Bruinagil ... Beyond

The Across the Minch blog has featured another forgotten settlement along the shores of Loch Seaforth on the Eishken Estate in the Pairc. It makes an interesting read for it shows how recent some de-population has been and how resilient ruins in some isolated places can be.

Scottish Islands Explorer - tries to give old places something of a revival

Not All at Sea

These cattle are certainly not all at sea when it comes to swimming. to Stenscholl off Staffin in Skye. Iain MacDonald (80) is the last crofter to swim his cattle to their winter grazing and this has led to much recent media coverage. The BBC has a gallery of photographs and the West Highland Free Press an in-depth interview with the crofter-cum-coach. When he was younger he accompanied his herd in the water. Now he goes with them on it!

Scottish Islands Explorer - prefers to be on the islands, dry and readable

Go Scapa Flow

Whether you select autumnal, summer or wintry images of Scapa Flow, it remains a compelling place - known to so many people who have never been there. They probably heard about it from their grandfathers who were on military service. On Thursday last, a new website came on-line, devoted to this part of Orkney. So go Scapa Flow now ... making a quicker journey to the expanse of deep water than those soldiers, sailors and airmen of the past.

Scottish Islands Explorer - past copies contain Scapa articles ... in depth

Saga Continues

Here's an aerial view of Out Skerries, in the Shetland group. The school there is not only small, but is that rare phenomenon, the all-age-school. Its new headteacher left suddenly earlier this term. The next stage in the saga appears in today's issue of The Herald. The image below is of one primary level pupil in the school playground on the island. When he is old enough to 'move' to the secondary stage, there will be, if pupil numbers remain the same as at present, two others with him.

Scottish Islands Explorer - a print run to supply hundreds of schools of this size

Fleck Survives Fall

Andrew Nicolson and his sheepdog, Fleck (right), are fortunate. The latter survived a 75' fall from a cliff; the the former still has the services of a fine working dog. The details are here in this Shetland Times item.

Scottish Islands Explorer - tries to avoid circulation falls, yet climbs out of them

Two Trails to Trek

Two lighthouse destinations or starting points may soon feature in many more lives. Yesterday saw the launch of the preparations for the 470-mile Scottish National Trail from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders to Cape Wrath  in the Highlands. That ultimate lighthouse in the far north-west of the mainland is immediately above. On top is the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse that commences or ends the Outer Hebrides Way which is a route from the Butt to Barra, or to be more precise, to Vatersay in the south, 220 miles away. Peter Clarke's long-distance walk, the research on which was spread over many years, culminated in the publication of his book, The Timeless Way. Preparations are underway for his trek to become an official trail.

Scottish Islands Explorer - trials and trails exposed and explored

An Radio

This somewhat plain-looking building, the Nunton Steadings in Benbecula, will soon be known further afield and radiating sound. It is to become the headquarters of An Radio, broadcasting to the Uists and Benbecula. Details are given in the Stornoway Gazette.

Scottish Islands Explorer - another part of the media

BST to GMT

On the right is the ruin at Bholsa and on the left is Mala Bholsa in the north-west of Islay. This photograph, taken on a sunny April day, serves as a reminder of British Summer Time that ended yesterday. It appeared on Saturday in that special feature of the Islay Blog that ends the week with a fine image. Yearn for the glorious Summer of '12 experienced on and off the West Coast of Scotland as we enter Greenwich Mean Time.

Scottish Islands Explorer - tries to make time stand still

Cloud Over Uig

When ambulance-crews are called out, there must be degrees of uncertainty as to what they are about to find or experience. On Thursday evening, two members of a crew ended up in hospital themselves when, having travelled to a distant part of the Isle of Lewis, they found themselves dealing with a case of potential cyanide poisoning. The details are in the Stornoway Gazette. The image above is of a normal cloud over Uig, the location of the incident; the one below is of the tranquil beach scene there.

Scottish Islands Explorer - usually contains nothing toxic

Second Sighting

The Chestnut-eared Bunting, last seen on Fair Isle some eight years ago, has returned to these shores and been noted in Shetland, at Pool of Virkie. This is the second-ever sighting in the UK and the third-ever in Europe. It is normally resident in the Far East, but then other creatures have been coming to the far north, whether a humpback whale or a pod of dolphins. Ornithologists will observe; birdwatchers will be interested; twitchers will have flocked. The full account is on Shetland News.

Scottish Islands Explorer - needs more than rare visitors.