Vatersay is the southern most inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides. It is joined to Barra by means of a causeway. The island is shaped like an apple core with a thin bit in the middle and a chunkier section at each end. The middle bit has a glorious white sandy beach on either side. There are several other smaller white sandy beaches dotted around the island, several of which can be seen from Barra.
The day I did this walk was hot, sunny and almost cloudless. I parked near the Annie Jane memorial and started by walking up to the memorial. This is situated on the cliff by the right hand (east) beach on the middle thin bit. The Annie Jane was a ship taking emigrees from Liverpool to Canada which was wrecked just off the coast in 1853. Three quarters of the people on board, more than 300, lost their lives that day and many are buried on Vatersay.
Climbing over the stile by the memorial I crossed the dunes down to the beach. There were only two other people on it, despite it being a long beautiful beach, easily accessible, and such a nice day in the school holidays.
I walked to the far end and examined a low sea cave then backtracked a little to get up on the dunes and machair for the uphill trek towards the remains of Dun Bhatarsaigh, a 2000 year old fort. There wasn't much to see of the fort, but the views of the surrounding area were magnificent.
The descent on the other side of the dun was decidedly boggy and I was glad of the footprints left by the man walking some way ahead of me. There were waymarker posts but these were not always in the driest of spots. Up over another hill and I was looking out for a standing stone. I went through what seemed to be the remains of a gate - one post remaining with a smaller rounder stone supporting it, and carried on up onto some flat high rocks with great views of Sandray to the south. I sat here for a while, enjoying the weather and the view and trying to work out where the stone was. I realised that it must have been the gatepost I'd seen. Not the most impressive standing stone I've seen but I went back to take a photo of it anyway.
The path continued over machair and down to another wonderful beach. This one was so nice even the cows agreed and they'd all come down to spend the day on the beach. Some were standing, others were lying around - all they were missing were beach towels and sun umbrellas.
As I climbed back up the other side of the beach I came across the man I'd been following and a couple who were walking the opposite way and had stopped to chat. It was the couple's first visit but for the man, who turned out to be a very fit octogenarian, it was his twenty-fifth time. He'd retired at fifty and started leading tours to the islands. He only stopped when he turned 80 and the company he was working for said it had got too expensive to insure him. His tours were mainly with older people and fairly sedate, but he liked to get out walking whenever possible. He was knowledgeable about the islands and I walked with him a short way to the abandoned settlement of Eorasdail. There were only about four houses so this had been a very small settlement indeed and life must have been very hard. Now the cows treat the houses as their own and looked at me very suspiciously as I poked around them.
I walked to another small beach just past the settlement before heading up and inland across the sloped of Am Meall. I could see the modern day village which shares its name, Vatersay, with the island. About 120 people currently live on Vatersay, most of them in this village. I circled widely round the village to reach the beach on the other side of the thin middle bit. This beach was positively crowded by Hebridean standards with many families sunbathing, playing cricket or throwing sticks for their dogs. Walking the full lenght along this beach brought me to the village hall and a welcome pot of Earl Grey and a slice of wedding cake. The man I'd chatted to earlier was in the cafe and I sat with him whilst I drank my tea. I wondered if the wedding cake was left over from the wedding that had taken place in Castlebay on Saturday. The young couple on the boat to Mingulay had come home to Barra as it was the man's sister who was getting married.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Monday, 6 August 2012
Mingulay
I made it to Mingulay. Last night I rang the boatman but I was only the third person to book onto the trip to this deserted island and he needed five as a minimum to make it worth his while. He told me that there was still time to get two more recruits and so I agreed to turn up this morning in the hope that he would be going.
As I drove past the Isle of Barra Hotel this morning I pulled into the car park as this seems to be the only place I can get a mobile signal on the island. His wife informed me that the trip was going ahead and so for the second day running I parked in the small car park in Castlebay, put my boots on, made a packed lunch and stuffed my waterproofs into my bag.
There were exactly five passengers waiting to board the small Boy James. With three crew we had an almost one-to-one ratio. The boat left 2 minutes early and almost immediately we were offered coffee and biscuits. The boat took its time and we circumnavigated several islands and stacks looking at seabirds and the wonderful rock formations and sea caves.
There was a shout. Someone had spotted basking sharks. Our captain slowed the boat right down and took us close to them. They came to investigate us circling the boat, fins slicing through the water Jaws style.
Passing the now uninhabited island of Pabbay we could see a derelict house above the sandy beach. The house, obviously made with stone from the island, blended into the rocky hill and was difficult to see; the island reabsorbing its stone.
