Tengu Flighted

[Tengu]

Well, Im now in a place called Kinlochleven.

Yesterday morning I was in Exeter.

I spent the night just outside Loch Lomond. (I did intend staying in the lowlands, but then considered what Glasgow would be like on a Monday morning.)

Im having a great time, admiring this scenery. (Hideous, looks like Dartmoor on very hard drugs.)

There is snow on the highest mountains. (where I cant get at it.)

Im going further, (yes, indeedy, to Lewis) and Ill see new things and meet new (and an old) friends.

I have not found any iron brew yet.

Wish me good weather the nest few days...Im going to need it badly.

Ill post pics when I get back....some day.

Sorry Im not to meet up with you...This trip was arranged in a massive hurry.

 

[JohnC]

They definately have iron bru in Kinlochleven. Enjoy Lewis

 

[Matt.S]

Ya didn't need to go up to Scotland Tengu; we have Irn Bru, Dartmoor and narcotics down here!

 

[johnnytheboy]

How did you get past Glasgow with out trying of of the national drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

sounds good keep us posted

 

[Tengu]

<Big sigh> Im now in Oban.

Taking a hard earned rest. Ive been very busy.

I went up though Skye (too much scenery, inflated property prices) to Harris (a bare rock) and Lewis (one big peat hag)

Id been invited with a climbing club on a charter to North Rona...a place Ive been trying to get to for two years.

its a five hour journey over a very rough sea. Bang! Splash! Bang! Splash! all the way.

I took sea legs and was not sick...but was a little green.

N Rona is actualy very pleasant, I got the impression it was a grimly place. But its inviting, there are not many birds, (few fulmars, eider, skuas, kittiwakes) and its very quiet. Even the sheep dont baa.

I walked round the chapel and village, everything was as it was in the books. One member asked me if I had been before...I knew what to expect from the books.

We stayed overnight. Not any night, as a matter of fact (on latitude of the Orkneys.) saw and heard the petrels. I think their strange churring had an effect on me, I had some very grotesque dreams. (or perhaps it was just the island not as inviting as I thought)

I can still hear the silence.

Next day we went to Suliseigher...unfortunatley couldnt land (a tricky game as you can imagine) but saw (and smelled) the gannetry and saw plenty of the gannets.

They journey with the waves was lulling. I slept most of it.

Next day I went up to Port of Ness to see the North Rona artifacts in the museum. they have St Ronans carving, (a naked man, though hard to make out) and the Iona stone found by Frank Fraser Darling.

Im now making my way slowly south...Ill be home some day.

then Ill get the pics sorted and post them, there is a lot to see.

Ill get some irnbru tonight, I promise.

 

[Barney]

Sounds like a great trip that Tengu

 

[Craigeam]

Tengu

Whilst I hope you enjoyed your trip you must have had blinkers on if your genuine opinion is that Harris is a bare rock and Lewis is one big peat hag.

If you look at my post at the end of your "Getting to Lewis" thread I gave a few suggestions of some sights that are in addition to the natural beauty of the islands.

I can only hope that others aren't put off visiting and appreciating these unique islands by your rather flippant, off-hand comments.

Donald.

 

[Toddy]

I was just thinking the same thing

Skye is stunningly beautiful, indeed HWMBLT was up there last week and the photos are wonderful

Lewis and Harris are full of not only beautiful places but lovely people, and, amazing archaeology and places to visit.



Toddy

 

[Seoras]

Being that I come from Lewis and in particular Port of Ness I was a little bit peeved at the comments initially though glad you mentioned visiting the museum.

Sounds though you were whisked through the place Tengu on your way to other places.

Suliseigher by the way is spelt Sula Sgeir and is I think the only place in this country where the Guga (young gannet) are still allowed to be hunted every year. This is done by the men of my village and many members of my family have hunted there over the years and still do. I however live in a most delightful English village now called Bramley in Hampshire so have never had the honour of going on the hunt.

