Travel Sized Bites.
A selection of short stories submitted by visitors to the site between 500-1000 words
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scottish wee gem and whisky galore
By Author: juliet galloway
E-mail: juliet@hotmail.com
Submitted on Friday 20th August 1999
From the city sprawl of Glasgow to the barren freedom of Barra, I set out on a journey back to my descendant roots steeped in history and Scottish folklore.
The ferry crossing from Oban to the tiny island gem called isle of Barra took a mere 5 hours. Gulls shrieked like lost souls at sea crying out and I caught a glimpse of whales and porpoises on the horizon.
The stormy sea was wild and fierce but still majestic and beautiful. I knew that I would soon be in a place where mystery and magic prevails. The coast is outlined with the whitest of beaches (only to be found in the Seychelles) and it is only you and the wind and the rocks that have conversation.
There is no-one else in sight. The rocks whisper sweet thoughts to you as you contemplate life, the wind blows the cobwebs from your mind. This is what I would call sheer relaxation and spiritual cleansing if you are into all that stuff.
To get closer to the heavens you can climb the hillock called Ben Heaval and capture breathtaking views of the surrounding islands - Pabbay, Vatersay and Mingulay on a good day, and perhaps beyond (well, its the Atlantic and America after that)!
Looking down on the castle in Castlebay (the main village with a post office and pub), you feel like the original lord of the isles, just how the Macneils of Barra must have felt centuries before. The castle is an old fort and well worth a visit but it is surrounded by water so get prepared to swim if you miss the boat ride.
Things to do - well! Relax and enjoy the lack of hustle and bustle, read a good book while being surrounded by beauty, cycle round the island at least ten times as it is only 14 miles round. Go to the pub and try and converse with the locals who will gladly shove a ton of whisky down your throat and tell you believable haunted house stories where seamen ghosts wail at night (now lies empty for any paranormal experts among you!), or how the island got its claim to fame in the film whisky galore, a novel written by Compton Mckenzie who is buried on Barra
And there's the story of the two cousins who swear they saw little real fairies in the hills (this actually got to the newspapers). The drink is rather strong up there so beware. I have been there at least ten times and every time I go I experience something new and exciting. I can go on and on. Its a great place to listen to your inner self and be free from the pressures and stresses of the rat race.
I hope to retire there one day and write a novel about an island girl who is abducted by aliens, but in the meantime I will continue to capture the essence of the wee gem with my camera and paintbrush. To find out more, contact my wonderful mother at Barra tourist office (she will fix you up with a room) or ask me more. I can go on and on.
Who knows, I may even start painting and photography holidays up there, but would anyone be interested? Please contact me? A frustrated lecturer who wants to dance naked round the pagan stones on pabbay-anybody join me?
Only joking!
Juliet Galloway