Snaipyr Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Back on topic, I have spent some time up at Benbecula/south Uist and loved the place. The Co-op/Low flyer and the Creagory were the big players in town You're just the person I'm looking for! I don't know anyone who has even been to Benbecula and a family member has applied for a traditional music course at Lews College, but is worried that Benbecula is devoid of life. Do you know anything about the college or pubs/music sessions - or what's there for young people generally? What did you love about the place? Devoid of life is a bit harsh, its certainly quiet but there are still plenty of things to do and there is a great community spirit. Music plays a big part in peoples lives up there, the Dark Island was a good haunt for us and had events most nights, if we were not in there we were in the creagory which was a proper yokel bar. We used to go up once a year to use the missile ranges up there, they are still active but only in an admin capacity as far as i can remember. The Army camp next to the airport allows civvies in to use the facilities including sports hall, gym and naffi bar. Thanks for that - I'll pass the information on to her (though I've a feeling she'll opt for one of the courses in a city after living on the IOM all her life!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaipyr Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 What did you love about the place? a few years ago I spent some time at the bottom end of South Uist - the old one-way spline road (since widened I hear) was a right pain to get anywhere - very little going on there as many houses isolated but some very few hotels cateriung for birdwatchers etc - flat maacha (sand) one side, boggy hills on other but with stunning views ; also local caugh shell fish etc. S. Uist and Benbeculla are Roman cathoic outposts (Knox never reached them!) so quite jolly and hospitable places - as you get across the causeway into North Uist you are into calvinist country - Everything shuts on Sunday! - Benbeculla appeared to me to me a slightly upmarket army town (it was built to house the staff at the local rocket range since downrated (?closed by now) and sold off to Qineqic (or similar name) - there didn't appear much live in the times we passed through it but of course living in a place is quite different. Many thanks Frances - S Uist sounds very attractive to me, but maybe not to an 18 year old who doesn't like shellfish! I know about the cockle beds and expected to be able to buy some on Skye last year, or at least get some in a seafood restaurant, but no. Same in Morecambe. I'm going to try Gower next, but suspect every single one is exported abroad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Re S Uist - there are many small fishing creeks + salmon farms in the bays on the hilly (eastern ) side - near each was generally parked a large(for the road widths very large) refigerated lorry to export live shell fish etc in tanks - I asked one man who saw us admiring the view and came over for a chat - apparently they are almost all exported to Spain - luckily the local hotels had a supply (and I guess all locals can get them). I think on many of the Islands you have to know who to ask as most of the catch is already pre-ordered for export. Barra the island south of S Uist is 'the' place - seems to have a much milder climate judging from the lush gardens (+ huge expensive houses) + plus the runway is the white sand beach (us plebs need catch the ferry but you can fly from Benbeculla) - there is a comment I found via google of another traveller "I have to admit that Benbecula was a bit of a disappointment. The single track road was busier than I would have liked, the highest point (Rueval) had to be achieved by passing through a landfill area. South Uist, Barra and Eriskay however were magnificent." The single track road needed some practice - locals would judge exactly the speed needed to pass in the passing places (all marked with a white lozenge marker) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman2 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 stayed 10 days on bute {inner hebrides} great place if your just into pub crawls .. once the locals knew we were islanders christ did they make us welcome .. just ordinary everyday folk painters etc .. but a great bunch.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Yeah, us islanders should stick together. Because irrespective of our differences, if there's one thing that unites us, it's that we all live on an island. And there's no greater bond than that. And when Status Quo belt out our anthem 'Living On An Island', well woe betide anyone who gets in our way! Yes, the cruel sea on all sides leads to a certain.... etc, etc........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman2 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 they are very cliche with most try it and see far worse than peel .. and the piano player stops playing and stares when you walk in a pub there.. theres only 6000 of them and the visitors are just a nescassary evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 they are very cliche with most try it and see far worse than peel .. and the piano player stops playing and stares when you walk in a pub there.. theres only 6000 of them and the visitors are just a nescassary evil. But some of us lucky few even manage to get away and move to Douglas !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 theres only 6000 of them and the visitors are just a nescassary evil. Ever thus: Native greeting to Vistor: "Hullo ! I heard you were coming over. When are you going back ?" Manx Merry Myths [1875] J.Brown & Son Douglas nice to see Peel treated so positively on this Douglas-centric board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Back on topic, I have spent some time up at Benbecula/south Uist and loved the place. The Co-op/Low flyer and the Creagory were the big players in town You're just the person I'm looking for! I don't know anyone who has even been to Benbecula and a family member has applied for a traditional music course at Lews College, but is worried that Benbecula is devoid of life. Do you know anything about the college or pubs/music sessions - or what's there for young people generally? What did you love about the place? Benbecula is an integral part of South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist. They are all connected. There are only 4,000 or so people in total, so don't expect much of a "scene". And better brush up on the Gaelic. Best beach in Europe is on the North West tip of North Uist (IMHO). Thanks to the Gulf Stream it's a great place to swim. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.I.N.G. Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Shut the fuck up about south uist and bleeding upper dickwash FFS, this thread is someoe asking about moving to mann, not "my travels on a small island" wank fest and how cool it is to visit all the dots on the map in a 300 mile radius. Get over yourself. I get so cynical after a pint or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaipyr Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Shut the fuck up about south uist and bleeding upper dickwash FFS, this thread is someoe asking about moving to mann, not "my travels on a small island" wank fest and how cool it is to visit all the dots on the map in a 300 mile radius. Get over yourself. I get so cynical after a pint or two. Not so much cynical as psychotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freggyragh Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 She ellan aalin t'ayn, myr dooyrt Sebrof. Cha nel monney sleih cummal ayns shen agh, son shickyrys, t'ad feer chaarjoilagh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 since when was manx a written language Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freggyragh Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 since when was manx a written language The oldest ogham inscriptions date from between 300 AD and 500 AD. Manx diverged from Irish Gaelic over the centuries and a unique orthography, more suitable to the language, began to be developed about four hundred years ago. The standard orthography now in use developed between the appearance of the Book of Common Prayer in Manx in 1610 and the translation of the Bible between 1722 and 1775. Printed works began to appear from 1707 onwards, and Cregeen's dictionary was published in 1835. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaipyr Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 She ellan aalin t'ayn, myr dooyrt Sebrof. Cha nel monney sleih cummal ayns shen agh, son shickyrys, t'ad feer chaarjoilagh. S'mie lhiam yn phosts ayd ayns Gaelg! (Agh hug ad corree er Slim!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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