The way we do it in the Western Isles

It strikes me as so wrong, in so many ways, that there is an official folk albums chart: but there is, and Matthew Bannister of Folk on Foot broadcasts a monthly chart show about it, which I watch, griping throughout about how his tastes are not my tastes and why is this folk anyway? But it offers an introduction to music I wouldn't otherwise come across - which is a long-winded preamble to explain why we were watching a band called Peat and Diesel (good name!), specifically first video on this page on their website, singing a catchy song and cavorting about Stornoway.

I've been to Stornoway! I have even posted on the subject, although even that post, almost five years ago, was an oblique confession that I had not yet sorted out my photos and my thoughts of one wet May day in Stornoway. Well, if I'm taking hardly any photographs this year, at least I can enjoy looking through old ones. I've even found my notebook (though not all of it is legible). So here goes: welcome to Stornoway!

This is not the most picturesque view of the town, but I find it appealing, and not just because it illustrates why that video was so instantly recognisable, even down to the damp grey weather.

Much of the morning had been spent driving D. to the ferry at Tarbert: he had shared much of our holiday so far, but now we were on our own, and at large in Stornoway. The man in the Tourist Office was concerned that we had paid to park for three while hours - how would we occupy ourselves? It was too wet for us to be tempted by a boat trip to the Shiant islamds to see the puffins, though I did buy a little book about puffins as a consilation.

( But there was plenty in town to fill three hours. )

And that was Stornoway.