Before landing on Mingulay we sailed round the island and up close to the soaring Eagle Cliff. Looking at more sea caves and a gannet colony we then chugged through a narrow sea cave open at both ends, but too long to be called a natural arch.
As we came close to the white beach on which we were to land we could see what looked like a pile of rocks. Closer investigation showed that these were all in fact seals. As we pulled closer they left the beach and flopped into the water, not disappearing, but staying around to watch us.
The boat was unable to land on the beach and instead pulled up to a much smaller boat attached to a buoy. We climbed into this boat and, motor started, moved up close to the rocks at the right hand side of the beach. Here we piled out of the boat onto mollusc-encrusted rocks and then had a short but steep scramble up the rocks and then down to the beach below.
Crossing the beach we then had to find a way up at the other side. We each found our own way that best suited and assembled at the top for the short walk to the old school. This was built in 1894, but abandoned in 1912 when the last residents left the island. Until now it's been left for nature to do what it will. However, this year the National Trust for Scotland, who are responsible for the island, have decided to carry out renovations. Once finished, NTS staff and volunteers will have a base to use when they are staying on the island.
Currently there are two men working on the building and they have been here for a week. They are both local and have a tent to sleep in pitched just outside the building. Work is coming along well with the inside of the building already looking much better than the outside.
Leaving the schoolhouse a track was visible leading to the abandoned village remains. The school is quite a way from the village as the Lady of the island in bygone times didn't want it building too close to the houses as she didn't like the noise of children. The track had been well-made and was defined with a line of stones to the seaward side.
The village itself was fascinating to look round. The houses have all long since lost their roofs and any timber has rotted away. Many walls have fallen down, but those remaining or part-remaining looked very picturesque against a backdrop of wild flowers and rocks. The beach is slowly taking over the houses and some were filled with sand almost to the height of their remaining walls. It will probably take a long time for them to completely disappear but I wondered if one day in the distant future they could be uncovered by a storm Skara Brae style and astound archaeologists.
I walked uphill slightly to the church (also the priest's house) with two of the passengers. Both men are from Kent and are on a sea-kayaking holiday staying at the local hostel which is also the sea-kayaking centre. The other two passengers, a young local couple, who no longer lived on Barra but were back for a wedding, had come over to visit a cousin who was one of the men working on the school. They had not walked with us and we didn't see them again until it was time to return to the boat. The three of us who were still together sat by the church and ate our lunch.
Then the men headed uphill and to the left (west) to the tops of the high sea cliffs (Eagle Cliff) that we had sailed beneath earlier. I didn't go this way as both this and the hill to the north were shrouded in mist and I didn't think I'd see much. Instead I headed to a slightly lower part of the ridge between the two high points. This was slightly below the mist and I though I'd get better views.
The walk climbed steeply over peaty ground and expanses of flat rock. It never got too boggy which surprised me. Levelling out at the top, I walked a bit further across a small moorland plateau to reach the western edge of the island from which I had wonderful views of the surrounding cliffs and stacks. Skuas were soaring overhead but showed no interest in me and didn't swoop down to attack me.
I stayed for a short while before heading back down, picking my way through the springy ground and feeling very glad of my walking poles. Near the church a couple of kayakers we'd seen landing on the beach earlier were setting up camp. Camping is allowed on the island but the NTS request that you inform them first.
Making my way back to the rocks I came across the two Kentish men. None of us could quite remember the way down to the pick-up point. The local couple joined us, but they didn't know either. It wasn't a problem as once we were all gathered the boatman set out in his small boat and once we could see which direction he was heading in we were able to make our way down the rock face to meet him.
Once back on the main boat we were again offered coffee and biscuits. The boat headed straight back for Castlebay and picked up speed so the homeward journey was much quicker than the outward bound one had been.
All in all, the trip last just under six hours with about three hours on Mingulay. Although the weather wasn't the greatest in Barra, it was fine on Mingulay apart from the mist on the high cliffs. There was no wind apart from at the highest points on the island. The boat trip as well as the time on the island all made this a very enjoyable day and well worth the £50 it had cost.
As I drove past the Isle of Barra Hotel this morning I pulled into the car park as this seems to be the only place I can get a mobile signal on the island. His wife informed me that the trip was going ahead and so for the second day running I parked in the small car park in Castlebay, put my boots on, made a packed lunch and stuffed my waterproofs into my bag.
