Our last full day on the Outer Hebrides just left us to explore the far north of the Isle of Lewis.

First we headed for the RSPB reserve at Loch Na Muilne where we hoped we may be able to have a good walk and possibly spot a Red Necked Phalanthrope a rare wader only found in northern Scotland.

We drove through the barren landscape scarred by centuries of peat farming to the reserve car park. Initially the reserve looked unpromising as we walked across what, the bog cotton indicated, would normally very wet ground, but after the ongoing dry spell was firm underfoot. The reserve lake was empty of Red Necked Phalanthropes so we pushed on to the coast. There we found a lovely spot. Cliffs overlooking crystal clear water and inhabited by numerous nesting birds.

The cliffs at Lock Na Muilne

The cliffs proved a pleasant place to spent half and hour, walking along and spotting and photographing birds on their nests.

Fulmars

Back in Basil we headed for the very north tip of Lewis for lunch and we hoped another cliff top walk. Unfortunately when we arrived the whole area was covered in thick sea mist. Although we found a place to eat lunch it scuppered our plans for a walk and wildcamping in the area. When the rest of Lewis was bathing in sunshine there seemed little point in staying in the one area covered in fog.

Finally therefore we headed south with several wildcamping spots programmed into SatNav and the first proved to be ideal (58.364111, -6.540004). A large flat grassy area, covered in wild flowers and adjacent to a fresh water loch. We parked up and Sarah cumulated more steps towards her daily 10,000 and I sat by the loch watching the various wading birds feeding there and then retired to Basil to watch England’s first practise match prior to the forthcoming world cup.

Basil’s latest wild camping spot.

Our Scottish neighbours from last night’s campsite have turned up and parked, presumably for the night, twenty metres or so from us. The area for potential wildcamping covers several acres and at the moment there are four of us sharing it.

Tomorrow there will be no blog, because we are catching a ferry from Stornoway on Lewis, back to Ullapool on the mainland and will not be arriving until early evening. We are planning to stay in Ullapool two nights.

Fulmar

Fulmar in the air

Cormorant

Herring Gull on nest