The Scottish Western Isles 2009 - Harris and Lewis

From Berneray we took the ferry to Leverbugh on Harris, then headed east to Rodel for the night and visited St Clements Church, burial place of the Macleods of Harris

All these photos were taken with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7

St Clements Church and a typical brooding sky

Sunrise at Rodel

Rodel's tranquil harbour

Traigh Losgaintir

Sky, sea, rocks and heather – eternal Hebrides

The hills of North Harris beckon...

After a brief stay in the capital Stornoway, we headed north again.

 A dark, peaty stream flows across the beach...

 ... and colours the harbour at Port of Ness

Bleak, imposing views at the Butt of Lewis

A morning symphony of blue by the Norse Mill

Spectacular surf near Loch Dhailbeag

 Beautiful tranquility at Loch Charlabhaigh

Sunset view from the jetty

Dun Charlabhaigh

The Callanaish Stones

Reef Beach near Cnip

Early morning ice on the river flowing onto Reef Beach




The rocky foreshore and surrounding landsacpe at Mealastadh, below the village of Breanish provided more stunning vistas

The Scottish Western Isles 2009 - North Uist

After crossing the causeway from Benbecular  we pitched up on a gravel beach front at Baleshore. The brooding sky soon gave a special atmosphere to the beach.

All these photos were taken with a Panasonic Lumix TZ7

A stunning rainbow settles on a small croft

The cloud cover breaks just enough to let the sun through

Such a typical scene - yellow seaweed and blue, blue water by Loch Euphort

Great sunburst at Balranald...

....and a morning mackerel sky

The purple heather almost glows, even on a dull day near Langais

Serenity and symmetry in form and colour by Loch Dheoir

Afternoon sun gives a glow to the landscape at Port nan Long

The  most perfect morning view at Clachan Sands

 

We were treated to a couple of days of perfect weather at Clachan Sands. The night sky was the most breathtaking I have ever seen, the Milky Way so clear – a snowy silver band stretching the full the arc of sky. I couldn't get any meaningful pictures with the TZ7, but we opened a bottle of Laphroaig to remember a special moment.

A reminder of a special time

We awoke to the most fabulous clear still morning. There was not another soul around – the only footprints on the sand were from the cattle

Only animals have passed this way

 An amazing deep green pool – maybe formed by a tidal whirlpool

Another fantastic sunburst on Traigh Stir