There were exactly five passengers waiting to board the small Boy James. With three crew we had an almost one-to-one ratio. The boat left 2 minutes early and almost immediately we were offered coffee and biscuits. The boat took its time and we circumnavigated several islands and stacks looking at seabirds and the wonderful rock formations and sea caves.
There was a shout. Someone had spotted basking sharks. Our captain slowed the boat right down and took us close to them. They came to investigate us circling the boat, fins slicing through the water Jaws style.
Passing the now uninhabited island of Pabbay we could see a derelict house above the sandy beach. The house, obviously made with stone from the island, blended into the rocky hill and was difficult to see; the island reabsorbing its stone.
Before landing on Mingulay we sailed round the island and up close to the soaring Eagle Cliff. Looking at more sea caves and a gannet colony we then chugged through a narrow sea cave open at both ends, but too long to be called a natural arch.
As we came close to the white beach on which we were to land we could see what looked like a pile of rocks. Closer investigation showed that these were all in fact seals. As we pulled closer they left the beach and flopped into the water, not disappearing, but staying around to watch us.
The boat was unable to land on the beach and instead pulled up to a much smaller boat attached to a buoy. We climbed into this boat and, motor started, moved up close to the rocks at the right hand side of the beach. Here we piled out of the boat onto mollusc-encrusted rocks and then had a short but steep scramble up the rocks and then down to the beach below.
Crossing the beach we then had to find a way up at the other side. We each found our own way that best suited and assembled at the top for the short walk to the old school. This was built in 1894, but abandoned in 1912 when the last residents left the island. Until now it's been left for nature to do what it will. However, this year the National Trust for Scotland, who are responsible for the island, have decided to carry out renovations. Once finished, NTS staff and volunteers will have a base to use when they are staying on the island.
Currently there are two men working on the building and they have been here for a week. They are both local and have a tent to sleep in pitched just outside the building. Work is coming along well with the inside of the building already looking much better than the outside.
Leaving the schoolhouse a track was visible leading to the abandoned village remains. The school is quite a way from the village as the Lady of the island in bygone times didn't want it building too close to the houses as she didn't like the noise of children. The track had been well-made and was defined with a line of stones to the seaward side.
The village itself was fascinating to look round. The houses have all long since lost their roofs and any timber has rotted away. Many walls have fallen down, but those remaining or part-remaining looked very picturesque against a backdrop of wild flowers and rocks. The beach is slowly taking over the houses and some were filled with sand almost to the height of their remaining walls. It will probably take a long time for them to completely disappear but I wondered if one day in the distant future they could be uncovered by a storm Skara Brae style and astound archaeologists.
I walked uphill slightly to the church (also the priest's house) with two of the passengers. Both men are from Kent and are on a sea-kayaking holiday staying at the local hostel which is also the sea-kayaking centre. The other two passengers, a young local couple, who no longer lived on Barra but were back for a wedding, had come over to visit a cousin who was one of the men working on the school. They had not walked with us and we didn't see them again until it was time to return to the boat. The three of us who were still together sat by the church and ate our lunch.
Then the men headed uphill and to the left (west) to the tops of the high sea cliffs (Eagle Cliff) that we had sailed beneath earlier. I didn't go this way as both this and the hill to the north were shrouded in mist and I didn't think I'd see much. Instead I headed to a slightly lower part of the ridge between the two high points. This was slightly below the mist and I though I'd get better views.
The walk climbed steeply over peaty ground and expanses of flat rock. It never got too boggy which surprised me. Levelling out at the top, I walked a bit further across a small moorland plateau to reach the western edge of the island from which I had wonderful views of the surrounding cliffs and stacks. Skuas were soaring overhead but showed no interest in me and didn't swoop down to attack me.
I stayed for a short while before heading back down, picking my way through the springy ground and feeling very glad of my walking poles. Near the church a couple of kayakers we'd seen landing on the beach earlier were setting up camp. Camping is allowed on the island but the NTS request that you inform them first.
Making my way back to the rocks I came across the two Kentish men. None of us could quite remember the way down to the pick-up point. The local couple joined us, but they didn't know either. It wasn't a problem as once we were all gathered the boatman set out in his small boat and once we could see which direction he was heading in we were able to make our way down the rock face to meet him.
Once back on the main boat we were again offered coffee and biscuits. The boat headed straight back for Castlebay and picked up speed so the homeward journey was much quicker than the outward bound one had been.
