Short Trips....

Hey there,

At 09:56 AM, we'll head out after a small breakfast and with the best Scottish weather (cloudy and light rain) onto the road.

First stop: Calanais Standing Stones.

Mrs. G will be guiding us for 27 minutes. Okay, we’re not used to these drive times from the Highlands. But we won’t complain :o). So, hair styled, shoes tied, everyone board... let’s go.

Calanais, or Callanish, is different from most stone circles in Scotland. Firstly, the stones themselves are not evenly shaped, and secondly, they do not just form a simple circle; instead, they create interwoven geometric shapes, with a 4.5-meter-high monolith at their center. The surrounding menhirs (standing stones) decrease in height as they move outward.

From the center, lines of menhirs run to the left and right, and from the front even a double row of menhirs approaches the center. If viewed from above, it would probably resemble a large Celtic cross. Calanais consists of about 50 stones and was erected around 5000 years ago. What is also very unusual for stone circles is that there is a recessed burial chamber in the center. This is not found in any other stone circle. However, this chamber was evidently added generations after the impressive circle was built.

It was only in 1981 that the stones were fully uncovered. Before that, they were completely covered by peat, which is why they are so well-preserved :o)

So... now on to the next stop....

2nd stop: Dun Carloway

Googlelotta announces bored... 9 minutes. Then we will embark on this long journey :o)

Dun Carloway is a tower from the Iron Age and is considered one of the best-preserved brochs in Scotland. Its east wall still rises nearly 9 meters high today. Brochs are circular towers from the Iron Age, and about 500 remnants of these towers are known in Scotland... well, at least to archaeologists.

Dun Carloway has a very bloody history. It’s about 2 clans, one of which was caught stealing livestock. After several days of pursuit by the other clan, the cattle thieves took shelter in Dun Carloway. However, the pursuers slaughtered the guards, and one, Donald Cam MacAulay, climbed the tower with a dagger in each hand and set the tower on fire from the top with a bundle of heather. Not a single cattle thief escaped, and Dun Carloway became their grave site. That’s the story as it is still told today.....

Now we go on to Dalmore Beach....  Rest by the sea just 7 minutes away :o))

On the way back to Stornoway, we encountered the Scottish police for the very first time. We were actually stopped... or waved down.... or honked at from behind... I have no idea what it’s called, but in any case, they were behind us and indicated with flashing lights and sirens that they would like to have a chat with us. The police officer was very nice and just said that we had overtaken a cyclist when we shouldn’t have... it doesn’t matter, he was really nice and said we should just pay better attention next time.... Yes, sir, *salutes*

Back in Stornoway, we got thoroughly soaked and then returned to our humble accommodation.

That’s it from us for today....

We wish you faesgar breagha (a lovely evening) and see you tomorrow!