Stanton Drew, Stone Circles and The Cove

It is difficult for a camera to do justice to the Great Circle of the Stanton Drew complex given the scale of the site. So like us, you will just have to go there, and walk its 113m perimeter whilst taking in the 27 or so stones that comprise its visble remains.

The excellent on-site interpretation highlights the other less visible aspects of the sacred landscape - describing and illustrating the size of the henge monument within which the Great circle is placed, and the nine concentric circles of posts holes, within the stone circle, which would have originally held wooden posts.

the Great Circle looking towards Stanton Drew

To the north east of the Great Circle there is a second smaller circle, and the remains of two avenues - at least one of which is deemed to link to the River Chew.

This smaller circle has such a familiar warmth of feel to it - and reminded me of our visit to Calanais last year. Maybe it was just the quietness of both sites on the day, the sun in a Simpson sky, and the coolness of the breeze - which created a similar physical response in me? The emotional response was also more than familiar, a simple joy in the stones, and the feeling of wellness that presides when walking within a sacred landscape.

north east Stone circle, T-shirt by Julian Cope

The south west stone circle is located in a small field sitting above the great circle - both a short walk and a couple of stiles leading you ably to its location. Another difficult circle to photograph as the stones are all very low in the ground, some within only the top surface visible. I remember the advice of a landscape photographer who recommended standing on top of a step ladder to reduce the foreground and get on top of your subject, advice that would have held well for this circle.

south west circle, T-shirt by D.M.D.C.

Heading back into Stanton Drew village, we rocked up at The Druid's Arms for a quick cider and a photo opportunity with the three stones forming The Cove monument that can be found in the pubs garden.

The Cove, dry cider by Thatchers, served by The Druid's Arms

The Cove, and the church of St Mary the Virgin

We decided to leave a visit to the nearby Hautville's Quoit for another tour, and headed instead to our overnight lodgings at The Hunter Rest, Clutton.

the Outer Hebrides Road Trip pt. 9c .. Calanais 4, Ceann Thulabhaig

 

Calanais 4
Ceann Thulabhaig

Birdwatching: Buzzard, Whimbrel

the Outer Hebrides Road Trip pt. 9b .. Calanais 2, Cnoc Ceann a'Gharraidh; and Calanias 3, Cnoc Fhillibhir Bheag ..

Calanais 2
Cnoc Ceann a'Gharraidh

Calanais 3
Cnoc Fhillibhir Bheag

Cardamine pratensis
Caltha palustris

Dactylorhiza maculata

Pedicularis sylvatica

the Outer Hebrides Road Trip pt. 9a .. Calanais ..

Calanais

"sleeping beauty"
Sidhean an Airgid

Calanais

Calanais - Historic Environment Scotland

Birdwatching

Campsite: House Sparrow, "Song Thrush", Starling, "Corncrake", "Cuckoo", Rock Dove
Calanais: Grey Heron

the Outer Hebrides Road Trip pt. 7 .. a beginning and an end of sorts ..

"Is this the end of the beginning?
Or the beginning of the end?"
Tony Iommi, John Osbourne, Terrence Butler 2013

This morning, with heavy rain forecast, we drove to Lochmaddy and visited Taigh Chearsabhagh. The museum and arts centre which is currently hosting a photographic exhibition of the works of Archie Chisholm: 

The photographs of Archie Chisholm

Archie's B&W photographs of  the Western Isles taken at the end of the 18th and early part of the 19th Century evoke the social history of the isles, its inhabitants, and the joys and hardships of a Crofters life.

After the museum visit, we returned to the Raptor Viewpoint beneath Barpa Langass, picking up a wind-hanging buzzard on the way. A pair of stonechats at quarry on the A867, were added to the bird list.

Raptor Viewpoint - Barpa Langass

The weather conditions were dry but very windy and we soon tired of seeing only gulls loafing through. I took the opportunity for a second turn around Sornath Coir Fhinn, before “bagging” the only hilltop of the tour – by walking up Beinn Langais, a highpoint at 91m surrounded by the flatlands of bog, open water, and brown and purple moor.

Sornath Coir Fhinn

views from Beinn Langais

the obligatory "summit selfie"
Beinn Langais

I had the top to myself for only the briefest of moments before a couple appeared on the hill’s horizon in the northwest.

Following a rapid descent, I was van side, and waking A up from an afternnon doze. We drove to the Raptor Viewpoint on Committee Road. This viewpoint was the primary inspiration for undertaking this road-trip, and our journey to this point really started in May 2008.

That year, we were staying in a cottage overlooking the Loch of Tarbert on Isle of Harris. One morning we took the ferry to Berneray – principally to visit RSPB Balranald on North Uist. In the lead up to the holiday, I had been following the “local” bird news and was keenly aware of a snowy owl sitting on a fence post on Berneray, and I really needed to see this bird. We had tried to get a ferry crossing for the first full day following our arrival on the Isle of Harris. Unfortunately, the ferries were all fully booked so we had to hold off a few days, and the bird had flown the day before our crossing. I felt gutted.

We visited RSPB Balranald, enjoying crippling views of corncrake, and corn bunting. The day also coincided with the first return of red-necked phalarope to Benbecula, a single female observed. Restricted to a tight ferry schedule, Berneray was too far. I felt gutted.

The RSPB warden tipped us off about a good site to view hen harrier, a layby on Committee Road. We drove there instead. In the layby, was a campervan, and the friendliest of birders who was halfway through a three-month tour of the Outer Hebrides. He had just seen the male hen harrier fly in with food, but both the bird (and nest) were lost to view beneath the height of the heather.

