Isle of Lewis (1): Tong; Stitch in the Ditch; Getting lost

While travelling round the UK in July 2017, I visited my second cousins on the Isle of Lewis.  It wasn't straightforward flying there from Wales, but my clever travel agent found an effective, albeit tortuous route – Cardiff > Belfast > Edinburgh > Stornoway – all in the one day. 

Annie and Angus live at Tong Park, which is three miles from the airport as the crow flies, but further by car, as you need to skirt Broad Bay. Their house has a croft at the back, which they allow their neighbour to use, as she is into livestock and they are not. The Stornoway Trust owns these crofts, which are fenced areas of land, rented for a modest fee, with security of tenure, and able to be passed on through the family.

Isle of Lewis, look across croft to Broad Bay with tide out  Photo: Ann Barrie

House at Tong Park, Isle of Lewis    Photo: Ann Barrie

Isle of Lewis, Tong Park, croft behind house     Photo: Ann Barrie

Tong, pronounced Tung, was in the news after Donald Trump became President of the USA, because his mother, Mary, came from Tong. Two of President Trump’s first cousins live in the family home now, but they have never spoken to the media, and the other locals are equally tight-lipped.

 

On my first morning I set out to explore the village, which has become spread-out as new houses are built. Just up the rise from Annie and Angus’s place is Stitch in the Ditch, a relatively new business, run by a mother and daughter. It replaced the small grocery, formerly on the site. The building is plain on the outside, but inside there is an explosion of colour from fabrics, wool, and haberdashery. Since my suitcase was already overfull I contented myself with buying a pair of child’s knitting needles for my grandson.

Stitch in the Ditch, Tong, Isle of Lewis   Photo: Ann Barrie

Stitch in the Ditch, Tong, Isle of Lewis   Photo: Ann Barrie

Stitch in the Ditch also incorporates a café and I lingered there for coffee and cake. I enjoyed my Paradise Slice so much that I asked about the ingredients. The bottom layer is flaky pastry spread generously with crystallised cherries and sultanas; on top of this is a sponge layer made from ground almonds and flour; and the slice is sprinkled generously with castor sugar. I bought extra slices to take back to my cousins.

Paradise Slice at Stitch in the Ditch, Tong   Photo: Ann Barrie

Paradise Slice at Stitch in the Ditch, Tong   Photo: Ann Barrie

Snatches of conversation drifted across from the women seated at the neighbouring table: "Coming back from London a man asked me, 'Can I change seats with you? I don't like mine.' I said, 'Sorry, you can't. I booked this middle one.'" ...  "In a hospital the size of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, there's bound to be umpteen problems -- the local GPs, the cardiologist, the district nurses." ... "There's competition now, flying to Stornoway – Flybe and Loganair. Loganair have pointed out they offer 23 kg baggage."

Tong crossroads, Isle of Lewis   Photo: Ann Barrie

From Stitch in the Ditch, I took a right turn, heading toward Broad Bay. I paused at the Tong Mission House. The previous evening, Angus had given me a succinct summary of the historic divisions within the Scottish church. In the beginning was the Church of Scotland. A group broke away on doctrinal matters and formed the Free Church of Scotland (the church our family forebears attended). Then the Free Presbyterians broke away from Free Church, and for a long time that was the situation – three churches. Twenty-thirty years ago, two groups broke away from the Free Presbyterian Church:  the Associated Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church. More recently, congregations have broken away from the Church of Scotland over the issue of ordination of gay and lesbian people, and have gone to either the Free Church of Scotland or the Free Presbyterian Church. Follow that if you can.

Tong Free Church, Mission House    Photo: Ann Barrie

I also paused at another building, or what remains of it. A bearded man, who emerged from the house next door, said the absentee owner refuses to do anything about the building. He himself is a Glaswegian, and he travelled round New Zealand with friends during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. They had the Scottish saltire flying from their van and this attracted much attention. Near Haast, a Christchurch neurologist invited them to visit him at his whitebait hide -- everyone at the hide seemed to have a Scottish grandparent and they ended up having a huge ceilidh. 

Abandoned building, Tong, Isle of Lewis   Photo: Ann Barrie

I turned right at the seashore and followed a walking path for some distance, and then retraced my steps, saw an interesting little road, and then another, and another, and before I know it, I was lost. I asked directions of an elderly lady who was surveying her garden. She said I was nearly three miles from Tong Park and suggested I stick to the road I was on, as it would loop round to the main road in due course. I followed her advice, and was relieved when I spotted this bear, which I recognised as being not far from Annie and Angus's house.

Blog by Ann Barrie. To be continued.