Tag Archives: white-tailed eagle

Ordinary, Scones

Callanish Stones – Again

1 Comment

Apologies for the randomness of these scone reposts. It’s just the way we pick them … randomly! The Callanish Stones post is from just over a year ago when we were visiting the Outer Isles. In this time of coronavirus doom and gloom, these stones should remind us that 5000 years ago these technological marvels were, like they still are today, wondrous. Their purpose and why they are there is the subject of pure guesswork, again a bit like the current pandemic. Things don’t change that much.

Apologies for the plethora of scones winging your way of late. It’s what happens when we are in virgin territory. A new scone opportunity at every turn. Bear with us, normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Today we are venturing further afield onto the Isle of Lewis … another first for us. There is always something exciting about being somewhere for the first time, especially when it’s in your own country. Having spent much of our lives exploring Scotland, sometimes we feel we have barely scratched the surface.

Attractions

To get to Lewis you have to drive through some spectacular scenery on North Harris. Lots of big hills and some massive white-tailed eagles. Pat’s a happy bunny. Once beyond the hills, however, you emerge into a great flatness which is characteristic of Lewis. Vast vistas of open moorland and lochs with sprinklings of houses. We passed Uig Bay where the 12th century Lewis chessmen were dug up on the beach in 1831. Just why these artefacts are displayed in London and Edinburgh is beyond us. Both cities need additional attractions like a hole in the head but the Chessmen would be a fantastic draw, here where they were actually discovered.The Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis

Attempts at time travel

Anyway, before long we arrived here at the world-famous Callanish Stones. We think these would be displayed in London as well if they weren’t so damned awkward to transport. There are stone circles all over the place in this locality but Callanish is the biggest and best known. Dating from around 5000BC and sometimes known as the “Stonehenge of the North”  they predate Stonehenge by 2000years. Pat tried to imitate Outlander’s Claire Fraser by gently leaning against the largest stone …  she’s still here.

External view of the visitor centre at teh Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis
Callanish Visitor Centre

The stones used to be much smaller, or rather their true height wasn’t discovered until 1857 when 1.5 metres of peat was cleared away. Some think that they formed a lunar observatory but we prefer the story about them being petrified giants who refused to convert to Christianity. Another story is that, on midsummer morning, when the cuckoo calls, the “Shining One” walks the length of the avenue leading to the circle. Petrified giants and Shining Ones … the temptation to find analogies with modern-day politics is almost overwhelming. However, we will leave that to your own imaginations. Pat didn’t see any cuckoos!

The quest continues

Internal view of the visitor centre at teh Callanish Stones on the Isle of LewisThankfully they have a Visitor Centre to provide scones and shelter from the wind. The Centre tells the story of the stones even though no one actually knows anything about them. It is all just guesswork. Arrgghh, the temptation to find analogies with Brexit! The cafe is nicely set up and must be a huge boon for the localA scone at the visitor centre at the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewiss of Callanish and the surrounding area. There was no cream however our scones were very good indeed. In the end, however, we decided they were not quite topscones. Our quest for a Hebridean topscone continues.

Ridiculous strictures

When we left Callanish we continued on to Port of Ness, the most northerly point on Lewis. End of the road at Port of Ness on the Isle of LewisWe knew we had reached the end of the road when we came on this sign. This is strict Free Church of Scotland territory … nothing but nothing happens here on a Sunday. We met a chap on Harris who told us that if you hang out a washing on the Sabbath you get a visit from men in black hats and black suits who will order you to take the washing in. They are members of the Lord’s Day Observance Society. He added, with a telling glint in his eye “I can’t wait for them to come to my door”. We wondered how much more advanced this whole island would be without these ridiculous strictures.

A fantastic part of the world and one that won’t be greatly affected by the shenanigans at Westminster. Theresa’s attempt to take on the Shining One’s mantle by promising the petrified that she will take herself off to a field of wheat somewhere if they let her have her way on Brexit, won’t cause a stir up here. As long as she doesn’t do it on a Sunday. All this because as she says “that is what the country wants!” No, it isn’t Theresa but don’t let that stop you going.

