Friday 14th July
Great Bernera

We went off with our lovely friend, Heike, to explore the little isle of Great Bernera. There’s a small bridge that joins the island to the mainland and just as you come across it you are met by three standing stones. We spent some time with the stones and their beautiful surroundings. The Sun has been with us today in abundance and the whole landscape just lights up into the most gorgeous scenery. So content, so still, so happy. The whole place is teaming with life. Watching the birds and nature all around. We spent time with a family of wrens who were a treat to observe.

One of the stones is like an old crone, bent over pointing at Callanish. The stone actually looks bent. Quite amazing.

We left the stones and drove across the island on its one track road to the end where we found the most amazingly beautiful beach. Extraordinary!

It wasn’t long until we were in the sea for a quick dip. Absolutely freezing. The first time is the most shocking to the body. Then is becomes easier!


All our friends eventually arrived and we all played excitedly like children in the sea. Brilliant fun with lots of screaming!

Then we sunbathed in the glorious Sun which we’ve missed so much. Perfect weather - fresh, hot and slightly breezy. We spent quite a while catching glimpses of a seal who was fishing in the bay and much later we saw his mate too.


The stones, rocks and shells are all beautiful here. Full of sparkly crystal. The weather today has been such a treat. The locals tell us this is a rarity so we are really lucky. You really couldn’t ask for more.
We were told how bleak Lewis was and thought it ourselves when we first arrived. However, we soon realised that there is a magnificent beauty to its simplicity and that the whole place is SO alive. Flowers, grasses, birds. We saw lots of different birds today including the Wagtail, Oyster Catchers and Shags. The heather is just coming out in flurries of deep purple which sets off the green of the grasses, the yellow of the buttercups and the deep blue of the lochs and the sea.

For our friends, this is their last day and they have all been blissed out. Couldn’t have been better. As they agreed: a beautiful ending to a beautiful trip. We still have the weekend and if tomorrow is like this, we will return to this bay.

We’ve all torn ourselves away, returning to the cottages to cook up a feast for tonight. It’s going to be a late one….

Later that night
Last night, just as we were going to bed we saw the moon rising. We were so excited that we decided to go back to the stones and enjoy the calm and clear night.

It was gorgeous. No-one around and very still. We stayed in the stones for ages – just being with them and the Moon. The sunset was now turning to sunrise - although I knew I was too exhausted to stay up. It was a fine way to complete our journey and now it seems like a good place to end our story so there probably won’t be anymore write ups. I will be putting up more photo’s when I get home. We are going to spend today and tomorrow resting before we begin our very rapid journey south – we hope to be in Brighton by Tuesday night.

It has been the most amazing month – one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The journey up to Lewis through the islands, meeting the stones of Callanish, experiencing the lunar standstill and seeing the Moon with some of the most special people in my life (and meeting some very special new friends too) has added up to a truly unforgettable experience. I know that I, and many other people will look back at this time and will savour the memories and experiences we have all had here and on our individual journies to get here for ever.

Thanks to everyone who has emailed me while on the journey and special thanks to:

Linda for being my main inspiration to journey to the stones
Jill Smith for here wonderfully inspirational books on Callanish and the islands – it was lovely to meet you!
The Wheel of Astrologers for being the most unique bunch of people I have ever met.
Suze for sorting out the cottages
Everyone who helped me with charging up the computer along the way.
Peter Burgess for looking after our lovely van and giving us the space to prepare for the journey
Our wonderful Daffy van and the AA for sorting us out in the lake district.
Maria for taking on my business while I was away.