Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Our group got up early Saturday morning in Inverness, grabbed some coffee and scones and boarded the bus for a 1.5 hour ride to the west coast ferry terminal.  Like the train, when someone else is driving, you can enjoy the passing landscapes.  It's just that the bus is a little more confining than the train.
So our arrival in the port of Ullapool on the west coast gave us an hour or so to look around and visit the small farmers market where residents of this small town were selling breads, baked goods and even home made pottery, home farmed cheese and honey and other good stuff one could take for eating on the run.  I purchased some smoked sea trout, someone else bought bread and a few other goodies we might enjoy on the ferry ride.

Public transportation in the UK is always on time, so don't be late.  The ferry pulled away from the dock right on schedule and we nested on couches around small tables looking out large picture windows on the port side.  We ordered cappuccinos and settled in for the 3 hour trip to Lewis.  Dolphins played in the waters around us and passengers found their respective spots... some on deck, some in the lounges, and still others in the bar.

The ship nosed up to the dock in Stornaway whereupon the bow raised and cars exited onto the streets of the small city.

Collecting our rental car was a breeze and we were off toward our crofting (small farm) cottage across the island.  Traffic was nearly nonexistent and the further away from Stornaway we drove the more rural the population became.

Settling into our cottage for a week, we unpacked groceries purchased in Stornoway and marveled at the fine position overlooking Loch Roag where our cottage was situated.  These photos are taken from my bedroom window.  I am constantly and pleasantly amazed by being able to choose very nice accommodations over the internet.  The lodging choices on Lewis are limited, especially away from the main town, so we were very lucky to have secured this one.  The secret to getting really good rentals is to plan a year in advance.