Needed to swap rooms today because the lodge only had two nights available in the good room, so checked out after breakfast. Followed a path up the hill behind the lodge,
to a stone circle,
then climbed to the top and back round the other side to look at a 5000-year old chambered cairn, Barpa Langais. It’s collapsed inside and there was a sign saying we shouldn’t go in, but we moved the barrier aside and had a look.
Saw buzzards and a male hen harrier up on the hill.
Cotton grass, heather and carnivorous sundew underfoot.
Drove to Berneray, at the northern end of North Uist. Stopped on the way to watch a short-eared owl hunting over the moor. At Cnoic nan Claigean we parked and walked around the machair and beach. A large flat sandy bay was covered in worm casts and cockle shells, and whole cockles lying out on the sand. Later discovered it’s called “cockle bay”.
Saw a young wheatear.
Had bread and cheese for lunch in the car, then drove to the north east corner of Berneray. Walked along the dunes and then climbed Beinn Ghainche for panoramic views.
Cloud-shrouded isle of Harris in the near distance. Back along the deserted beach.
Stopped for a cup of tea at the Berneray Bistro and shop and then went to look at seals hauled out on the rocks. Lots of common seals, some with young.
Back across the causeway to North Uist.
Checked into room 3 at the lodge – bit small, compared to the last one.