A visit to the remains of the Muirneag

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My visit to the island of Lewis in October 2009 was made principally to view and photograph any remains of the Muirneag. Without the help of some local people - with a mutual interest in preserving all details of this historic old sailing zulu - this trip would have been much less successful.
Special thanks to John MacLennan from the Stornoway Port Authority, Roddy MacDonald, nephew of Duncan MacDonald who bought the Muirneag for fenceposts along with Debbie Cullis and Paul Smith who own the Tigh na Bruaich B&B at 8 Balallan

Also many thanks to Huey for the lovely weather

General images of Lewis/Harris

The Isle of Lewis ferry unloading at Stornoway after the the trip across the Minch from Ullapool

Stornoway Shipping Services Ltd lifebuoy

A different Muirneag in the harbour at Stornoway in Oct 2009

The crofters house of Duncan MacDonald at 8 Balallan - now a B&B

Debbie Cullis - hostess at the Tigh na Bruaich B&B at 8 Balallan

Debbie is an accomplished artist who also has her gallery 'Island Arts' at the same address. More on Debbie here

Old stone cottage overlooking beach at Dail Beag

Carloway Harbour

The ancient site at Callanish

Marvig Harbour near the entrance to Loch Erisort

Loch Odhairn - just south of Marvig Harbour

A mountain stream near the border of Harris and Lewis

The famous beach at Luskentyre - west Harris

A sheep wondering what I'm doing - overlooking Luskentyre - west Harris

The island of Scalpay near Tarbert - note the wheelhouse and cabin casing off an old steam drifter at left

The island of Scalpay near Tarbert - another view of the wheelhouse and cabin casing, resting on the boiler from an unknown (so far) steam drifter.

The island of Scalpay near Tarbert - a close up of the wheelhouse and cabin casing off an old steam drifter perched on her boiler

The remains of a clinker dinghy - East Harris

Typical coastline scenery along East Harris

Sheep and rock on the 'moonscape' of east Harris

Small harbour at/near Aird Mhighe - East Harris

Not exactly sure on this - in the vicinity of Miabhag - just south of Tarbert

The Tesco supermarket stores haven't reached Tarbert - yet

The ferry Hebrides about to unload at Tarbert after crossing from Uig on Skye

A view of Tarbert from the ferry Hebrides

Leaving Tarbert for Uig on Skye - from the ferry Hebrides

A visit to the island of Lewis and Harris - October 2009

Lovely weather at Stornoway harbour - the home port of the Muirneag

Stornoway harbour with the castle in the background

The bell and compass from the Muirneag at the Museum nan Eilean

Looking from the croft at 8 Balallan down towards Loch Erisort. The remains of the old croft buildings, in use until the 1920's, are still visible.

The donkey boiler for the steam winch at left, with what was likely a stone ramp built to gain access to the Muirneag

A close up of the donkey boiler

Unknown scrap of iron

Some sort of iron spar fitting

Remains of chain links

Remains of pulley block

Remains of what was probably a bolt

Some more scraps of iron

A suspiciously strangely shaped fencepost

A single block and iron boat nail back at the B&B

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