So that was that, and we returned to Harris. I felt gutted. However, A had a much more pragmatic approach to the experience, filing away the location, the ambiance, the need to be flexible and mobile. Committee Road, a layby, a campervan, hen harrier; Benbecula, a red necked phalarope. The seed of this road trip planted.

Raptor viewpoint, Committee Road
North Uist

#VanLife, Committee Road

The raptor viewpoint, produced little in the way of birds, the only notable sighting, being the arrival of the solo birder whose recent protestations about “safari birders” had fallen once more down the deep well of irony.

Back at Moorcroft campsite, the owner arrived to take payment for the overnights.

“Is everything OK with your stay?”
“Just a little disappointed with the wind” I say and smile, not meaning it.
“Is it not windy enough for you?” comes the swift response, and a smile too. It is just weather.

After dinner we walked to the Chambered Cairn, carrying a few beers, listening to Julie Fowlis, playing quietly from the phone in my pocket. In the fading light, a large orange moth and an unidentified diver spp. were both seen, along with a male hen harrier flying low across the bleak moor. Somewhere unseen, within the landscape a Cuckoo calls. We watch the sun setting behind the stone monument, to the accompaniment of Cope’s “Raving on the Moor”.

We will head north tomorrow, to our final campsite of this road trip - on the Isle of Lewis.

Chambered Cairn and Sunset, Nr. Moorcroft Campsite,
North Uist

the Outer Hebrides Road Trip pt. 5 .. a redneck agenda

High on the list of target species for this island tour is the red-necked phalarope - one of the UK's rarest breeding birds, and a Red List Species of Conservation Concern (RSPB). We have visited a breeding site for this stunning little wader on a previous Scottish Islands tour - and frustratingly dipped on the day; despite knowing that birds were present on the site, they simply failed to show whilst we were at the reserve.

The red-necked phalarope holds a special place in my heart, as a gateway species to the joy of birdwatching. We first encountered it on our virgin trip to Iceland. We were driving from Borganes to Stykkishólmur. Crossing the Snæfellsjökull peninsula we took a scenic lunch stop over-looking a lake below. I strode out onto the lichen heath with the intention of reaching the waters edge. Fifty meters or so into my walk, A called out to me to stop and look to my left. When I turned to look, I saw only meters away from me a red-necked phalarope, walking away and dragging one of its wings to the ground.

I realised that I had inadvertently invaded the breeding ground of the bird and was at risk of trampling either its eggs or young. I carefully retraced my steps, placing my feet within the footprints of my outward journey. It was a mistake, and a valuable lesson learnt. Thankfully, no damage done.

Later in the tour, we saw phalaropes, spinning in their feeding circles on the surface of Lake Myvatn. A site which also granted us stunning views of Great Northern Diver, and Red-throated Diver amongst the large breeding population of waterbirds and waterfowl. Gripping.

Waking from our first night on a windblast Benbecula we were unsure as to whether birdwatching was contra-indicated given the extreme blow of the conditions? However, with local knowledge, I was more than keen to have a first look for red-necked phalarope, especially as we could use the Van as a hide and keep out of the wind.

Stopping roadside, we glimpsed the briefest of views as a phalarope stuck its head up above the height of the waving grass, before disappearing almost immediately to view. It was a tick. Golden eagle, merlin, red-breasted merganser and a handful of ducks, gulls, and waders added value, but we soon headed off looking for more excitement.

out of the wind, roadside second breakfast

We drove back to South Uist and followed a road east to Loch Sgioport and parked at the headland to look for eagles and check out the remains of a 19th Century pier. The pier was irrefutably present in its ruination, eagles were noticeably absent. Cuckoo, eleven grey herons; a raven, and a merlin were the only haul.

Loch Sgioport pier rems.

On the way back to Otters Edge Campsite, we pulled in again at the viewpoint for the red-necked phalarope but drew a blank.

evening stake-out

An evening walk along the shoreline added common eider to the bird list.

This morning, after an early wake up, we headed back to the Loch in the hope of getting better views of the phalarope. As we parked up, we or the wind, flushed three small birds from the open water – and as they flew east and away from us, I identified them as red-necked phalarope. Our excitement dimmed as they disappeared across the open moorland.

Fifteen minutes later a female phalarope flew back past us, landed on the water, preened for a short while whilst drifting out of view behind the curve of the Loch. Shortly after a male landed, and then floated out of view too. A second female, landed on the stretch of water in front of us, then went to roost alongside the smallest of islets, which looked to be about a meter or so across. She stayed there for the remaining part of our birdwatch, unmoving.

red-necked phalarope, Benbecula

Our interest remained peaked, when a short-eared owl landed on a rocky outcrop at the edge of the open water, before quartering the moorland behind. In the distant north A spotted a high-flying bird - a white-tailed eagle, which soon became lost in the grey of the sky.

It was time to for us to go north too, heading to Moorcroft Campsite on North Uist. Having successfully located the campsite, we pushed on just slightly further up the A865 to Carinish to visit the remains of Teampull na Trionaid (Trinity Temple). The road to Carinish passes straight through a stone circle, whilst a short way to its north lies a chambered cairn. The short drive provided for me a complete “power-up” no doubt enhanced by the psychedelic outpouring of Cope’s “Upwards at 45 Degrees” as we travelled through the stone circle itself. We were within a sacred landscape, which spanned millennia.

Teampull na Trionaid (Trinity Temple)

within the stone circle, on the A865

#VanLife Moorcroft Campsite, North Uist

#VanLife #LocalProduce