Sunday, 17 June 2007
Isle of South Harris
View of Tarbert, Isle of Harris. Tarbert is the main port and capital village of Harris. Tarbert is a fairly common name across Scotland and, here as elsewhere, it comes from the Norse tairbeart meaning draw-boat. Tarbert lies on the shores of Loch Tarbert, and South Harris avoids becoming an island by just a few hundred yards of land over which the Vikings would drag their longboats into West Loch to avoid sailing around via the Sound of Harris.
After a wonderful day cycling we stayed at Ardhasaig House near Tarbert
View from my bedroom window.
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A view of where a Whaling Station was located at a square brick chimney located close to the shoreline. This is pretty much all that remains of the Bunabhainneadar whaling station. Whaling has no place in the modern world, but there is no denying its fascination in a historical context. The whaling station was established by a Norwegian company in 1904. A fleet of 90ft whaling vessels operated from here each summer and autumn, catching whales as far afield as Rockall and St Kilda. Whales were harpooned and, once dead, inflated with compressed air to keep them afloat, then towed by the whalers back to Bunabhainneadar for processing, primarily into cattle feed and fertilizer.
Isle of Harris - Our B&B for the night
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Another view of the Bunabhainneadar whaling station to the right of the photo.
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