West Side revisited - 02/05/05

Today is the May Day Bank Holiday, so have to read the timetables very carefully. I leave at lunchtime on the 12.45 bus to Gearrannan near Carloway. It feels quite warm. The 3 dead sheep still adorn the scenery at the Grimshader junction. Calanish seems to be well attended today. Bus waits for a few minutes at Breascleit Pier before continuing its journey. Two ladies get off at the Broch, but that is closed for maintenance until May 20th. Arrive at Gearrannan Black House Village at 1.40. Temperature out here 19C / 66F. Have to pay £2.20 for a guided tour, but it's a lot better value for money than at Arnol where you pay £4 for one house; here there are 9. One is a museum - a black house with a severely sloping floor; one bedroom to the back with alcove beds, a small living room and a byre with a weaving loom. Two orphan lambs spend the night there, and we're asked to contribute towards their feeds. I walk round the village for a bit, pick up a leaflet or two. There is also a youth hostel and several self-catering houses. Pack myself off on the shoreline walk to Dalmore at 2.45. The coastal scenery is familiar, with the islands off Great Bernera and Gallan Head (Uig) to the west. Can just see either the sandy beach at Riof or the beach at Bostadh (Bernera). On the first few hundred yards, the modern village of Gearrannan stretches away towards Carloway. Pass Fivig Bay, across the moors and past some spectacular coves on to Caisteal Aird a'Ghobhann. The latter is an ancient fortification. The stack has a cairn on its summit, but it's inaccessible. The next valley is Seiligeadh, with some broad runrig strips running down to the stream. From there on, the route is not terribly well marked - the marker posts are not easily discernible. I finally descend towards Dalmore at 3.50, and have time for a cuppa by the beach. The weather has slowly deteriorated into short showers, and the temperature is slowly going down to 16C. Still very good though. But not as forecast, grin. Directly behind the coastal reinforcements lie two cemeteries. Several tents are pitched behind the smaller one. I walk through Dalmore village, about ten houses, not in terribly good nick. The bus turns up nice and on time at the top of the road, at 4.50. It returns me to Stornoway one hour later. People pass through Newton, canvassing for the Labour party. Mrs B. is a strong Labour activist, so she has a chat with the canvassers. I've heard all I want to hear about politics and the election, bwugh. Roll on May 5th.