Happy 15th Birthday Henry!

It is now Henry's Birthday - he managed to stay up with us in the lounge watching some mindless film, counting down the last 25 minutes in increasingly short intervals before midnight - and all the poor bugger got was a kiss and a "happy birthday" and told that he will be formally celebrating (and therefore recieving cards and gifts) at breakfast.

He tried not to look too disappointed!

Ok it is fair to say I am going to be very sad to leave this beautiful place at lunchtime...

Harris - Irresistable, even in the fog and driving rain

Believe it or not, there is a seal in this picture!







Brilliant clear water everywhere!



Lonely sheep!




Castle at Amhuinnsuidhe

Waterfall at Amhuinnsuidhe

And another!

Dinner and a Movie

Howard and Sallie kindly asked us to join them for a beautiful meal - venison casserole for the carnivores, and bean stew for the more veggie inclined! Bloody gorgeous!

Howard did his own very special version of Cranachan! No comment....
We finished by watching a great movie called Rocket Post - about the Zucher rocket which experimented with flying mail from the island of Scarp to Hushinish at North Harris in the 1930s. It was filmed on Taransay (same place they did the social experiment called Castaway for 12 months in 2000). Anyway - although some poetic licence - great British film - I would recommend (I cried a lot!)

Sunday - Day of Rest

Sunday is a proper day of rest on the island - it is not so much the law, as the way - church influenced

No-one is allowed to work on a Sunday, as such there are no shops or businesses open - can't do gardening, washing, decorating etc.. No drinking...

It is absolutely a most marvellous idea! :-) Enforced rest!

So we had a morning of relaxation, a lie in, a lazy breakfast, a couple of hours in the lounge - reading and watching TV
Then, leaving the kids behind in front of the TV and computer, Rich and I headed off for a long leisurely walk in the most southern part of Harris


Mini waterfall - irresistable for Richard!



Breathtaking

The view towards Skye

A little bit later when the weather picked up (it got warm folks, I mean really warm, sunny - it was like summer)

On our way to have a late lunch at the Rodel Hotel & Restaurant, we met Sallie and Howard on their way back (to make our lovely evening meal)

Rodel Hotel and Restaurant - bleak looking on the outside, but fantastic on the inside and lovely nosh!

The sheep are just magnificent

Carminish as we came to the end of our five and a half hour walk

Drinks on the patio of Carminish - and the beautiful last knockings of the sun

Five minutes later - gone!

Billy (wishing he was somewhere else, with someone else???)

Callanish Standing Stones

Had a beautiful journey today right up through Harris and Lewis - as far as Stornoway. Then came back down and took in some of the important heritage!

These are some of the Callanish Standing Stones

They are known as the Stone Henge of Scotland

The main stones are in the shape of a cross from the air

Quite an eerie place...

Breathtaking though

The Red River Distillery at Carnish is the only distillery on the island. It is about to launch its first batch of single malt in 160 years.

As we arrived back in South Harris, Henry spotted some feral cats and got some great pics - here is the little family (well, three of four of them anyway)

We ate at Rodel Hotel, a very nice meal indeed

Coooos at Carloway Broch

Must include some pictures of cooooos - these ones are not the most hairy coooos, but gorgeous

This one is going to be dinner next week

- and babies (almost 5 weeks old now) will be experiencing the same fate in 18 months time

Friendly!

"Can you see me?"

"I don't want to be dinner - hide me!

Jonathan

This is Jonathan - who arrives every morning just as breakfast is finishing...

He is particularly impressed if Carminish guests have haddock or kippers for breakfast - he recommends them :-)

And his missus is not far behind either!

Henry's First Lobster

Henry has always wanted to try lobster - since it is his birthday in a couple of days time, and this is the freshest lobster anyone is likely to serve (at the point of ordering the lobster is still in the keep in the bay, just outside the window of the Anchorage Restaurant) - we decided to splash out on him!

Looks lovely eh?

So lovely, in fact, that Howard joined him!

Billy wasn't sure what to make of it and looked a bit terrified (I think, in case it leapt of the plate and bit him!)

Face Off!

"I'm uglier than you!!"

Hahahaha (insert maniachal laughing sound here ....!)

Hahahahaha

After our lovely meal at the Anchorage (thank you Sally et al.) we stayed on in he bar to hear Willie Campbell sing - brill, and met the very friendly locals and had a really enjoyable evening all told.

Walk along Scarista Sands