Summer Isles blues

So much blue again today, the hottest we’ve had so far.

A local walk to start, a circuit from Polglass around Rubha Dunan. So much fascinating history here as the walk starts at the 2000 year old Broch (fort or Dun) opposite Horse Island, one of the Summer Isles in The Minch. The original stones can be seen but some have been taken to build two crofts, also now derelict built within its bounds.  On the other side of the Broch is a freshwater loch which is a reed bed. It is all maintained as a historic site and nature reserve. Extra
The white house in the extra intrigues me as it’s well kept and has electricity leading to it but there are no visible signs of access, not even a foot path.
Looking from here back to the main road you can see at least half a dozen ruined crofts and their strips of land. This area of crofters, lead by women, stood up against the clearances imposed by landowners and won rights of tenancy. There is some really interesting info about it in the Ullapool Museum as well as tracking those locals who emigrated - if you’re ever here on a wet day!

It was the wonderful blues that caught my attention most as we rounded the end of the peninsula. Lots of Oystercatchers, seals, skylarks and I think I spotted a Bonxie ( Great Skuar) on the wing, I’ve seen one here before. Accompanied, of course, by the song of the cuckoo.
We saw the pleasure craft out from Ullapool which does tours of the Summer Isles, we did one last year but it was a local one. A crofter who runs the post office and takes tourists out in his boat, that’s how they survive nowadays.

More history as we turned back to the start. We parked at the Piping college/school which was built in 1914 as a drill hall for the Seaforth Highlanders and the Lovat Scouts to prepare for service in WWI. The last part of the walk crosses a field which was used for shooting practice. There is a display information board and the remains of what they used for targets. We’ve been coming here 15 years now and the paths and signage/information boards are much better than they used to be, sadly the cafe that used to be in the Piping school is no more, it used to make a perfect end to a walk.
An easy walk with just one climb but the compensation for that was the Heath Spotted - orchids by the oath. 
We popped into Achiltibuie stores but didn’t have the salad we wanted so then headed down to Ullapool where there was a Saga cruise ship in. Has a drink watching the tenders going to and fro and then went to the Seafood Shack for a late lunch. It’s so popular it now opens 7 days a week! We got a table, all outdoors and we both had delicious Cullen Skink. Not the best choice for a hot day maybe but it was fabulous. 
Tescos for a bit of salad for tea and then back for a cuppa! 
Found it hard to choose my blip non captured quite how glorious it really was but we have the memories.
A lovely evening now watching the tide come in may even pop down  later.