All in all, the trip last just under six hours with about three hours on Mingulay. Although the weather wasn't the greatest in Barra, it was fine on Mingulay apart from the mist on the high cliffs. There was no wind apart from at the highest points on the island. The boat trip as well as the time on the island all made this a very enjoyable day and well worth the £50 it had cost.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Using my tablet
I'm typing this on my new tablet. After much research I decided to go for an Asus tablet that comes with a detachable keyboard so it can be used as a netbook. It had good reviews, particularly about the aspects that were most important to me. The battery lasts for up to 15 hours; it's light enough to carry around when used without the keyboard (the keyboard makes it heavier, but I wanted a keyboard to use for when weight isn't an issue); it has wireless internet access; and it has Polaris installed which is similar to Microsoft Office (and apparently compatible, though I haven't tried it yet). It also has a camera, bluetooth, and can be used with a USB as well as SD cards.
So, how am I finding it? I'm sitting in the stunning lounge of the Isle of Barra Hotel near to where I've been camping. I came in looking for a coffee and a place to sit and type. They weren't open for coffee but said I could sit in the lounge and then offered to make me a coffee anyway. So I'm sat with a silver pot of strong, delicious coffee, on an orange sofa, in front of a large window overlooking the beach and sand dunes. The lounge itself is airy with big red and orange sofas, a budgie in a cage, a piano, interesting wall hangings and pictures, a shelf of games and three shelves of books, and some very comfy looking leather loungers. I'm getting very distracted looking out of the window and looking around the room.
But, I'm here to test my tablet. I took a few photos of the longe using the camera but have no idea where they've gone or how I save them. I found the Polaris version of Word and I'm tyring to get used to the tiny keyboard. I'm making a lot of mistakes. I've not found out how to copy and paste or how to drag text around yet. I've also not found the delete button and so can only use backspace to clear any mistakes. But I'm learning and when I feel competent this will count towards my 2012 twelve goals.
So, how am I finding it? I'm sitting in the stunning lounge of the Isle of Barra Hotel near to where I've been camping. I came in looking for a coffee and a place to sit and type. They weren't open for coffee but said I could sit in the lounge and then offered to make me a coffee anyway. So I'm sat with a silver pot of strong, delicious coffee, on an orange sofa, in front of a large window overlooking the beach and sand dunes. The lounge itself is airy with big red and orange sofas, a budgie in a cage, a piano, interesting wall hangings and pictures, a shelf of games and three shelves of books, and some very comfy looking leather loungers. I'm getting very distracted looking out of the window and looking around the room.
But, I'm here to test my tablet. I took a few photos of the longe using the camera but have no idea where they've gone or how I save them. I found the Polaris version of Word and I'm tyring to get used to the tiny keyboard. I'm making a lot of mistakes. I've not found out how to copy and paste or how to drag text around yet. I've also not found the delete button and so can only use backspace to clear any mistakes. But I'm learning and when I feel competent this will count towards my 2012 twelve goals.
Barra and Vatersay
Here's a bit of information on the first two islands I visited in the Outer Hebrides:
The island covers about 20 square miles and is 6 miles long and around 5 miles wide. The highest point in Heavel at 383 metres. The main village is Castlebay which is where the ferry from Oban docks and where the majority of the island's population of about 1300 live. There's a small grocer's shop and a larger Co-op, a few hotels and coffee shops, an Italian/Indian restaurant, a tourist information office, an ATM and a post office. The airport is to the north of the island and is the world's only beach airport to have scheduled flights. As the planes land on the beach the times of the flights are of course tide-dependent.
In the bay of Castlebay there is, appropriately enough, a castle. The exact age of Kisimul Castle is disputed, but there was probably a broch here long before there was ever a castle. The castle is owned and managed by Historic Scotland and the ticket price included the short boat journey over to it.
There is also a heritage centre on the road to the west heading out of Castlebay. Next to the heritage centre is the sports centre with pool and sauna. Campervan campers and wild campers can get a shower here for £1.05.
The filming of Whisky Galore! (based on the book of the same name by Compton Mackenzie) took place on Barra, though the incident about which the book is a fictionalised account actually took place on neigbouring Eriskay. Compton Mackenzie is now buried at St Barr's Church on the road past the the airport.
Barra has several standing stones, cairns and fort remains, reflecting its ancient history. St Barr, a follower of St Columbine, is reputed to have come here in the seventh century. Later the Vikings laid claim before the Macneils gained control. The name Macneil is still common on the island today as can be seen on the gravestones in the graveyard of St Barr's Church.
The island did not fair well in the clearances of the 1800s and many islanders emigrated to Canada. The herring industry was important in the 1800s and 1900s with many curing stations operating along the shore of the bay.
