Benbecula

Near Cuinabunag just south of Baile nan Cailleach on the west of Benbecula. This island marks the transition from Presbyterian culture to Roman Catholicism. This island had both communities. Islands to the north are Presbyterian, to the south Roman Catholic and one sees some road side shrines. (Not the sort of objects to interest this blogger). I believe this place may have been known as Stinky Bay. In these part the smell of seaweed can be unpleasant. Kelp was the major source of wealth over 200 years ago until round 1820 when the demand for it declined due to the discovery of a synthetic way to produce sodium carbonate
Hills of South Uist from the same viewpoint. The secondary school on this island doubles up as a community centre. We wandered in unchallenged, something unthinkable in a school in England. but in the Hebrides it is common for people not to lock their doors. One cannot but be in admiration for the other world represented by the more Christian culture of these isles.
On the causeway to South Uist there is an unusual notice. We never saw otters. A farmer told us he had only seen them about six times in his life. But we met cyclists who had seen one and a couple we thought were bird watching were in fact training telephoto lenses on otters. I believe it was from this causeway that in January 2005 a family of five died when a storm washed their vehicle off the road.