Ecosse and Beyond: 4th & 5th July, Monday & Tuesday

The Berneray – North Uist causeway opened in 1999

Scolpaig Tower, a folly built as a famine relief project

There is an RSPB reserve at Balranald. I called in there early in the day as they ran a three “visits” which I wanted to do and the phone signal was hopeless and I was passing so stopped to investigate. It turned out you didn’t need to book, just turn up. While I was there I did the walk around the reserve. One of the “visits” was the Corncrake walk, at 9.30 pm at the reserve. However when I arrived the corncrakes were craking well – only the males make a noise. It was just as well, as in the evening – and we were pushing about trying to hear them until midnight – there was very little going on. (I would have gone back to the reserve if I hadn’t managed to get the Van across to Skye on Friday.)

Balranald

Lochmaddy museum

Cocoa tins seem to have replaced the little wooden boats to summon help to St Kilda

This is a CD, Access all areas, Vol 2 by a local band, RunRig. It was given to Laurel Clark and she took it into space with her in 2003. The space ship was lost with all hands on re-entry in February 2003. It was found with in North Texas and given back to her widower. He presented it to the museum. As it was in the space ships CD player the supposition is that this is the last thing they listened to.

Hebridean Smokehouse

… fab smoked scallops

Benbecula airport was closed at 5 pm – not worth taking a picture of the runway.

I stopped off at the co-op on Benbecula and was thrilled to find an Observer (despite it being a Monday) – maybe the Sunday papers don’t go on display until Monday.

Kallin