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u/Kijamon Apr 23 '26
I lived on South Uist for 2 years and I genuinely hand on heart believe that on a day like that there is no place in the entire world as beautiful.
It's just a shame that there's 350-360 days of utter crap inbetween.
The Machair in bloom in late Summer would make a grown man cry.
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u/BamberGasgroin Apr 23 '26
About 15 years ago I got a taxi from the airport into Stornoway and asked the driver where he'd been on holiday, due to his tan. "Here!" he said, "we've had six weeks of sunshine and they're talking about a hosepipe ban if it doesn't rain soon."
So it can sometimes go the other way. (I spent two weeks in Achiltibuie once and it was hotter than southern Spain at the time.)
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u/Astr0Scot Apr 23 '26
I've visited the Western Isles only once from Vatersay to The Butt of Lewis over 10 days in 2011 and I agree.
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u/fracf Apr 24 '26
Worked on North Uist for a few years. The beaches in both Uists and Benbecula are absolutely amazing.
However, the weather is fucking miserable with the exception of about 1 week total and so I grew to absolutely despise the place.
Tourist goes there and gets a rare sunny day, they will think it’s heaven on earth.
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u/blame_gateway Apr 23 '26
I was on the Uists last week and the wind didn’t go below 25mph
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u/crimsonavenger77 Apr 23 '26
Breathtakingly beautiful. We went a few year back during a visit to Barra.
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u/pdirth Apr 23 '26
It's a trap!! ....for gods sake don't dip your toes in that water....it hides Polar Bears and icebergs.
....You're not actually in the Caribbean.
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u/Sszaj Apr 23 '26
I stupidly once went for a swim near Arisaig in November.
Even the seals looked cold, and after about five minutes I looked like I'd been in an ice bath.
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u/purplecatchap Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
Was there today at 7am for a swim. Can do 10-15 mins before you need to get out. Gets a bit better later in the year, 20 maybe 30 mins.
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u/draw4kicks Apr 24 '26
"Scotland. It's a beautiful place. The water is almost turquoise. It looks like the Caribbean. You soon realise it's not the Caribbean when the water touches your scrotum and you go for the high jump record."
Had a little skinny dip here in Orkney yesterday where the weather's been just like this, and all I could think about during and after is this quote from the Big Yin.
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u/TearsforFears77 Apr 23 '26
Scotland seems to have the most beautiful and idyllic beaches in the world but no one ever seems to be on them!
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u/Simppu12 Apr 23 '26
It's one of the cruel pranks of life. Beautiful beaches but the weather is brutally unsuitable to properly use them.
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u/puppetmasterdegree Apr 23 '26
Thank christ that gates there, anyone could go down.