Barra is a mainly Catholic island, meaning the Sunday restrictions found in some of the other islands do not apply here. Looking at the readers' letters page of the Stornoway Gazette has given me a taste of things to come as so many of the letters were contributed by God-fearing folk and had a religious slant to them. One example is a letter objecting to the name of a band that took part in the recent Barra festival. The band was called The Holy Ghosts and the reader objected to God's name being taken in vain.
Since 1991 Vatersay has been joined to Barra by means of a causeway. The causeway was built to make the amenities of Barra more accessible to the Vatersay residents with the aim of enabling them to stay put on their island thus stemming the population decline. The island, which is currently the most southerly inhabited of the Outer Hebrides, now has a population of around 120.
The island is 3 miles long and about 2.5 miles across at its widest. It has an hour-glass figure with its pinched-in middle having a sandy beach running either side. The majority of the population now live in the village of Vatersay situated in the south of the island. There is a community centre and a post office, but not much else in the way of facilities.
Vatersay was inhabited in prehistoric times as well as by the Vikings. In more recent time Vatersay was owned as a single farm by Gordon of Cluny. This was the time of the clearances and the population was decimated. The clearances meant there was also a shortage of land for crofting in the surrounding islands. As a desperate measure a group from Barra and Mingulay 'invaded' and set up crofts under an ancient law which said that anyone building a house and lighting a fire in its hearth on the same day could claim the land. The landlord did not agree and several of the Vatersay Raiders, as they became known, were imprisoned. Eventually the island was bought by the government and the land was split into 58 crofts.
Vatersay is also associated with two wrecks which are remembered with monuments. The first is that of the Annie Jane, a boat taking people emigrating from Liverpool to America in 1853. Although about a quarter of those on board survived the shipwreck, over 300 lost their lives and many are buried on Vatersay.
The second wreck is that of a WWII Catalina flying boat. Although the majority of the crew survived, three lost their lives. A memorial has been erected alongside the remains of the wreckage.
Barra
The island covers about 20 square miles and is 6 miles long and around 5 miles wide. The highest point in Heavel at 383 metres. The main village is Castlebay which is where the ferry from Oban docks and where the majority of the island's population of about 1300 live. There's a small grocer's shop and a larger Co-op, a few hotels and coffee shops, an Italian/Indian restaurant, a tourist information office, an ATM and a post office. The airport is to the north of the island and is the world's only beach airport to have scheduled flights. As the planes land on the beach the times of the flights are of course tide-dependent.
In the bay of Castlebay there is, appropriately enough, a castle. The exact age of Kisimul Castle is disputed, but there was probably a broch here long before there was ever a castle. The castle is owned and managed by Historic Scotland and the ticket price included the short boat journey over to it.
There is also a heritage centre on the road to the west heading out of Castlebay. Next to the heritage centre is the sports centre with pool and sauna. Campervan campers and wild campers can get a shower here for £1.05.
The filming of Whisky Galore! (based on the book of the same name by Compton Mackenzie) took place on Barra, though the incident about which the book is a fictionalised account actually took place on neigbouring Eriskay. Compton Mackenzie is now buried at St Barr's Church on the road past the the airport.
Barra has several standing stones, cairns and fort remains, reflecting its ancient history. St Barr, a follower of St Columbine, is reputed to have come here in the seventh century. Later the Vikings laid claim before the Macneils gained control. The name Macneil is still common on the island today as can be seen on the gravestones in the graveyard of St Barr's Church.
The island did not fair well in the clearances of the 1800s and many islanders emigrated to Canada. The herring industry was important in the 1800s and 1900s with many curing stations operating along the shore of the bay.
Barra is a mainly Catholic island, meaning the Sunday restrictions found in some of the other islands do not apply here. Looking at the readers' letters page of the Stornoway Gazette has given me a taste of things to come as so many of the letters were contributed by God-fearing folk and had a religious slant to them. One example is a letter objecting to the name of a band that took part in the recent Barra festival. The band was called The Holy Ghosts and the reader objected to God's name being taken in vain.
Vatersay
Since 1991 Vatersay has been joined to Barra by means of a causeway. The causeway was built to make the amenities of Barra more accessible to the Vatersay residents with the aim of enabling them to stay put on their island thus stemming the population decline. The island, which is currently the most southerly inhabited of the Outer Hebrides, now has a population of around 120.
The island is 3 miles long and about 2.5 miles across at its widest. It has an hour-glass figure with its pinched-in middle having a sandy beach running either side. The majority of the population now live in the village of Vatersay situated in the south of the island. There is a community centre and a post office, but not much else in the way of facilities.
