Stromness to Kinlochverie and Stornoway.

Stromness to Kinlochverie and Stornoway.

As you can tell by the title we made it to Stromness  Orkney. The West entrance to Scapa Flow. We tied up in the Marina walked to the office paid our tyth did two loads of laundry and walked about and there was a fair on so we had to go and see that then returned to the boat and made everything redy for the departure tomorrow to the mainland of Scotland around Cape Wrath or further on to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Sat July 25/15.We departed Sromness around 9ish to catch the full tide to take us West along the North shore of Scotland. It turned out to be a Motor boat ride the whole way with Sunshine clear blue skies no waves and Dolphins playing around the boat.  We tied up on the pontoon in Kinlochverie around 2100 after a long 12 hour day.

Sun. July 26/15.

                1130 Sally off to the Prepiterian Service with Tony, Ann and Sheila. I did some boat stuff! At 1500 we got underway for the crossing to Stornoway and we said goodby to the crew of Sea Pilgrim as they were going in a different direction as they had to get their crew to a bus or train station.

                We had a fair current for the whole trip across the Sea of the Hebride’s but did have some weird seas when we got closer to the Isle of Lewis. We entered the harbour around 930 and attempted to take a mooring. But after getting the boat hook caught up in the chain and fighting against the current to free it for about an hour we decided to retreat into the Marina. Apparently we had been watched as when we got to the marina there were two staff there to guide us in and catch our lines! We got settled and secured and then flopped into bed. Another Sea crossed off the list!

Mon. July 27/15

                After a very good nights sleep with the pitter patter of rain drops about 12 inches above our heads we awoke to another not sunny day! Oh well used to it. So we had breakfast.

                Our breakfasts are usually one of two things with a third on special occasions. Either oatmeal with Brown sugar or in my case home made Raisin Bran (more than two scoops) and Sally would have muesli or my Raisin Bran! So Sally actually had a choice of 4 things. The third is Bacon and eggs!! This usually when we’re anchored or tied up, Sometimes though when it’s been a long night and the seas are calm.

                After breakfast we mozzied up to the marina Office paid for a couple of days and then off to the Tourist Office to see about a hire car or buses. We chose to use the bus service. We caught a bus that went up to a light house on the North  East coast of the Island. Nice ride up. We got Off in a small village and started to walk. As we shortly found out the bus didn’t go to the Light House! We had a 3 kilometer walk ahead of us. “I’m not a happy camper” Sally stuck out her thumb (couldn’t use her leg as too many layers still on) 2nd car stopped and drove us out. “I’m a little happier”. We wandered around oohhed and awed over the scenery and then started back. Sally did the thumb thing again and we got dropped off at the bus stop. Seem’s someone read the schedule wrong and we have a 2 hour wait! So looking around and reading the guide we discovered that there was an 8^th century church right around the corner! “Whoopie said I” “lets go” So off we went and sure enough there was a small 8^th century Church right where it was supposed to be. It was even unlocked! So we went inside. Then we came out and went inside again but this time it was into the attached chapel. No access to the chapel from inside the church only through a small door on the ouside. Did that walked back to the Bus Stop and it started to rain again. The bus came along and we rode back to Stornoway.

Tues. July 28/15

                Wah Hoo!!! “They want me back at work” said Sally. Great news so I in celebration changed the oil! Had to send Sally off to the chandlery to find a couple of filters as we had run out. The oil change went smoothly so we hired a car and drove up to the Black Village.

                The Black village is where people lived in stone cottages with thatched roofs and worked looms making Harris tweed. That not being enough we went to see some more standing stones and a Broche. Now we’re tired so stopped off at a small harbour and bought a mess of BIG Scallops on the honour system and drove back to town.

Wed. July 29/15

                Sally up early to move the car and she came back with a couple of sticky buns which we devoured up at Munroe castle which was closed! We then had a nice drive down to Tarbert on the Island of Harris.Harris is really not an island but it was declared an island by some Lord way back when who was arguing with another Lord so separated.  A nice drive up and down the mountains and around the lochs Tarbert was not very nice so we only had a coffee and left and drove back to Stornoway returned the car went and fueled the boat did a couple of Geo Caches had Venison for dinner and that was that.