Arnish Lighthouse

<![CDATA[ Visited the old cemetery in the machair behind Suainebost on Friday, before walking up the coast to Eoropaidh. Just thought I'd share some of the images.

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<![CDATA[ Learned today that an engineering study has been commissioned for a crossing of Loch Erisort in the Lochs area of Lewis, some 12 miles south of Stornoway. Loch Erisort is home to a number of fish farms. In order to facilitate the passage of salmon and boats, a causeway with bridge is being considered.

The crossing would cut 10 miles off the journey from Stornoway to South Lochs. Two locations are being considered, both starting from the village of Laxay. One would go from the Bhaltos area, to the east of Laxay to Habost in South Lochs. The length of this crossing is 800 metres /

<![CDATA[ Went down to Crossbost on Thursday of last week, for more business related to the Iolaire Disaster. After locating the gravestones for 14 victims in no time at all (look in the lower cemetery, closest to the shore), I went for an amble through Crossbost and Ranish, the next village, for an hour or so. Can't say I was raving about the weather, but then it's April. Just want to share a few pics.

North Lochs War Memorial, Iolaire section

Sheep on croft, Crossbost

Road to Ranish - muirburn has blackened the hill on the left

Boats on the shore of Loch Grimshader

Loch Grimshader from Ranish

Ranish Temple - not signposted from the road ]]>

<![CDATA[ A timetable for touring the West Side of Lewis by bus is now available on the Web. Click this link. It is a private collation of information, freely accessible by anyone with an Internet connection. It enables visitors to visit up to five of the main sites on the West Side of Lewis in one day. Admittedly a bit of a rush job, but a bargain at

<![CDATA[ I have been going round a few of the island's cemeteries in recent times, looking for and photographing tombstones of victims of the Iolaire Disaster in 1919. On my visit to Bragar's cemetery this week, I came across the tombstone for Kenneth MacLeod of Shawbost, an important figure in the Harris Tweed industry. He died in 1949 at the age of 67.

Standing there on a cloudy, windswept day, the news came back to me about ongoing developments in the industry today. And what would he make of it now? Mr Macleod got local weavers to weave tweed for him in the first half of the 20th century.

Late in 2006, Yorkshire industrialist Brian Haggas bought over the remaining Harris Tweed mills in Lewis, of which the largest stands in Stornoway. Shortly beforehand, the closure of the mill in North Shawbost was announced, with the loss of about 30 jobs. Last week, plans were announced to shrink the range of tweeds to 5, although not directly in such words. The announcement was to the effect that single-width weavers would be laid off. Not many of them left, but it was seen as a sign on the wall. Some 20 years ago, there were hundreds if not thousands of different tweeds in circulation. It was a top of the range product. Fears are now being expressed that this prestige will be lost.

It sounds as if Harris Tweed is heading for its own graveyard in history.

On a related note, I came across streets of derelict business premises in the Newton area of Stornoway. This used to be the centre of the Harris Tweed industry in years gone by, but is now broadly in disuse. A line in the recent Budget caught my attention, as the tax on disused business premises was due to be increased, or words to that effect.

I am surprised that the non-residential side of Newton is allowed to fall into ruin like it is at the moment. I hope that following the local council elections on May 3rd someone will have the foresight to come up with a plan for a major revamp of the area. Yes, I am aware that a number of businesses are thriving there. ]]>