Wednesday 5 June 2013

The Western Isles- a special place for a special birthday

This was where I spent the afternoon on my 60th birthday.  You can't drive to this beach, only walk there.  That's why it's so empty.  That and the fact that it is in the Outer Hebrides.  Perfect.



And here's another one we walked to a couple of days later - on Harris.  This beach was even further away from any road, and the walk involved a cliff climb, near vertical in one place.



We wanted to get away from it all and the Islands exceeded my wildest expectations.


12 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness how beautiful! and belated happy birthday greetings...what a wonderful place to be.

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  2. Beautiful - the photos almost look like they've been photoshopped they're so perfect!
    Happy birthday!

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  3. Happy Birthday! Never been to Lewis/Harris but it's on my list.

    The Rose Macaulay (got the spelling right this time) biog is A Writer's Life by Jane Emery.

    Yes, I read the B Pym diary/letters in April. V interesting. I haven't read her books for some time; must reread them.

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    1. Thanks, Isabelle. I read a different biography of RM. Re-reading B Pym is a joy to be savoured. Perhaps on a trip to the Hebrides!

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  4. Happy birthday, what a wonderful place to spend it. Those colours - that sky, such peace. Marvellous.

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  5. Heavenly....I have always wanted to go there. I spent my sixtieth by getting in my car and driving, I knew not where. Ended up in a parking lot, sitting in the dark, angry and hurt that I'd been left to wash the dishes! When I finally calmed down and crept back into the house, no one had even realized I was missing! Now, several birthdays later, none as bad as that, I realise I'm in charge of how I feel, regardless of others....
    Your comment on Isabelle's "Walking Away" post made me laugh! At the time in my life when I regularly fantasized about running away from home, I signed up for an evening yoga class at the nearby British School. I didn't learn much yoga but I had a lovely rest in each class. After the initial warm-up deep breaths, I would just fall asleep. Not exactly the star pupil....but so refreshing!

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    1. Hi Molly, welcome and glad you have found amusement here. I am so sorry you had such an awful 60th birthday. But good that you have now taken charge. Sounds like your experience of evening classes was much the same as mine!

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  6. Belated Birthday Greetings - and a wonderful place to spend it. I WILL get there one day but my 60th is in January and it can get wild up there at that time of year. I'm hoping a George Clooney look-a-like will miraculously materialise and whisk me off on his Harley for a romantic weekend in Paris but there's as much chance of that as me getting to the Outer Hebrides anytime soon! Have a good weekend
    ps just borrowed Kate Atkinson's new book 'Life after Life' from the library - it's a jolly good read and she's not as lightweight as you might think if you've been watching 'Case Histories'.

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    1. Thank you, Nana. I hope you have a wonderful 60th birthday.

      Good tip re Kate Atkinson- I am off to the library now!

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