Islands

As you drive around North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist it can feel like an ordinary rural single lane road with passing places. It is not until you notice that there is often water on both sides of the road, and you look at the map, that you realise you are actually often ‘island hopping’, the road joining small bits of land or islands, sometimes with bridges and causeways. This is what this part of the Outer Hebrides is like - flat land and lots of water. 

This is Tobha Mòr (Howmore), a mound surrounded by low lying land, which in the 14th century would have been either marshy or completely submerged - an island. The site has been an important ecclesiastical centre since early medical times and there are the ruins of at least four medieval buildings - chapels, churches, burial grounds, all from different eras. It’s a strange place in which to wander thinking of the numbers of people who have left their marks on the place.

A lovely day today and we ventured to some places we know well and others that were new to us. One place I wanted to visit was the lovely Uist Wools (extra) where local wool is carded and spun and sold in the shop. I was here five years ago and bought wool which was made into hats, wrist warmers, etc items still used by various members of the family. They have a fine website and that is how they have kept going through the pandemic. We had a long chat with a lady there . . . and more wool was bought.