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.
