Good Friday, 7th April, start of Week 6

'Heaven and Earth are mine'. saith the Lord, 'and all that they contain. Except for Skye and the Western Isles, for they belong to MacBrayne.'

In truth, the ownership of the Isles has changed many times, even after the eras of the Picts and the Norse invaders. The deadly feud between the McLeods and Mackenzies continued into the 19th century, and the territory was bought and sold repeatedly. James Matheson, a wealthy merchant trader, bought them from Mackenzies in 1844 for £190 000, and was instrumental in the Highland Clearances, but sold it on to soap magnate Lord Leverhulme in 1918. Like his work in Port Sunlight, Leverhume invested a fortune to try to modernise Lewis and drag the local fishing industry into the 20th century. Returning WW1 servicemen frustrated most of his plans by seizing pieces of the land, and after trying again on Harris, he died leaving his estates to the community. The ceremonial title Lord of the Isles is held by the Prince of Wales, so has now passed to Prince William. Incidentally, when Charles held the title, on a trip to the Hebrides from Gordonston School, he had his first (underage) dram in the Harbour Hotel - a cherry brandy - an event documented in a sign on the pub's wall! 

I did some laundry then drove into town for a few supplies and a visit to the Episcopal Church, for some quiet Good Friday meditation, and planned the rest of the day's travels. 

So much for modern history, and my wandering returned to older history, with a visit to the Blackhouse at Arnol, on the West coast. There is a tiny visitor centre for admission (free with English Heritage membership) with a small but informative display. After that I could walk around and inside the houses, left as they would have been occupied, complete with the smoky atmosphere from a burning peat fire in the middle living room, which was shared with the cattle. The way of life wasn't surprising, but what did surprise me was how recently the folk would have moved to the nearby 'white houses' built in brick from the late 1800s, with modern roof construction, and some of the Blackhouses were still occupied as late as 1970.

I added a few steps to my tally for the day (9k by close of play) by following a track down to a view point close to Loch Muilne placed for the benefit of bird watchers. A very pretty site in the warm afternoon sun, but I saw only starlings, and none of the rare migratory species advertised, some of which I confess I've never heard of, like the red-necked phalarope. 

I could fit in one more expedition before the sun was dropping, to the remote Tiumpan Head with a fine lighthouse. There's a 'better' lighthouse at the Butt of Lewis, but that will be an outing for later this weekend. 

Back to camp, 'cooked' haggis/neeps/tatties ready meal in the camp kitchen, and watched the long awaited episode 2 of the new season of Succession on my tablet before bed. Night night y'all.