HS2 9DY       tel: 01851 621422          Callanish

ps: we also came across this K6 in Port of Ness which must rank as the most north-westerly in the UK. A K6 telephone box at Port of Ness on the Isle of LewisIt wasn’t operational … someone might use it on a Sunday for goodness sake. It was however made in Falkirk.

Port of Ness was always far away but now with COVID-19, it seems even further … strange! Not as strange though as Bojo experiencing a surge in popularity. The UK, like the US, seems to just love incompetents.

LEWIS SHED
A shed on the Isle of Lewis
A shed and a ruined croft on the great flat moorlands of the Isle of Lewis

 

Ordinary, Scones

Callanish Stones

1 Comment

Apologies for the plethora of scones winging your way of late. It’s what happens when we are in virgin territory. A new scone opportunity at every turn. Bear with us, normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Today we are venturing further afield onto the Isle of Lewis … another first for us. There is always something exciting about being somewhere for the first time, especially when it’s in your own country. Having spent much of our lives exploring Scotland, sometimes we feel we have barely scratched the surface.

Attractions

To get to Lewis you have to drive through some spectacular scenery on North Harris. Lots of big hills and some  massive white tailed eagles. Pat’s a happy bunny. Once beyond the hills, however, you emerge into a great flatness which is characteristic of Lewis. Vast vistas of open moorland and lochs with sprinklings of houses. We passed Uig Bay where the 12th century Lewis chessmen were dug up on the beach in 1831. Just why these artifacts are displayed in London and Edinburgh is beyond us. Both cities need additional attractions like a hole in the head but the Chessmen would be a fantastic draw, here where they were actually discovered.The Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis

Attempts at time travel

Anyway, before long we arrived here at the world famous Callanish Stones. We think these would be displayed in London as well if they weren’t so damned awkward to transport. There are stone circles all over the place in this locality but Callanish is the biggest and best known. Dating from around 5000BC and sometimes known as the “Stonehenge of the North”  they predate Stonehenge by 2000years. Pat tried to imitate Outlander’s Claire Fraser by gently leaning against the largest stone …  she’s still here.

External view of the visitor centre at teh Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis
Callanish Visitor Centre

The stones used to be much smaller, or rather their true height wasn’t discovered until 1857 when 1.5 metres of peat was cleared away. Some think that they formed a lunar observatory but we prefer the story about them being petrified giants who refused to convert to Christianity. Another story is that, on midsummer morning, when the cuckoo calls, the “Shining One” walks the length of the avenue leading to the circle. Petrified giants and Shining Ones … the temptation to find analogies with modern day politics is almost overwhelming. However we will leave that to your own imaginations. Pat didn’t see any cuckoos!

The quest continues

Internal view of the visitor centre at teh Callanish Stones on the Isle of LewisThankfully they have a Visitor Centre to provide scones and shelter from the wind. The Centre tells the story of the stones even though no one actually knows anything about them. It is all just guess work. Arrgghh, the temptation to find analogies with Brexit!The cafe is nicely set up and must be a huge boon for the localA scone at the visitor centre at the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewiss of Callanish and the surrounding area. There was no cream however our scones were very good indeed. In the end, however, we decided they were not quite topscones. Our quest for a Hebridean topscone continues.

Ridiculous strictures

When we left Callanish we continued on to Port of Ness, the most northerly point on Lewis. End of the road at Port of Ness on the Isle of LewisWe knew we had reached the end of the road when we came on this sign. This is strict Free Church of Scotland territory … nothing but nothing happens here on a Sunday. We met a chap on Harris who told us that if you hang out a washing on the Sabbath you get a visit from men in black hats and black suits who will order you to take the washing in. They are members of the Lord’s Day Observance Society. He added, with a telling glint in his eye “I can’t wait for them to come to my door”. We wondered how much more advanced this whole island would be without these ridiculous strictures.

