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Crash on Vatersay: The Lost Catalina of 1944
I had hoped to photograph the tombolo that links the two high points of Bhatarsaigh—a narrow strip of machair, that low, sandy grassland so typical of the Outer Hebrides. But from the summit of Beinn Ruilibreac, I was just short of a clear view of the twin beaches that lie back to back on either…
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The Lost Graves of Àird Allathasdail
Tràigh Hamara: a sweep of pale sand where today the Atlantic was rolling in quietly, one more perfect beach among many on Barra. But our attention was not on the beach. It was drawn to the headland opposite. Not the distant one, but the nearer stretch of low dunes and machair: Àird Allathasdail. In 2005,…
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Dùn Sgùrabhal
Dùn Sgùrabhal stands on a low hill, facing the sea to the west and the expanse of Tràigh Eais to the south. What remains is a collapsed stone structure, but it is still recognisable. Among the rubble, archaeologists have identified a double wall with a gallery between—clear signs of Iron Age construction. Though it has…
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The Black Stacks and the Weaver’s Castle
There was a brief sense of relief when the ferry finally slipped past the headland. Several sailings had been cancelled thanks to the breezy weather. I then endured ten minutes on the poop deck being drenched by the bow spray before giving up and retreating indoors. The unease only lifted once our wheels touched the…
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Thairteabhagh: Ruins by a Quiet Sea Loch
Seeking some respite from the relentless westerly winds hammering South Uist, we turned east, following the narrow trail through North Glen Dale—Gleann Dail bho Tuath in Gaelic. The path, often little more than a suggestion across bog and tussock, led eventually to Thairteabhagh: a calm, tucked-away sea loch flanked by the remains of a few…
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Ormiclate Castle: A Chateau and a Canal
The crumbling shell of Caisteal Ormaceit — Ormiclate Castle — sits quietly in a farm steading now, unmarked by the brown tourist signs, its past more dramatic than its present suggests. Once a grand new seat for Allan Macdonald of Clanranald, it burned to ruin on the same day he was fatally wounded at the…
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Beinn Mhòr: The Big Hill with No Goats
I had expected little from the climb of Beinn Mhòr, South Uist’s highest mountain. From the west, it looks like nothing more than a bulky lump, and its name, meaning simply “big hill” in Gaelic, is repeated all over Scotland. It did not promise much. Yet the summit ridge took us by surprise. From the…
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Eriskay : Whisky, Royalty and Fiction
This photo captures the striking turquoise waters of Caolas Eiriosgaigh, with the curving causeway unfurling across it, linking Eriskay to South Uist. The changing blues of the kyle on either side mark the subtle shifts in depth. Eriskay, though small—only four kilometres long and two and a half wide—is the largest island in the Sound…
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Benbecula: Island of Fords and Forgotten Classrooms
And so to Benbecula: flat, battered by wind, the Atlantic on one side, soggy peat and bog on the other. In the middle of it all stands a single hill, Rusbhal, soaring to the dizzying height of 124 metres. It qualifies as a landmark largely because nothing else bothers to rise. The island’s name, Benbecula,…
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Balranald: A Crofted Landscape, Shaped by Struggle
Our final day next to the RSPB Balranald nature reserve in North Uist, extended by two days thanks to Calmac Ferries. No complaints. Balranald has been generous — rich in wildlife, history, and atmosphere. The reserve stretches across rocky headlands and quiet bays, with dunes, machair, grasslands, saltmarshes and inland lochs. It was set up…
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