Tràigh Mhòr...

Tolsta, Isle of Lewis.  Not to be confused with Tràigh Mhòr, Barra.  

Tràigh Mhòr translates as big beach.  

After a late breakfast we all set out to walk to the shops in the centre of Stornoway (about 5 minutes) I wish every council leader was forced to go around their towns in a wheelchair for a month.  Maybe then pavements would be more accessible!

Once in the centre of Stornoway things improved thankfully.

I popped into The Baltic Bookshop to buy a copy of The Tick and Tock of the Crocodile Clock.  It's written by Stornoway born author, actor and playwright Kenny Boyle who I ended up talking to on an online Lewis community page after I read an article he wrote about how he was prouder at seeing his debut novel in the window of the local Stornoway bookstore, than at seeing it in Waterstones.  I look forward to reading it once I finish The Road Dance (set in Lewis) which is coming to cinemas on 20th May.

After our wander round the shops we headed to the Museum of the Western Isles at Lews Castle.

What a fabulous resource that is, telling all about the islands and local life with interviews with locals and a fabulous immersive theatre (similar to that at Culloden visitor's centre) where you sit and find yourself surrounded by the sea or on top of the mountains, with all the sounds of the wind, sea and wildlife.  Wonderful.  

The thing I was most excited about seeing in the museum was six of the Lewis Chessmen.  A king, queen, bishop, knight, warder and pawn from the famous Lewis Chessmen set are on permanent loan from the British Museum.

Carved from ivory from walrus tusk, the chessmen were found in 1831 near Uig, where they had been buried in the sand dunes, and have been dated as 12th century.   My favourite is the Warder, or Berserker.  Apparently he bites his shield in a frenzy of fury and in real life would howl like a wild beast and foam at the mouth as he gnawed the rim of his shield.  

Also on display was a beautiful Harris Tweed wedding dress worn by Gaelic singer Alyth McCormack at her wedding to Noel Eccles on 30th January 2009.  It is lined in linen and blue satin so hopefully wasn't too jaggy to wear!  :-)

We left the museum and went to the cafe for a late lunch, and after that we headed out to Sandwick to walk the new path to the Iolaire memorial.  

Standing a short distance from where the Iolaire crashed onto the rocks on that fateful Hogmanay in 1918, the  tragedy of the event is tangible.  Those poor soldiers, surviving the war only to lose their lives so close to home.  

After visiting the memorials, we dropped Ele and Kenny off as they head home tomorrow so they wanted to start getting packed.  We took a quick drive up to North Tolsta to see the beautiful Tràigh Mhòr and Garry Beaches, both stunning as ever.  

Back to Stornoway and our last dinner of the holiday together.  We've really enjoyed having their company on this holiday.  We're here till Saturday (Ele and Kenny returning early as they have a wedding to attend) and the last few days will feel a bit odd without them.

I'm trying not to think about leaving at the moment as I get upset at the thought.  I will be in bits on that ferry on Saturday! 

More pics from today in extras :-)