A fantastic part of the world and one that won’t be greatly affected by the shenanigans at Westminster. Theresa’s attempt to take on the Shining One’s mantle by promising the petrified that she will take herself off to a field of wheat somewhere if they let her have her way on Brexit, won’t cause a stir up here. As long as she doesn’t do it on a Sunday. All this because as she says “that is what the country wants!” No, it isn’t Theresa but don’t let that stop you going.

HS2 9DY       tel: 01851 621422          Callanish

ps: we also came across this K6 in Port of Ness which must rank as the most north westerly in the UK. A K6 telephone box at Port of Ness on the Isle of LewisIt wasn’t operational … someone might use it on a Sunday for goodness sake. It was however made in Falkirk.

Ordinary, Scones

The Green Hotel

5 Comments

This day was one of those brilliant sunny winter days where you feel invigorated by the clear crispness of the air. Some readers may not realise that one of our many talents, besides looking for scones, is looking for birds. Today we were at Vane Farm, near Kinross, in a cold bird hide watching amongst other things, slavonian grebes and a white-tailed eagle. Now if any of you have even a passing interest in oisseaus you will be well aware that watching these relatively rare birds is a little bit special. You tend to feel vaguely honoured and a trifle pleased with yourself just for having been in the presence of such rare and magnificent specimens. No, not us, the birds!

Like them though it is never long before you feel the urge to feed and hence we find ourselves here in Kinross at the Green Hotel. A place that holds many fond memories for us. For a number of years this place hosted our work’s Christmas parties. One abiding memory is of us all doing a conga round the grounds in the falling snow. And being completely impervious to the cold. Perhaps the less said the better.

Fruity fruit scones

Anyway, it was nice to be back and nice to get into a big comfy armchair after our bottoms had endured a cold hard bench all afternoon. Service was perfect and before you could say “white-tailed eagle” we had our coffee and scones. Green 03Coffee was fine, although we have had better, but the scones were very good .. lovely and warm and probably the most fruit we have had in a fruit scone for ages . And they came with a nice pot of jam and lashings of cream. It was really difficult but eventually it was decided that they just missed out on a topscone award .. but it was very very close. Phew! The anguish and stress we have to endure for your reading pleasure and scone enlightenment!

We wish there was more enlightenment in the ongoing Paris situation. The media must bear a lot of the blame for us all feeling utter despair at the world being such a horrid and despicable place. Some of the Murdoch press headlines in particular have been truly awful.

Green 02 Of course, it isn’t, the world is a wonderful place full of absolutely wonderful people. Even the perpetrators of these atrocities are not religious fanatics nor immigrants, as the media would have you believe. They are mostly French and Belgian lapsed Muslims who have scant knowledge their own religion. They are disaffected people who have found a way to express their anger at the futility of their own lives. Not an excuse in any way shape or form, but perhaps our governments should be paying more heed to that aspect of things rather than taking the easy option of air strikes.

Cycle of Stupidity

In times like these we are made to feel that we should not scrutinise our government’s actions too closely, when surely we should be doing exactly the opposite. Does anyone honestly feel safer in the knowledge that we can completely flatten a town in a country thousands of miles away? Technology now allows us to wage a war with the potential for hundreds of thousands of dead on one side and absolutely none on the other. That’s not war as we know it. It is illusory because it’s also absolutely certain that the war will not be won, if it can be won, until we send in our sons and daughters. That doesn’t get reported?

Inter stupidityDoes it get reported that the cause of the original trouble in Syria was the weather? Does it get reported that the trouble in Ukraine was caused by the US, not Russia … no! Journalists should start doing their job properly rather than simply repeating what they are fed. Otherwise this cycle of stupidity will continue. Because we will be seen to be supporting it. Journalists are guilty as much for what they don’t say as much as for what they do. When they ignore the truth the silence becomes a lie.

Enough we hear you say! Just don’t expect fair reporting any day soon but also don’t forget the birds at Vane Farm. In the midst of all this mess, they are still fabulous … but no more so than our fellow human beings. Don’t let the media tell you anything different.

KY13 8AS         tel: 01577 863467            The Green Hotel

Useful link: things to do in Kinross