between 22.00 and 22.30 hours. Oddly enough, no beacons are planned in the Isle of Skye, 50 miles south of here. The nearest beacon to that island will be at Ardnamurchan Point, 30 miles to its south.
The recent good weather has even made it to the local news headlines, as it has enticed people out to cut their peats. Last week's heatwave (26C / 80F in Harris) made it very uncomfortable at the peats, which is a strenuous physical exercise. You cut slabs of peat out of a peatbank with a peat iron (or tairsgeir), and leave them to dry for a couple of weeks, weather permitting.
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