Island Weather

There is no doubt about it, today’s weather is FOUL! The well behaved sheep are all behind the shed, the naughty escapee lambs are against the house wall, the grass is being blown horizontal and the rain lashing horizontally too. Even Lena can’t find a skerrick of blue sky and I haven’t once heard her optimistic expression, ”It’s brightening up”.

We went into Stornoway so we could access the WiFi at the Library but before we’d found it we were informed by a very helpful girl that it isn’t open on Mondays, she phoned someone then told us we could access the Net at an Arts Centre just a short distance away. It was a nice cosy environment and the background talk was interesting with a Casting director discussing parts she would or wouldn’t give a particular actor. It was good to get back ……. (have just heard Lena say, “Oh, I think it’s brightening up over there!” As Alex pointed out it might be getting brighter but it’s still blowing 40 knot winds)……… online to check for mail etc.

After we’d done our Netting we went back to the car, no chance to take photos of the sculptures near the wharf, that will have to be done on a nicer day. Mark drove us north to see the marvellous beach at Tolsta, we didn’t get out of the car. Just north of that Alex was willing to “take one for the team” and got out of the car to read the information board. The bridge was financed by Lord Leverholme, the owner of the island of Lewis, and was intended to close the road loop around the northern part of the island but soldiers coming back from the War wanted land to farm not road work and there were incidents which eventually caused all work on the road to end. All the concrete mixed for the bridge was done by hand. The returned soldiers must have been desperate for their bit of home because the wages paid by Lord Leverholme were good.

There is a monument recognising the efforts of “Land Raiders” who tried to reclaim their crofts but were jailed for their efforts until the Judiciary highlighted the unfairness of what they were being asked to enforce.

There are lots of interesting things to see up that way but you need to be able to get out of the car and today certainly wasn’t a day for that. Tonight we’re going to meet up with another of Alex’s cousins at Lacasaidh or in English, Laxay. All the names here are written in Gaelic in some places with English subtitles but all the Lewis people are bilingual. Incomers usually only speak English.

Thanks John Alex for letting me access your WiFi.

Each strip belonged to one Crofter.

The wind has blown the grass horizontal.

Monument to the Land Raiders.

The Bridge at Garry (the bridge to nowhere).