Exploring Uist

January 31, 2009 on 1:50 pm | In Hillwalking |

I find it is only when you spend time to get under the skin of a place do you start to discover all its querks and fobals. I have spent time here in Uist but usually I am working and squash the exploring round the work. This time I am down working but I have some time for me.

I went to a great lecture this week from Tracey Begg from Scottish Natural Heritage about the insects of the Outer Hebrides. It was facinating and  I was interested in the Great Yellow Bumble Bee (bombus distinuendus).  It lives in adapted mouse nests in colinies of 20 - 50 bee. It only has a small foothold left and amazingly I realised they visit our back garden.

I have been exploring the machair near Borve Guest House by just walking out of the front door. The slow undulations bring unexpected corners, where you discover small flocks of birds sheltering from the wind. On the beach there are huge piles of seaweed  and I was suprised to see flies even in the middle of the winter. I would be doing you a dis-service if I didn’t mention the smell but won’t linger on it.

I am off to walk the coast of Eriskay when the rain stops and tommorrow I am hoping to walk into the back of Hecla to the lighthouse.

Tim Pickering
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