Islands galore 21 May 2017

Bhatarsaigh, Barraigh, Èirisgeigh, Uibhist a Deas:  Vatersay, Barra, Eriskay and South Uist.  Remote, yet showing visible signs of development through the ages. In Castlebay, the herring trade blossomed after the coming of the telegraph in the 1880s.  Eriskay and Vatersay were only accessible by boat until 1991 when the causeways were opened. Now fibre optic cable opens up new opportunities.

The dominant religion is Catholic on these islands – reflected in the open chapels and ruined Kirks.  I wonder if there was a priest on hand in 1853 to give succour to the survivors of the Annie Jane. 350 people perished: their mass burial ground is marked by a simple obelisk. How is it that a shipwreck with so much loss of life is not known more widely: they were only emigrants, so no need for a great fuss?

Vatersay – population 90 – is also where we start to see some of the machair which appears along most of our route:  “the name given to one of the rarest habitats in Europe which only occurs on exposed western coasts of Scotland and Ireland.”  Today’s bird life is mainly oyster catchers and the sound of cuckoos.  Others were probably sheltering from the wind and rain.

Vatersay sand

Barra

Broadband

Popular route

Otters crossing

Barra’s airport is an absolute joy.  The landing strip is the beach: it disappears twice a day when the tide comes in.  Excellent cafe doubles as check in and departure lounge.  The other lounge we studied in depth was waiting for the ferry across the 6 miles of the Eriskay Sound.  Here you can read the Western Isles contain 44% of the UK’s remaining fragile saline lagoons. And top up your e-things on the wonderful Caledonian MacBrayne WiFi in the middle of nowhere. Outside remote and unique. Inside, anywhere.

For plane spotters

Orderly queue

Missed the plane

 

Eriskay is probably best known for the SS Parliament, made immortal in Whisky Galore.  It was quite impressive to see – but not taste – one of the surviving bottles. Well that’s what they say and I’m happy to go along with it.

Then across to South Uist. Here the ruins of the blackhouses, once the dominant dwellings,  dot the landscape. Now just the lower walls and chimney breasts, they are often accompanied by the ruin of the next generation of housing beside today’s buildings. It is also a lot flatter than it’s southerly brethren.  Which will suit us on tomorrow’s longer cycling day.