Friday Flickr – Outer Hebrides: Eriskay and South Uist

For this week’s Friday Flickr I’m continuing my reminiscences of my Outer Hebrides road trip.

From Barra I took the ferry to Eriskay. It’s a tiny island, but it packs plenty of punch. Bonnie Prince Charlie landed here with his men when he returned to Scotland from France to start the 1745 Uprising.

It’s also the island that inspired Compton Mackenzie’s novel ‘Whisky Galore’. In 1941 a ship carrying whisky to America went aground in a storm. As the island’s whisky supply had dwindled due to wartime rationing, the locals couldn’t believe their luck and quickly salvaged an estimated 24,000 of the 260,000 bottles the ship was carrying before the customs and excise officials arrived. Can you imagine the party? And how unpopular that customs man was he arrived?

These days the island is known for its own unique style of knitting and a special breed of ponies.

I left Eriskay using the causeway that was built in 2001. Prior to this, I would have needed to take another ferry to reach the bigger island of South Uist.

South Uist is long and thin. Its east coast is rocky and wild. The west coast seems to consist of one long stretch of pure white beach. I couldn’t get enough of the views and couldn’t believe such perfect beaches are so unknown that I was often the only person there.

I found plenty of prehistoric remains, modern sculptures, cute cottages and a rather good museum. South Uist is also one of the few places I’ve seen otters in the wild.

Am I tempting you yet?

To access the Flickr album click on the image below.

So, are you tempted? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Author: Anne

Join me in my journey to live a life less boring, one challenge at a time. Author of the forthcoming book 'Walking the Kungsleden: One Woman's Solo Wander Through the Swedish Arctic'. View all posts by Anne