Vatersay was inhabited in prehistoric times as well as by the Vikings. In more recent time Vatersay was owned as a single farm by Gordon of Cluny. This was the time of the clearances and the population was decimated. The clearances meant there was also a shortage of land for crofting in the surrounding islands. As a desperate measure a group from Barra and Mingulay 'invaded' and set up crofts under an ancient law which said that anyone building a house and lighting a fire in its hearth on the same day could claim the land. The landlord did not agree and several of the Vatersay Raiders, as they became known, were imprisoned. Eventually the island was bought by the government and the land was split into 58 crofts.
Vatersay is also associated with two wrecks which are remembered with monuments. The first is that of the Annie Jane, a boat taking people emigrating from Liverpool to America in 1853. Although about a quarter of those on board survived the shipwreck, over 300 lost their lives and many are buried on Vatersay.
The second wreck is that of a WWII Catalina flying boat. Although the majority of the crew survived, three lost their lives. A memorial has been erected alongside the remains of the wreckage.
Sleeping in my van
I've camped in my van for the last three nights and I'm loving the freedom of it. I left home much later than planned on Thursday and arrived in Oban just after midnight. I found a free car park, rolled out my bed in the back and went to sleep. I had a really good night's sleep and felt comfortable and safe. It would have been much more difficult to find somewhere to pitch my tent. It was dark when I was driving so I couldn't spot any good camping spots from the road.
On Friday I caught the ferry over to Castlebay on the island of Barra at the bottom of the Outer Hebrides. It's a five hour sail and was calm, clear and sunny all the way. We arrived in the early evening to more sunshine. Knowing the good weather wouldn't last and wanting to explore I drove a full circuit round the island's ring road stopping to take photos of the white sandy beaches and looking for a camping spot for the evening.
I drove over the causeway to Vatersay and followed the road finding more white beaches and a lone seal. I also discovered the remains of a second world war plane crash. This reminded me of walks I've done in the Peak District to see similar remains (a more macabre version of being a plane spotter).
Although I saw lots of nice places I would have had to park a little bit back from the sea and not have had the best view. With this is mind I drove back to one of the laybys I'd passed earlier on the west side of Barra and stopped there. Although it was on the main road there were very few vehicles passing. I had the beach and sand dunes in front of me and a rocky grassed over hill rising up behind me on the opposite side of the road.
I wouldn't have been able to pitch my tent here as the layby itself was covered with loose stones, the hill behind was too steep (and I probably wouldn't have got my pegs into the rock anyway), and the sand on the beach was too soft and the tide was coming in. So having my van meant I was able to camp in an amazing spot and have it all to myself. I kept the door open until quite late and opened it early the next morning, sitting in the doorway to eat my breakfast. Last night I camped here again. Another campervan was parked at the far end of the layby, but it was far enough away for us both to have privacy.
I've put a roll-up bed that I've had for years in the back of the van. It's actually meant for a child and is made up of three foam cushions attached together - two larger ones and one smaller one. When it's folded up it makes a chair, the smaller cushion being the back of the chair; when it's unrolled it makes a bed with the smaller cushion being slightly raised at the head. It fits really well in the van and is where I'm planning to build my bed when I convert the van. Down the other side from my bed I have everything stored and although it looks very packed, it's much more organised than I was in my car.
The more I use my van, the more I'm getting the feel for how I want to convert it. I'm glad I didn't rush into anything. Although most of my original ideas still hold, there are a few things I will do differently and other modifications I've realised would be nice to have.
This doesn't mean I'm giving up on my tents though. When I want to get off the beaten track to places I can't access with a car and when I'm walking and carrying all my gear, a tent will be needed. Also, when I'm staying in one place for a while it's better to have everything set up in one place so I don't have to pack things away in the daytime. I'd also have more room in the back of the van during the day.
On Friday I caught the ferry over to Castlebay on the island of Barra at the bottom of the Outer Hebrides. It's a five hour sail and was calm, clear and sunny all the way. We arrived in the early evening to more sunshine. Knowing the good weather wouldn't last and wanting to explore I drove a full circuit round the island's ring road stopping to take photos of the white sandy beaches and looking for a camping spot for the evening.
I drove over the causeway to Vatersay and followed the road finding more white beaches and a lone seal. I also discovered the remains of a second world war plane crash. This reminded me of walks I've done in the Peak District to see similar remains (a more macabre version of being a plane spotter).
