Tuesday 15 July

Although a shower was falling over Eriskay at 9 am, the day turned out to be absolutely glorious and warm. My camera was giving me grief, but I was given the loan of another camera, which allowed me to continue to take pics. The bus for Eriskay came at around 10, and we were on the ferry not long after. The boat was packed to the gunwhales, and there was a huge queue for tickets. The Loch Alainn is not as comfortable as the Loch Portain, which plies the Sound of Harris. However, the sun was shining and it was getting quite warm. At Ardmhor, Barra, there was confusion over the bus. A group of disabled people had been chartered a bus, which was vastly late turning up. Another group of people had to be taken to the airport, before we could head down the road for Castlebay along the west side of the island. We arrived in town half an hour late. Timetable, what’s that?! Once in Castlebay, we had some lunch in the hotel of the same name, after which we ambled round town for a bit. The village is very quiet, and the only sounds came from the sea. The boat plying back and forth to Kishmul Castle, a group of youngsters out in sailing boats. The sun was warm. By 2.45, we went to wait for the bus north, and we were taking back along the east side of the island. The ferry departed at 3.45, and we were able to watch the plane land on the sandy beach at Eoligarry. Forty minutes later, we landed at Eriskay and the bus took us the mile or so to the shop. The community shop in Eriskay, like the one at Ness in Lewis, is well-stocked. To close proceedings, we had dinner in Am Politician, the bar dedicated to the story of the freighter Politician, which ran aground in the narrows between South Uist and Eriskay in February 1941 - with its famous cargo of thousands of cases of whisky. A postbus took us back to Polochar - right to the door. The sun set in a blaze of glory, just like yesterday.

Pictures