L2L Day 88 Cairinis to Lochmaddy - 8.5 miles

An early breakfast and we bid farewell to Justin and Marie as they headed off for a long cycle up to the Lewis ferry.


We bid our sad farewells to our hosts' dog 


and headed out walking northwards for what was going to be quite a boggy morning.



Even metal gates get given short shrift by the weather here.


When defending their nests, Greenshank seem to fly and swoop so fast it's difficult to catch a picture.




We then realised it was being threatened by a short eared owl which had flown nearby and was perched on a high point.




We must have watched the owl for 10 minutes. Having spotted its target, it seemed content to sit without moving and wait for the right opportunity.

We then watched a bee enjoy some clover nectar for his morning breakfast....this was going to be a relaxed walk.


Common eyebright


Looking South -East with what we reckon was the Cuillan Ridge on Skye in the distance.


We saw a number of Magpie moths throughout the day.


and a lot of Stonechats.



We came across a number of areas where peat had been dug and was being left to dry.



At Loch Langass, large clumps of Giant Gunnera




Hard to spot Meadow pippits





The stone circles at Sornach Coir Fhinn




Then perversely, a detour on Beinn Langais to visit the grave of Hercules the bear, who went missing on Uist for 10 days in the 1980s. 


The route then rejoined the real world to track parallel to the A867 for the long slog to Lochmaddy.


On a walk around the harbour, I met Irene and Careljan from Holland who are on their way, sailing around the UK and had just arrived in Lochmaddy for a day's walking before continuing Southwards.


I was very envious as we had a lovely chat about boats and winds and tides and their ongoing voyage down the Irish Sea to the Scilly Isles, the Solent and home to Ijmuiden. Bon voyage and fair winds both.








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