Sunday, May 27, 2007

Around Lewis - Beaches and Standing Stones

Very nice day today. We spent a great deal of time around the nearby beach, which we found at low tide. We could reach some of the cliffs and stacks that were inaccessible on the last trip, so there was climbing to be done. I’m terrified of heights, but fears are to conquered, and besides I couldn’t wus out while Hannah was climbing around like a mountain goat. So up I went. Hannah and I met at the top of the cliffs and wandered off to a cemetery that was just visible on the nearby hill. Next to the cemetery was a mysterious little structure with its top poking just above the surface. It was made of red brick with a concrete top, and had little stairs running down into it. The Ordnance Survey labels it a Souterrain. It looked a little spooky, but not enough to keep me from climbing in. There were some insets in the wall that looked like closed-up passages, although the could have just been little nooks for stowing things in.

After a while we took off in the car to see some archaeological goods. There was a minor stone circle called Steinacleat just a little way down the A857. It was quite a hike from the gravel car park up to it. After pulling away we noticed that the stones could be seen from the highway if you knew where to look. We also went a bit farther to see the Truisell stone, a single standing stone which is the largest in the islands. 9 meters tall. Pretty big chunk of rock.

Later I took of on a walk all on my own. I passed the Souterrain just as a little hailstorm came through. Just before things got wet, I got a great view of a rainbow, but had to hide in the Souterrain to avoid getting pelted. Then I went down the hill where I found a ruined chapel with its cemetery on the slope. The OS map calls it Teampall Phaedair, St. Peter’s Church. It was getting dark so I didn’t stay long. Wandered around the cliffs just a bit farther till I found the road in to Suainebost, and followed roads home

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