Tuesday, 14 May 2013
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 2013
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.
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 2013
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
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.
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.
Sunday 5 May
Took a walk from Sandwick back to Stornoway in the morning; rain came on soon afterwards.
NLB vessel Pole Star
Friday 3 May
Cruiseliner Ocean Nova called round this morning, to depart for the Shiants in the afternoon.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
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.
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 2013
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.
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.
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