Wayside Shrine, South Uist

Most first time visitors to the Island of South Uist are surprised to see roadside shrines such as this one on the Loch Carnan road. This must be the only part of Scotland where they exist.

When I first went to Uist to live in 1977 there were more of them and they regularly had fresh flowers in front of the statue of the Virgin. Indeed at that time a similar Madonna was taken from house to house in the township of Iochdar each evening , with Mass celebrated where it lodged for the night.

I have always found them attractive and moving , particularly with the dark hills and bright machair of South Uist acting as their counterpoint.