So Tengu I would say Harris was a wee bit rocky and Lewis was a wee bit boggy (not a hag up there please) but in a most delightful wee way.

Cheers

George

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

Too much scenery on Skye???

Oh Tengu it was clearly wasted on you!

All I think about is escaping to Bualintur, having the backdrop of the Cuillins and the sea to wake up to every morning, it's my heaven.

Take a deep breath Tengu and learn to appreciate the sheer beauty that is Scotland, after living up there living down here is hell and I miss it every day.

 

[Mikey P]

Ha! Well Tengu, that'll learn you to have an opinion!

Remember everyone, rugged beauty doesn't float everybody's boat...

God, I love it up there, though...

 

[British Red]

Yep be careful Tengu - if you express a view that doesn't conform to the received wisdom as to insect infested desolate peat bogs you will be told that your opinion is flawed!

Many people prefer a landscape with other features - sun, trees, rolling hills - stuff like that.

Your opinion is just as valuable (and just as valid) as those who like their land bleak, deforested, wet, cold and full of midges

Red

 

[demographic]

I quite like bleak landscapes but make no mistake that doesn't make them any less bleak.

Being able to see a long way with great views is just another way of saying theres bugger all in the way of trees sometimes, just depends on your point of view.

 

[Toddy]

The islands of the Atlantic seaboard are just that, islands at the edge of an ocean. They take the brunt of the weather and their scenery, climate and habitats reflect that.
Why visit if there is no appreciation of that rough grandeur ?

I presume that Tengu would try to camp out and went inland and found the moors, a local would have advised the machair instead.

There are trees, but nothing like the mainland, and even historically the pollen record shows that the dwarf birch and other small and hardy shrubs were the more common.
The islands are not deserted, they are full of people, families, visitors, and the land is farmed, generally as crofting townships. The coastal situation does make for an entirely different attitude to transport however , and the towns and villages around the coast are surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere

The midgies are generally not so bad there either as they are around mainland lochs, they're not fond of wind, and sea breezes thankfully give respite. No mozzies though

Some links

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/harris/harris/index.html

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/index.html

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tadpole]

<Big sigh> Im now in Oban.

Taking a hard earned rest. Ive been very busy.

I went up though Skye (too much scenery, inflated property prices) to Harris (a bare rock) and Lewis (one big peat hag)

.

I felt the same way about the top of Plynlimon in Wales, too much in the way of bog and scree. I like my landscapes to have a bit more in them than just miles of sameness, but as other have said on this thread, each to their own.
Not everyone likes desolate mountains, rolling downs or verdant fields. Some, like me, think the occasional cottage, or tumbled down farm is needed as well.

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

Yep be careful Tengu - if you express a view that doesn't conform to the received wisdom as to insect infested desolate peat bogs you will be told that your opinion is flawed!

Many people prefer a landscape with other features - sun, trees, rolling hills - stuff like that.

Your opinion is just as valuable (and just as valid) as those who like their land bleak, deforested, wet, cold and full of midges

Red

You know the Scots are fiercely proud of bleak, wet, cold places full of midges and rightly so, that's why there's England for the rest of you to live in, a cramped over-populated, hectic urban sprawl

 

[Tadpole]

You know the Scots are fiercely proud of bleak, wet, cold places full of midges and rightly so, that's why there's England for the rest of you to live in, a cramped over-populated, hectic urban sprawl

Is that why only one in five Scots live in Scotland, the rest move somewhere 'better'

 

[Chainsaw]

Absolutely right, don't come to Scotland it's rubbish and boring and really just not worth a visit at all...... In fact stay away from Northern England as well, just like scotland, boring, boring, boring!

Cheers,

Alan

(hope that works, they may not suss us.. shhh!.)

 

[verloc]

Yeah I agree with Chainsaw,

Nothing to see here, in fact nothing at all from York all the way up to the top. Desolate empty depressing places.

Tom
(fingers crossed that it does work )