Wonder after wonder on Loch Gairloch

From the beach at Port Henderson we looked straight out across the Minch to the "Long Isle"; the conjoined islands of Lewis and Harris, the more mountainous skyline to the left of this image is An Cliseam and the hills of Harris.  The two small dark islands just showing to the centre right of this image are the Shiants.....they're a destination which is most definitely on my radar for an expedition.

Our plan had been to paddle south from the mouth of Loch Gairloch for a short distance to check out Opinan beach.  Allan decided to omit this diversion and to make a leisurely crossing north to Longa Island.  Lorna and I headed south into the eye of a searing autumnal sun......

...and soon reached Opinan.  The beach is a good one, reddish sand backed by dunes; in low swell conditions makes for an easy landing.  We didn't linger too long before getting back on the water and heading straight north towards our rendezvous with Allan at Longa.

With the sun now behind us we enjoyed a superb view of the Flowerdale hills - Baos Bheinn (Wizard's Hill) to the left and at the extreme right of this image, Beinn an Eoin (Hill of the Birds - this usually refers to eagles).

Part way across the mouth of Loch Gairloch I stopped to take in the suroundings.  A kayak on a flat calm sea, under a searing sun and backed with a view to the Trotternish peninsula of Skye - it's one of my favourite memories of this trip.  But if that scene was special, to look the other way was a wee bit special too....

We'd met up again with Allan at Longa (from the Norse Ship Island), where I'd briefly landed on an awkward bouldery shore.  The view to the Torridon skyline was really, really fine.

Sometimes the sheer beauty and majesty of Scotland just grabs you by the throat - and this was one of those times.

And to make things even better, a shape on the summit trig point of Longa unfurled itself into a White Tailed Eagle and flew purposefully and powerfully across the loch towards the mountains fo Torridon....really, it doesn't get a lot better than this...........

.....although second luncheon on a sweep of immaculate beach simply called "Big Sand" helps too!