Tuesday 09/05/06

Wall to wall sunshine this morning, not a cloud in the sky. Mrs B's youngest grandson comes in for an hour or so. After he goes away, I notice that the Cuma, which has been living on the Goat Island slipway for 3 months has finally left. At 2.15 I head for town with mrs B and her nephew to go on the bus to the West Side for a spot of walking. As I wait for the bus to leave, I notice two policemen approaching someone lying in the flowerbeds under An Lanntair. They have some difficulty rousing him from his slumbers, and take him away to sober up in the cells. The bus driver and other bystanders laugh their heads off. We head out towards Callanish and Breascleit. I alight at the southern road end of Tolsta Chaolais. I'm going to mark out a walking route. It's very warm. Many sheep with their young lambs about. The walk is very scenic, T.Ch. is a nice wee place. After about 40 minutes, I've passed through the village. A few people are about, but otherwise it's very quiet. A goose lands on the village loch. Turn left at the top and find an improved path leading to the Doune Braes Hotel, the local watering hole. After that, it's a 1 km jaunt along the main road to Dun Carloway, where the renowned Broch stands. The Broch has a visitor centre, which is worth a visit to see how life is thought to have been led about 2,100 years ago. An older couple is there as well. Nice view from there. You can see Old Hill, Aird Uig and the nearby Loch an Duin. As I go down the hill again, I notice the northbound bus passing along the main road. I therefore return to town on the 5pm bus, which goes back the way I came. Arrive in Stornoway at 5.45.