Scotland Part 2: Handa Island Day!
Welcome back to the chaos that is my Scottish adventure. Last night’s briefing from Dad, the man, the myth, the timetable menace. It went something like this:
"Right, we leave at 6am.”
Five minutes later: “Actually, make it 7.”Just before bed: “We don’t know the boat times anyway, so it doesn’t matter too much, does it?.
It does matter. But sure, let’s live dangerously.
I set my alarm for 6am like a responsible adult, only to wake up at 4am because Scotland apparently doesn’t believe in darkness. Or maybe my brain doesn’t. Who knows. Anyway,off we go.
Three hours in the van, but this time I’m a passenger princess, camera on my lap “just in case,” cruising along the NC500 like I’m filming a BBC nature documentary. Windy roads, lochs everywhere, baby bunnies, mysterious houses that make you wonder what on earth these people do for a living, and a couple of deer supervising our journey.We finally reach the “ferry,” which is honestly more dinghy than vessel.
I pay my £25 return, wave Dad goodbye (he’s panicking about cliffs; I’m panicking about heights), and off I go.
Next stop: Puffin Bay. I’m thinking back to Skomer, expecting puffins galore… and someone points out two tiny dots way down below. I’m like, “Oh. This is… different.”
But then I turn a corner and BAM — puffin within 10 metres. Turn around, another one. Suddenly they’re everywhere. Buzzing.Thousands of guillemots and razorbills, dramatic cliffs, fulmars, kittiwakes , it’s like nature turned the volume up to 100.Then I spot a bird on an inland pool, get some shots, wander off feeling smug… only to learn later it was a red‑throated diver with her baby. Another new bird! Yas!
Two New Birds
I step off the boat, straight into the water, and immediately spot a plover. But the volunteer is herding us like sheep toward the welcome talk, and I’m too scared to break rules, so no photos yet. Tragic.Welcome over, time to explore.
Cue arctic terns dive‑bombing me as I wheeze my way up the hill like I’ve never exercised a day in my life.
At the top: arctic and great skuas swirling overhead like gulls who decided to become birds of prey. Two new birds for me! yay!
Dad (ex‑MOD, ex‑RAF, professional schedule enforcer) told me to be back for 3pm. I check my phone, it’s nearly 2pm.
I have no idea how much of the 6.5km trail is left. Panic. Speed‑walk. Catch up with a lovely couple, realise I haven’t eaten, sit down… and immediately seals appear the moment I put my camera down. Of course they do.
I abandon my squished Tesco wrap, grab the camera, pray my lens reaches, and by some miracle, yes , you can tell it’s a seal.
Finally reach the pickup point and get led to the other beach.
Walk through reeds taller than me, and suddenly it opens up into the most stunning untouched beach with crystal water. Unreal. Perfect ending. (Plus a I captured a shag on the boat ride back)
Back to our accommodation overlooking Loch Shin for pizza, wine, Dad watching the England match, and me editing photos on Lightroom Mobile because I forgot my laptop. Classic.
No award‑winning shots today, but unforgettable memories and gorgeous landscapes.
Tomorrow: new day, new adventure, before I head to the Cairngorms on Tuesday.
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