Hebridean New Year – Part 2 – New Year on Berneray

Berneray hostel scotland

Photo: Night comes to Berneray youth hostel, Berneray, Scotland.  Jan 2013

[For part 1 of the story – Howmore – CLICK HERE. For part 3 – Harris and Lewis – CLICK HERE]

Monday morning, New Year’s Eve, we said our goodbyes to Howmore and headed north to Berneray.  The hostel at Berneray, also part of the Gatliff trust, is perhaps my favourite hostel in all of Scotland.  And for the third year in a row, despite the weather, I’ve journeyed here to welcome in the new year.  Only feet from the crashing waves of the sea, and surrounded by the ruins of days gone by, the hostel at Berneray sits alone on the edge of the small island who’s population comes in at an uncrowded 136 people.  As the clock struck midnight, there were 7 of us sitting around the table in the dimly lit room, rain battering the windows and wind creaking the roof.

New Year’s day brought a slight improvement to the weather and so we headed out to walk along Berneray’s West beach, perhaps one of the nicest beaches in Scotland – if you don’t mind the temperature!  Covering nearly the whole western side of the islend, the beach is some 3 miles of white sand backed by grassy dunes and machair.

As afternoon arrived, it was off to another beach on North Uist to see if the sunset might bring some nice light. It didn’t.  And little did I know, this would be the last time I would see the sun on this trip.  In the morning, an early ferry would bring us to my favourite Hebridean island, the Isle of Harris.

west beach berneray scotland

Photo: Chasing rainbows on west beach, Berneray, Scotland.  Jan 2013

west beach berneray scotland

Photo: Walking along the grassy dunes above west beach, Berneray, Scotland.  Jan 2013

west beach berneray scotland

Photo: west beach, Berneray, Scotland.  Jan 2013

west beach berneray scotland

Photo: Can you find the sheep? west beach, Berneray, Scotland.  Jan 2013

Berneray hostel scotland

Photo: Catching a brief moment of sun outside the hostel, Berneray, Scotland.  Dec 2012

Abandoned building, Berneray, Scotland

Photo: Old wall, Berneray, Scotland.  Dec 2012

Abandoned building, Berneray, Scotland

Photo: Alone and empty, Berneray, Scotland.  Dec 2012

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