Rather blustery at Callanish

I decided, at the last minute, that there was just enough time to squeeze in a visit to the Callanish Stones over the Bank Holiday, I then realised if I travelled over night I could make up enough time to walk Kilmartin Glen on the way up there. And so it was, I made the bed up in the van, threw some food in the fridge, packed my wellies and joined the A1 just North of Peterborough shortly after 10.00pm. I briefly stopped just short of Kilmartin to look at the standing stones around Bridgend and Dunadd Castle although it was still dark, blowing a gale and pouring down and so I didn’t really get much done, and being 6.00am there wasnt much light. Drove on a little further to the start of my walk at the Ballymeanoch Stones and Duncraigaig Cairn, up to Ri Cruin and on to Temple Wood. From there past the various ’ Nethers’ and finally Glebe Cairn behind the church and back to the van via the Nether Largie standing stones and stone row. This is a fabulous walk through history and didn’t take as long as I had expected. Temple Wood was particularly fascinating although so well restored it wouldn’t look out of place on a roundabout leading into Milton Keynes. Not a sole around as you might expect early on a Sunday morning and really pleased to have spent time there. Onward through Skye and onto the ferry at Uig for a very rough crossing to Harris and Lewis. The morning didn’t start well, gale force winds, heavy rain and hail, however, no option but to press on. Callanish 1 was even more inspiring than I had expected, a real temple of its time and definitely felt like there was some huge religious significance to it regardless of all the theories from a Astronomical Clock to a Time Machine. Callanish 2 was a wonderful place to be as you look out over both 1 and 3 and it all feels very interconnected. Both were under water and the wind so strong you needed to cling to the stones for protection. Callanish 4 was just about possible with wellies, however, the more remote sites were going to have to wait for another visit, for which I cannot wait.
I went on to see the huge Truishal Standing Stone and a few other sites, however, with little time left I went back to Callanish 1 to spend more time in the central stones and contemplate how the site had been developed over 1000 years and the changes in the outlook and religion of the people involved.
Dreaming over, another sick inducing crossing of the Minch and a very long drive home. Would I do it again? Tomorrow (subject to permission from my long suffering wife)