St Kilda preview!

Looking back to Stac Lee, Stac an Armin and Boreray while en route to Hirta.

Tony and I had planned a week to St Kilda with Murty and Murdani on the MV Cuma at the beginning of June. We were both well pissed off when the University changed the dates of the exam season and we couldn't go. I was then completely gobsmacked when Gordon Brown phoned up and asked if I would like to go on a trip to St Kilda the following week, as he was filming some sequences for his second sea kayaking DVD with Simon Willis. It took me all of 0.3 secs to say yes. There was Gordon, Morag, Simon, Liz, Donald (who led the first return trip to St Kilda by kayak from the Outer Hebrides), Anne, Ken, Callum, Janice, Sue, Ian and myself. Murdani was joined by Gary and Louise on the Cuma.

The company on this trip was real fun and considerate. I was troubled by some bad knee pain on this trip but the thoughtful help with handling of the kayaks and with launching and recovery was really appreciated. When I last visited St Kilda, I didn't venture far from the village as my knee was recurrently dislocating. This time, my knee was totally stable after the operation and I went a walk with the others round the island. All went well until we started to come back downhill. That proved very painful and I fell a long way behind the others. However, Gordon stayed behind with me and we had a great chat. One thing is for sure, I would never have been able to attempt a trip like this without considerable help from other people. Thank you all! :o)

The thrift is still flowering on top of the cleits.

Village street, Hirta.

 Soay ram, Hirta.

 Bonxie attack Conachair, Hirta. Our near permanent smug mode was temporarily disengaged.

Glen Bay, An Campar and Soay from Mullach Mor, Hirta.

Dun from Ruabhal, Hirta.

West coast of Hirta.

Stac Biorach and Stac Soay in the Soay Hirta gap.

Lunch stop off SE coast of Soay.

Entering the arch through Stac Soay.

The 8km crossing to Boreray is assisted by a useful little transit called Stac Lee.

Rounding Stac Lee.

The Cuma and Stac an Armin.

 The great cave on the west of Boreray.

Looking back at Stac Lee Hirta and Soay from the north end of Boreray.

Rounding the north end of Boreray.

The east coast of Boreray.

Been there! How lucky we were!