Barra, Scotland - Beach Take Off & Landing

A glimpse of the Isles of Barra and Vatersay in Scotland. The Isle of Barra is known for its beautiful landscapes, sandy beaches, and a unique airport where planes land on the beach at low tide.
Barra's main settlement is Castlebay, where you can find the medieval Kisimul Castle, which sits on a rocky islet in the bay. I also visited Cille Bharra in the north of the island. This is a site with a medieval church dedicated to St Barr and two chapels. In the North Chapel is a replica of the Kilbar Stone, a unique Christian-Nordic Runic Stone dating back to the 900s. This carries a decorated cross on the front and a runic inscription on the reverse: "This cross has been raised in memory of Thorgeth, daughter of Steinar". An explanatory sign notes that the original stone is held by the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Vatersay is connected to Barra by a short road bridge. I spent a morning sunbathing on the gorgeous beach here (we actually had warm, sunny weather). Afterwards I went for a hike to the abandoned village of Eorisdale, where eight families used to live up until around the 1960s.
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www.bilingualbackpacker.com