Stormy Day...

Hey there,

today started without a 'colorful' sunrise... too bad, but at least it wasn't raining at this time... but it was windy,... very windy :o)

After we gathered our strength, we invaded 'Beckett and Sons' (a nice little cafe) and enjoyed a lavish breakfast. For me, it was the girl's breakfast: 'Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes with lemon creme fraiche, blueberry compote, and drizzled with maple syrup,' and Mr. Fü had the hearty breakfast: 'Free range scrambled eggs served with spinach and wholemeal toast and butter.' With our bellies full, we set off to explore the northern coast of Lewis. We had plans to visit Gress Beach, Garry Beach, and the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse (that’s its real name).

On our way to Gress Beach, we already anticipated that this day would again be a weather challenge. It kept switching between rain and sunshine, and we had wind gusts that were no joke. Upon arriving at Gress Beach, we braved the light drizzle and the wind and walked to the beach. It’s a really lovely little beach located in a cove right by the road. As we were blown across the sand, the rain stopped, allowing us to take a few nice pictures. Then we let the wind carry us back to the car and continued to Garry Beach.

The way there, as usual, was via a single-track road. As most of you know, I’m not great with heights, and when I'm seated in a car that has to drive along a very, very narrow road with a steep drop on one side and no barriers in sight, well... poor Mr. Fü. But he's a good driver and safely brought me to Garry Beach. There, when I opened the car door, it was whipped out of my hand. Goodness gracious.... you didn't even have to walk; the wind pushed you along :o))) It was still dry, and we let ourselves be carried to the beach. It’s truly beautiful, and you can sense how the large rocks emerge from the water at high tide. While I strolled along, completely captivated by the scenery and taking photos, it started to lightly drizzle. Well, what can I say... that was just the beginning. It began to rain seriously, and paired with the wind, the rain was whipped all around us. The bottom line... by the time we reached the car, our bad-weather clothing had surrendered, and we were wet all the way down to our underwear. Thus, the visit to the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse literally went down the drain. We decided to drive back to the Castle and change into dry clothes. Then I dragged Mr. Fü into an outdoor shop in Stornoway, and we bought waterproof outer clothing. Additionally, we had spare clothes in the car... you can never be too prepared.

In the meantime, Mr. Fü had changed our travel destination since, on the way back to the Castle, we had a good view of the Tiumpan Head Lighthouse (remember? Whale-Watching Point? Yesterday?) and could clearly see that it was bright and sunny there. So, we headed out again to try our luck at Tiumpan Head. Of course, when we arrived, it was raining. So we threw on our 'waterproof' gear and faced the weather. It was windier there than at the beaches. First, we walked up to the lighthouse, and then, as it had actually stopped raining and the sun peeked through the clouds, we took a cross-country hike through the heath to the cliffs. The view from there was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the photos don’t really capture it. I had fun battling the wind, while Mr. Fü was not too pleased with me because he was always waiting for me. But honestly, who can resist when the wind is so strong that all you have to do is raise your arm slightly, and it moves on its own... I found it sooooo funny. However, afterward, my hair looked like Albert Einstein's... even though I had two hoods on! Eventually, we went back up to the lighthouse, and yes, it was still dry, and we hoped to spot some whales. We managed to sit there for quite a while, but unfortunately, no whales came by. Then it started to rain again, and we began our journey home.

After a brief stop at 'Beckett and Sons' for a coffee with shortbread for Mr. Fü and a hot cocoa (sadly without marshmallows... scandal) for me, and a stroll through Stornoway (since we had bright sunshine), we are now back in our accommodation, dry and warm.

We’re curious to see what tomorrow brings... so stay tuned... same place, same wave.

Wishing you all a wonderful evening.

Oidhche mhath! (Good night)