My friend has very kindly reminded me I have been neglecting my blog. I have been avoiding it. First because I suffered again from terrible jet lag when I returned home and had to immediately go back to work which has been uncharacteristically hectic since.
We drove around the Isle of Sky, stopped for tea where I found a gorgeous little watercolor evocative of the island, with wee highland cows grazing on the heather with water and hills in the background. It was done by a local artist who's daughter, a fantastic artist herself (though her works were too big to fit in my suitcase), happened to be there having tea herself. She was very nice and we chatted for a few minutes. I wish I had the opportunity to visit their studio, but unfortunately, after a visit to Dunvegan Castle, home of the Clan MacLeod, we were tired and short on time.
We took the ferry from Uig to Tarbert, Isle of Harris and drove through blinding rain up the joined islands of Harris and Lewis to the town of Stornoway. Our entire visit on Lewis was very windy but not too cold. We visited the Calanish Standing Stones (haunting), the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, where we saw a demonstration of the weaving of Harris Tweed (which is actually from Lewis). If I had known several of the blackhouses had been converted in to holiday houses, I would have made reservations! Next time.
From there we went back to Stornoway to do a little shopping as the next day was Sunday and apparently everything in the islands closed up tight. Alas, rain sent us back to the B&B.
After Lewis we had a leisurely wander back down to Harris and a visit to St. Clement's Church as all else was closed. Then a brief night on Harris and the early ferry to North Uist.
