Glenbyre fank

S was up at crack of dawn to get the sheep fed before we left.  A clear sky and pink sunrise boded well for the day, and didn't let us down.  

Three fanks today: Glen Byre, Glen Byre burn and Cameron Farm, all down at Lochbuie.  

We got down there at about 11 and sat in the sun outside the tearoom/shop with a cup of hot coffee from the flask.  F arrived, on her electric bike followed by a pack of elderly dogs, and she and I discussed the Food Trail funding application questions before T arrived.  

T had to put blocks out for the sheep so could show us where the second fank was - we got a lift on the Argocat, an all terrain 8 wheeled orange thing, which goes anywhere, including straight up steep hills.  It was really nice to see them both, and we were very grateful to T for his time and his help today as it saved us hours walking. 

It was just the most beautiful day and being out in the sun, up a remote glen, with crystal clear waters tumbling down the Glenbyre Burn into deep shadowy pools was just heaven. And then to sit having our picnic at this spot on the pebbly beach was heaven too.  

Glenbyre fank has been roofed over, so that the area they work in is rain proof.  Lochbuie can get about 130 inches of rain in one year so you can understand why.  It will be used next at the end of March and I hope to be able to go back and fly over the fank when it is full of sheep, if the weather obliges.  Some of the fittings in the covered part of the fank were retrieved from the wreck of SS Meldon which hit a mine and sank in March 1917.

The house at Glenbyre has been empty for a long time, but T told us there was a baby born here in the 1960s.   It is a 3 mile walk to the nearest road.   In the 1980s some boys walked in along the twisty track which follows the shore, and decided to throw beach stones through all the windows, so after that it was boarded up. 

Drove home with the warm late afternoon sun casting unreal pink and red hues across everything in its path, and setting over Tiree.  A perfect end to a wonderful day.  And two more images for the final cut. 

Extra: Glenbyre Burn fank