A fantastic gallery of ‘red sky at night’ pictures posted on social media last night (Thursday 11 August) gave a small measure of consolation to islanders fed up with our summer.

While news reports warn of fire risk, heat-stroke and impending drought almost everywhere else in the UK, the islands have seen the worst summer for years, with wind, rain, mist and low temperatures adding to a sense of disgruntlement.

Uist singer Julie Fowlis posted a picture on Twitter of her summer, saying: “Guys, I am ‘loving’ this heatwave.”

But a display of fabulous colours in the Western sky brought cameras out throughout Lewis and Harris, with images snapped from Ness to Leverburgh of a fiery glow as the hidden sun set yesterday evening.

Any hope that red skies at night are anybody’s delight has, sadly, dissolved in the mist this morning….

Pictures from Julie Fowlis and taken in Maaruig by Iain Maciver, Point by Jason Spinks, Stornoway harbour by Neil Stewart and Leverburgh by Carol Anne (via Western Isles Weather).