See the full gallery here.  I was behind the mussel stand for most of it so the selection is limited this year.  If you have more pictures, feel free to send them to us.

From Dave Roberts, first published in Uig News. Thanks to Andrew McVean for the photo of Carol Knott excavating at Kneep Headland. In the middle of January fragments of human bones began to appear in large numbers on the surface of the sand at Kneep headland. The location was very close to the three burials that were examined there in January 2009. I called the local authority Archaeologist Deborah Anderson to report them. This is what anyone who notices any eroded human bones, or any [ » read more ]

We do fairly harp on the heroic stories of Dòmhnall Càm, the local chieftain, warrior and cattle-plunderer, particularly ruthless in wars against the Morrisons of Ness, but there are some deeply unpleasant traditions about him too. The following is from Capt FWL Thomas’s Traditions of the Macaulays (1880). Donald Cam and the Gow Ban [the Smith of Kneep] were walking together at Kneep, close by a small bothy in which an old blind woman lived. Some of the tenants’ wives were sitting outside the bothy [ » read more ]

Thanks to Murray and Seatrek for this collection of pictures around Uig and St Kilda.

Gala Day is not to be missed. Here’s (some of) what’s on: Guess the Weight of the Fruit Cake, Guess the Doll’s Birthday, Guess the Number of Sweets, Guess the Weight of the Salmon, Gladiator Duel, Bouncy Castles, Boat Rides, Luxury Boat Ride, Comann Eachdraidh Stall, Football Game, Tombola, Sheep Race, Kiddies Play Area, Whisky Bottle Toss, Archery, Noddy Train, Puppet Show, Children’s Highland Games, Tug of War, Face Painting, Hill Run, Coconut Shy, Stocks, Badge Making, 49 Club Lotto, Throw the Welly, Hoopla, Smoothie Cycle, [ » read more ]

Susan and Keith Stringer came across evidence of a grave in the dunes above Traigh na Berie, which on excavation was found to contain a crouch burial (in the picture, in the trench at the foot of the stick). From Hebrides News: A human skeleton thought to be 4000 years old has been discovered on Lewis. Soil erosion caused by recent storms exposed a small stone kist at Uig on the west side of the island. The bones, believed to be an almost whole adult [ » read more ]

A letter to the Gazette on 15 October 1917, by “DJM”, Donald J Macleod, Inspector of Schools (not DJ Maciver as previously indicated.) ‘Neiseach’ [from a previous correspondence] maintains there are no pre-Norse Celtic remains in our island. That is not so, I may be able, in a limited way to illustrate at first hand. In 1915, I was fortunate enough, with the aid of a friend, to recover certain articles of antiquarian interest from a Viking grave at Valtos, Uig. These included two large [ » read more ]

From Donald Macdonald, Tales and Traditions of the Lews: Around 1840 there were four families living on Pabbay, and prominent among them was one of the old soldiers of Uig, the Sergeant Mòr, a son of Tormod Mòr Maciver of Beirghe (Reef). These old soldiers used to be given a small sum to act as coast watchers, etc, to the customs authorities of the day. It seems a ship put into the shelter of Pabbay, and the sailors, on coming ashore, disclosed to the islanders [ » read more ]

We are modestly delighted to have made the Scotsman’s supplement today, in the shortlist for Best Museums in the Western Isles.  Marianne’s lovely cafe at Lochcroistean School is one of the Best Surprises; and Traigh Uig makes the Best Beaches list.  Though surely Traigh na Berie is the best beach in Uig and probably the western world?  (As the Guardian previously recognised.)  Feel free to argue with that.

Around 8 February 2008, clusters of stones began to emerge from the otherwise unbroken sand in the middle of Traigh na Berie (Reef Beach) on the Valtos peninsula.  Unusual activity on the beach and very low winter tides exposed groups of rocks that had not been seen before.  They are certainly a structure of some sort, and evidence of lintels and pillar stacks suggest they may be wheelhouses.   It seems there are three structures in the middle of the beach (which would have been machair in [ » read more ]