The Isle of Barra has started a new week without a mainland ferry connection, as work begins on replacing lifting ropes on the Castlebay linkspan.

The works by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) began yesterday (Sunday 21 May) after being postponed from March due to urgent repairs needed at Highland Council’s Uig port.

The decision to replace wire lifting ropes was based on advice from specialist engineers and followed safety restrictions put in place last August, preventing abnormal and heavy loads from using the linkspan.

At the time of announcing the set dates for the works, CMAL’s head of engineering described the repairs as essential.

Sailings to and from Castlebay are cancelled up to and including Friday 26 May, with revisions to the Sound of Barra service (see here www.calmac.co.uk/service-status) to allow for more traffic across to the Lochboisdale Oban sailings.

This timetable has also been revised and is available here www.calmac.co.uk/summer-timetables/mallaig-oban-lochboisdale.

MV Isle of Lewis left Oban on Saturday morning and is now tied up in her old home waters at Stornoway harbour (Picture by Robert Sinclair).