Lights over Holoman

Day 4 on Raasay

The only time I listened to the weather forecast all week we were on Raasay was just before the 6pm news on Radio 4.  Helen Willetts said there's a chance of the Northern Lights tonight.  It was a clear evening, so we were all hopeful, particularly Wifie and I who had only the most fleeting glimpse last year when we went to Norway hoping to see them.

I put my head out about 8.30 pm, and there was a huge arc across the sky.  I said to Alison "it may not be the Northern Lights, but the sky looks interesting".  She took a look and said "it is the Northern Lights!"

The light show lasted for a couple of hours, peaking at about 9.30pm.  This was taken some time after the peak when I went out onto the road to try and get a shot with the Sound of Raasay and Holoman Island in it.  This shows the arc of the Bay leading to the tidal causeway to Holoman, as well as the lights reflected in the water.

I hadn't planned for the Northern Lights and I had forgotten the advice we had last year for getting the best exposure, so it was a bit of trial and error, which is never easy when grappling with a camera and tripod in the pitch dark.

This was the best day photographically and weatherwise.  It was today that we had been told at the beginning of the week would be a complete washout from dawn to dusk.  In the event it was a nearly cloudless day of bright blue skies.  Our main walk was to Hallaig, the clearance village at the south end.  It was also a 5 otter day.  A very good day indeed.