Although I saw lots of nice places I would have had to park a little bit back from the sea and not have had the best view. With this is mind I drove back to one of the laybys I'd passed earlier on the west side of Barra and stopped there. Although it was on the main road there were very few vehicles passing. I had the beach and sand dunes in front of me and a rocky grassed over hill rising up behind me on the opposite side of the road.
I wouldn't have been able to pitch my tent here as the layby itself was covered with loose stones, the hill behind was too steep (and I probably wouldn't have got my pegs into the rock anyway), and the sand on the beach was too soft and the tide was coming in. So having my van meant I was able to camp in an amazing spot and have it all to myself. I kept the door open until quite late and opened it early the next morning, sitting in the doorway to eat my breakfast. Last night I camped here again. Another campervan was parked at the far end of the layby, but it was far enough away for us both to have privacy.
I've put a roll-up bed that I've had for years in the back of the van. It's actually meant for a child and is made up of three foam cushions attached together - two larger ones and one smaller one. When it's folded up it makes a chair, the smaller cushion being the back of the chair; when it's unrolled it makes a bed with the smaller cushion being slightly raised at the head. It fits really well in the van and is where I'm planning to build my bed when I convert the van. Down the other side from my bed I have everything stored and although it looks very packed, it's much more organised than I was in my car.
The more I use my van, the more I'm getting the feel for how I want to convert it. I'm glad I didn't rush into anything. Although most of my original ideas still hold, there are a few things I will do differently and other modifications I've realised would be nice to have.
This doesn't mean I'm giving up on my tents though. When I want to get off the beaten track to places I can't access with a car and when I'm walking and carrying all my gear, a tent will be needed. Also, when I'm staying in one place for a while it's better to have everything set up in one place so I don't have to pack things away in the daytime. I'd also have more room in the back of the van during the day.
Trying to get to Mingulay
Mingulay has a similar depopulation story to that of St Kilda, but it is less well-known and less documented. I didn't know anything about it before arriving in the Outer Hebrides (probably because I'd had no time to research my trip).
The island is about 10 miles south of Barra and so not nearly as isolated as St Kilda. The unpopulated island of Sanday is closer still being only a couple of miles away. Although small (3 miles long and 2 miles wide), it is hilly with high sea cliffs rising to 150m in some parts. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European bird protection area.
Its prolific seabird population (including puffins) may be a reason for protection and tourism now, but in the past the birds were just as important as they were essential for the survival of the population. The inhabitants ate the birds and their eggs, used their feathers and processed oil from them.
Mingulay had a population of around 150 in the 1800s but life became unsustainable and in 1911 the island was finally abandoned. It is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
It is possible to visit the island by means of a boat tour from Barra. The six our round trip allows about three hours on the island and costs £50. Although St Kilda is still my main focus of the trip, I like the idea of visiting an island with a similar story. I always like islands, the smaller and harder to get to they are, the more I like the idea of visiting them.
The girl in the tourist office gave me the phone number of the man who runs the trips, but advised me not to bother calling until the evening as he would be out on a trip during the day, especially with it being such good weather. It was difficult to find a phone signal, but I eventually got one by the Isle of Barra Hotel. It's strange that the main residential area of the island doesn't have a signal and also doesn't pick up radio stations very clearly. Maybe it's something to do with the surrounding hills?
I called, but only got voicemail. I left a message to say I wanted to go on this morning's trip, but of course without speaking to the man I had no way of knowing if it would be possible. Once I moved away from the area I lost my phone signal again, so he wouldn't have been able to call me back. He needs a minimum of five passengers to run the trip, but I was more worried that due to the nice weather he would be full-booked rather than under-booked.
I was up and ready early this morning and drove down to the pier. I watched the ferry to Oban depart and then brewed a flask of coffee and got my boots on. I waited around but there was no sign of the boat to Mingulay, the boatman, or any other passengers. Giving up, I went for coffee at the Isle of Barra Hotel. After 12 o'clock when the tourist office opened I came back into Castlebay and got the girl working there to try to ring for me. Again it went to voicemail.
I really enjoyed having coffee in the Isle of Barra Hotel this morning, so I may go there for a beer this evening. As I can get a signal there I'll try phoning again this evening. If I don't get to speak to him, I'll turn up again tomorrow morning and if the boat doesn't go or I can't get on the trip then I'll head for the Eriskay ferry at 11.10am and start moving up the islands. Mingulay may have to become a place to add to my wishlist.
