Sunday - over the sea from Skye

Leaving Skye today with pretty much all the major tourist sights unseen. We just didn't allow enough time, but it was always just intended to be a stepping stone on the way to the outer islands. 

And that eagle yesterday, low enough to see really well without binoculars was something really special. Wish I could have taken a snap! 

It's a 2pm ferry, we need to be there for 1:20 at the latest but we are not doing much else so we turn up a couple of hours early. 

Skye is not so Sabbath abiding as the outer islands, for goodness sakes, we saw a couple of clothes laden washing lines! But there was distinctly less traffic on the roads, really quiet.

Question: how do you know you are in the Islands? 

Answer:

Yes, chairs (and cushions) in the bus stops! This was just a few miles down the road from our Skye campsite.

Oh, and here's a random memorial from Uig Ferry Terminal

The ferry berthed on time and seemed quite full coming in. About 4 huge lorries came off all carrying similar:

Look like parts of pre-fab wooden houses. Wonder why they have to be constructed in the outer islands and then shipped to Skye? Strange. 

We left in time and had a smooth cruising, here's Harris from the ship

Harris and Lewis are known as separate islands but are actually one single landmass. At one time they were in separate administrative areas. We did wonder if we'd see a border. Not my picture (I was driving) but I can't see any copyright

Oh, yes, all the signs here are in Gaelic with English as an afterthought. It's confusing as even Stornoway appears as Steòrnabhagh on the signs (and my OS maps app) 

Stornoway (I can spell the English) is our destination. The campsite isn't beautifully rural but it is relatively cheap and within walking distance (about a mile) of town.

And here's today's travel

The tracker says that's just under 88 miles and Google Timeline tells me I've driven 20 miles on Skye and then 34 on Harris/Lewis but the slower, hillier, twistier roads make both of those seem further when you're actually driving.

Anyway all distances are approximate, the maths would make that 33.5 miles by sea using the tracker's distance of 87.5 miles, but Google only makes the ferry a 28 mile trip. Don't think the little walking were did would account for the difference!