Exploring North Uist

Today we decided to explore North Uist...so we set off after breakfast for Barpa Langais (Langass Burial Chamber). This is a chambered burial cairn that dates from the end of the Stone Age. We parked the car and walked up a slushy track to the cairn. Although it is possible to enter it, all the recent rain meant that it wasn't advisable unless you wanted to get soaking wet as you crawled in.

On the walk up to Barpa Langais

Anita standing at the entry to Barpa Langais

From the cairn, there is a path that lead to the top of the hill and then down to the Pobull Fhinn stone circle. Little more than wooden posts marking a route across the peat bogs and heather, the track was tricky to follow if you didn't want to be sloshing through water that was just laying on the surface. Taking our time to pick out the driest route, we made it to the top and then started down the other side...eventually coming to the stone circle.

Views from the top...lots of water everywhere

Looking down on the stone circle

Anita at the entrance to the stone circle

From the stone circle, we walked directly back to our car and then continued north...to Lochmaddy where we stopped for a little lunch in the Visitor's Centre. We then continued on north as far as you can go...crossing the causeway on to the island of Berneray. After watching the seals sun themselves in the harbor we started south...this time travelling down the west side of North Uist. On our way we stopped off at Clachan Sands...a beautiful white sand beach that are quite common up in the north west of Scotland. While it was sunny and warm enough for a pleasant beach walk, it fell well short of the requirements for getting wet.

Cutting peat

The heather was in bloom all over the island

Seals at Berneray

Anita on Clachan Sands

Back on the road again, we took a detour up to the St Kilda View lookout...however by the time we got there it was too cloudy to see the island so far off-shore. By now the day was about done so we returned to our B&B and had dinner that night at the Temple View Hotel.

Views from the St Kilda View lookout