The island is about 10 miles south of Barra and so not nearly as isolated as St Kilda. The unpopulated island of Sanday is closer still being only a couple of miles away. Although small (3 miles long and 2 miles wide), it is hilly with high sea cliffs rising to 150m in some parts. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European bird protection area.
Its prolific seabird population (including puffins) may be a reason for protection and tourism now, but in the past the birds were just as important as they were essential for the survival of the population. The inhabitants ate the birds and their eggs, used their feathers and processed oil from them.
Mingulay had a population of around 150 in the 1800s but life became unsustainable and in 1911 the island was finally abandoned. It is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
It is possible to visit the island by means of a boat tour from Barra. The six our round trip allows about three hours on the island and costs £50. Although St Kilda is still my main focus of the trip, I like the idea of visiting an island with a similar story. I always like islands, the smaller and harder to get to they are, the more I like the idea of visiting them.
The girl in the tourist office gave me the phone number of the man who runs the trips, but advised me not to bother calling until the evening as he would be out on a trip during the day, especially with it being such good weather. It was difficult to find a phone signal, but I eventually got one by the Isle of Barra Hotel. It's strange that the main residential area of the island doesn't have a signal and also doesn't pick up radio stations very clearly. Maybe it's something to do with the surrounding hills?
I called, but only got voicemail. I left a message to say I wanted to go on this morning's trip, but of course without speaking to the man I had no way of knowing if it would be possible. Once I moved away from the area I lost my phone signal again, so he wouldn't have been able to call me back. He needs a minimum of five passengers to run the trip, but I was more worried that due to the nice weather he would be full-booked rather than under-booked.
I was up and ready early this morning and drove down to the pier. I watched the ferry to Oban depart and then brewed a flask of coffee and got my boots on. I waited around but there was no sign of the boat to Mingulay, the boatman, or any other passengers. Giving up, I went for coffee at the Isle of Barra Hotel. After 12 o'clock when the tourist office opened I came back into Castlebay and got the girl working there to try to ring for me. Again it went to voicemail.
I really enjoyed having coffee in the Isle of Barra Hotel this morning, so I may go there for a beer this evening. As I can get a signal there I'll try phoning again this evening. If I don't get to speak to him, I'll turn up again tomorrow morning and if the boat doesn't go or I can't get on the trip then I'll head for the Eriskay ferry at 11.10am and start moving up the islands. Mingulay may have to become a place to add to my wishlist.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
July 2012 Twelve Review
I've done a little better this month than I did last month, but still got lots to do if I want to get them all ticked off by the end of the year.
Floating in a floatation tank (I'm hoping to do this in London during the February half term)- Reading at least 10 books from the BBC Big Read list (if I read 10 a year, I'll have the whole 200 knocked off in the next 12-13 years!) - still haven't done anything about this one.
- Taking at least one photo every day of the year (this will improve my photography skills, be a photo-diary of 'year in my life', and help me to learn to use my new camera) - I've taken lots of photos whilst I've been on holiday, but not the rest of the month. I'm seeing a pattern here - I'm good at taking photos when I have leisure time but not in my day-to-day life.
- Coming up with a fitness plan and sticking to it (the start of my training for Kilimanjaro, though I may not actually climb it for several years yet) - I did a couple of walks on the Cotswold Way
- Leading at least 4 of my own walks (good practice for my walking group leader's qualification) - not led any walks, but I've done a bit more walking
- Buying another house (need to get my finances in order first) - nothing done towards this yet.
- Learning to use at least 3 new pieces of technology or computer programmes (not counting my new camera) - I've been taking lots of short video clips. I want to put them together using something like 'moviemaker'.
- Doing a writing course (depends on the length of the course whether I'd complete it in the year or not) - I keep carrying lesson 1 of my course around with me and then not getting the time or motivation to do any work on it.
Getting at least one piece of writing published (paid or unpaid, as long as someone else makes the decision to publish it and it's not self-published)- Making a start on sorting out my photos (putting the prints that are currently still stuffed in packets into albums and getting all my photos scanned into the computer - no way will this be completed in a year, but I'll feel good even if I get started on it) - I seem to have got distracted with developing a book database so I can see the photos having to wait until next year.
Buying a car/van that I can sleep in(and doing any necessary conversions/adaptations) - I've now had a second week camping in my van and have even figured out how to use it as a shower! I'm fairly certain now about what I want doing to it, but it will have to wait until I get back from the Hebrides.- Getting into cycling (even if it's just short cycles along decent paths) - I was thinking of taking my bike to the Hebrides, now I'm not so sure. I still want to but my dad has stored it in rather an inaccessible place and I may not be able to get it in time.
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