Stornoway and Lewis

They must be the most friendly and service-minded of people these Lewisters. I was searching for a new thermos, to replace the one which took a flying visit to the bilges on the way here. Tesco was apparently promising. Tesco. Enormous. Find shelf. Shelf empty. Manageress. “I’ll look in the back store, should have come in yesterday”. Ten minutes later. “Sorry. A new delivery tomorrow hopefully”. Anywhere else in Stornoway possibly? “Aladdins cave? just round the corner”. Four corners later, and Tesco is a large building, back inside. Asked the man in the basket checkout, he didn’t look too busy. “Yes, just round the corner”. Mumblings about not finding it. “I’ll show you”. And up he gets from his checkout seat and leads me through the throng. Are you allowed to do this? it is most kind. “Why not?” Round two corners. “See the building with the yellow-stone corner? Round that to the left”. Effusive thanks. “No problem”. Where else would one get such service?  No suitable thermos in Aladdins Cave. But, the Home Improvement Centre, round the next corner, had a thermos. Double size. Ah well, more cups of tea then!

Weatherwise, we have been incredibly fortunate, although the wind, easterly, has been a bit chilly. Must be because of the Stornorway Festival, very much in evidence. Three days. Boats dressed overall with signal flags, (Josin’s too, in the correct order if you please).

 

Large tents in the castle grounds opposite, with varying music, thumping in the evenings. Bunting everywhere. Summer-clad people in droves. Push chairs. Street stands. Bagpipes  inflated, tuned, (necessary), and tamed by a most musical (I was reliably informed) fourteen-year-old, attracting well-earned attention and coins in the pedestrian street.

We wanted to hire a car for tomorrow, to explore Lewis and its attractions. Why not an electric one, for which we had acquired a brochure? After much foot-wearying searching and helpful directions, we found, at one of the addresses in the brochure, the sign-makers business, where, it turned out the car-hire manager works. Lucky us!. Not at the airport where all the cars are parked. He must have then spent a half hour on the phone. “Festival you see, not a car left”. Later. “There are no petrol ones, can you accept an electric one”. Margaret very sceptical, me OK. “We will fetch you, it is at the airport”. Service again!!. Timothy in a Renault Zoe. To airport. Paperwork. Plastic transaction. Zoe awaiting at the charging point, with instructions from Timothy, particularly about charging, necessary as Zoe was only partly charged. Where then?. “Bus station. And there’s one at The North Point somewhere, and one at Tarbert”. More instructions. We depart, Margaret driving gingerly, experimentally. Bus station. Several wrong turnings until we found the tall black and white cabinet, with a screen face and two arms with cables. Followed instructions, prodding virtual buttons, offering  the critical card. Nix. several times. Still nix. Suddenly Timothy appeared. Service again!!. “I’ll have a try”. Many tries. Still nix. “Last person must have not ended the process correctly!” OK, what now. “To the office, there are several charging points”. Followed Timothy. Yes. A charger available. Leave it on charge and fetch it in the morning. By now it was long into the evening. Effusive thanks from us. “No problem. have a nice day tomorrow!”. Foot it back to the boat, and F&C for supper. Not the best, rather greasy.

Friday dawns, not-a-cloud, not-a-breath. M sleeps still. I enjoy the early morning walk to fetch the car, now fully charged, with 80 to 100 miles worth apparently. Breakfast. Where to? Consult map. At least northward, to the charging point. M still rather sceptical. Off and away, main road north. Several things to see.

Heath land. Not a single tree. Wide views. Peat bogs everywhere with signs of taking.

First stop Steinaclert Cairn and Stones. 200 meters to walk uphill, good, but Lewis meters are at least double. Placard with info. Take picture, not very impressive. Walk down again. Onward to the Port of Ness, at the very top of Lewis, a drying harbour.

Search for charging point. Ask at the filling station back down the road. “No, sorry”. What now? Cleaning lady chipped in. “There’s one at the Community Centre, I’ve seen it”. Back up the road. Found! Smaller, white cabinet.

 

 

Wandered around, taking unusable pics for the three quarters to fully charged. Away again, confidence-charged. South and west along the coast, to The 40 North restaurant, recommended for lunch. Closed. But wait! It opens at twelve. Sure enough. Warm welcome but “fully booked for lunch, but we have much for takeaway”. Can we sit at these garden tables? “Of course, I’ll fetch the menu”. Reindeer pie and salad for me, chicken something for M, both delicious. Unusual to have a hen awaiting the tidbits.

 

Then on to The Blackhouse Village, representing how the crofters might have lived. Interesting buildings, with minimum use of very scarce roof timbers. All on the slope. Must be very odd for the people living there to live at an angle.

 

Then to he Dun Carloway Broch. Impressive enough building on the top of a mound overlooking the sea. Astonishing considering how long ago it was built. A lot of it had fallen down and the top had gone. Two concentric circles of stones with a sizeable gap between, gradually tapering towards the top with probably a small roof. Scarce timber again.

 

Then to the Callanish Standing Stones. Very popular. The German bus we had seen before. Carpark full. Restaurant very busy. Climb the slope to the Stones. A central ring with four alleyways radiating out at cardinal directions. (Except that the builders must have used the summer solstice as the defining direction). North wasn’t invented then. Difficult to photograph.

 

Me at one of the smaller stones.

Then back to Stornoway. What? Still 50 miles left? OK. Out to Portnaguran, past the airport. One-track road, with the occasional signed passing place. One car and one campervan.  Lighthouse, Major. Otherwise just sea, The Minch, with waves. Beentheredonethat. Back to town. Shopping. Back to boat. Deliver car. Walk back. what a day!. Dinner. Relax. Big Festival day tomorrow