I made my way to the Eoligarry peninsula in the North of Barra, to visit more beaches and also the remains of Saint Barr´s Church.
After a few pretty wet days the sun was back and it was time to explore the Isle of Vatersay. Vatersay is located South of Barra and the most southerly inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides.
Vatersay is now linked to Barra by a causeway which was completed in 1991.
This little gate is probably one of the most iconic sights of the Outer Hebrides – the gate to the stunning Traigh A Bhaigh, East Beach.
Walking back to the gate and continuing to the other side of this tombolo connecting the East and West parts of Vatersay.
Bagh Siar, the West Beach of Vatersay has no gate but lots of Machhair filled with flowers.
After some lunch at the community café right next to the beaches, I continued exploring the rest of Vatersay.
At the end of the 19th century, the landowner wanted to use the whole of the island for their own farming purposes and evicted all the existing crofter inhabitants.
Between 1902 and 1906 there were a sequence of Land raid actions when some of these men, the so-called “Vatersay Raiders”, returned and took possession of land, claiming that an ancient law allowed a man to acquire land by building a wooden dwelling and lighting a fire on its hearth within a day. (Wikipedia)
The Raiders were taken to court by the landowner Lady Gordon Cathcart and imprisoned. After much public protest, the Congested Districts Board (Scotland) bought Vatersay Island for £6250 and it was divided into 58 crofts in 1909.
Going back to Barra, it´s only about 2 km from Vatersay to Castlebay.
While I stayed on the Isle of Barra, the “Outer Hebrides Wildlife Festival” started – there were talks, walks, and other exciting things happening all over the Outer Hebrides. I choose a “Dolphin & Whale Spotting Walk” for Barra along the East Beach.
So early morning I made my way to the airport.
There aren´t any more images from that day, as soon as I met the ranger (she came over from the Isle of Mull) at the parking spot, it started to rain with full force. We took some shelter behind the van of the ranger from Barra while talking about dolphins and whales and how to spot them. I also learned about the “Barra Boys”, a school of dolphins often seen in Barra
Afterwards, the three of us walked along the beach and got a bit more wet. We didn´t see any wildlife except a few birds, but I heard a lot about life on the islands, which was as interesting.
The big story of the day: a dead hedgehog was found! Both rangers were very excited about that and speculated if it had been a blind passenger of a van if he died on the islands and more. I must have looked very confused, so they told me that hedgehogs don´t live in Barra (and the rest of the Outer Hebrides) and also might disturb the local wildlife if imported from the mainland. A few days later I went on a different hike in Eriskay, the next island of the Outer Hebrides and even there they talked about THAT hedgehog found in Barra.
For the next few days heavy rain and wind set in, but I tried to use the few drier moments to explore Barra and get some steps in. The Ardmhor ferry, which goes to Eriskay and South Uist.
View from my doorstep
Another view from my doorstep.
I had a visitor.
After lots of rain, there is sometimes a rainbow!