A group of Gurkhas caused a stir in Stornoway town centre on Saturday when they served up a feast of Nepalese curry.
Over 100 soldiers of the 28 Squadron, The Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment are currently on exercise in Lewis and Harris.
Many hundreds of islanders turned out for a culinary experience to enjoy a plate of authentic Gurkha curry – created to a special recipe from their homeland in Nepal – which was served up in the town square.
Members of the Gurkha regimental pipe band played their pipes and drums in Perceval Square. They were joined by the Nicolson Institute pipe band.
The troops’ huge armoured patrol Mastiff vehicle and army trucks were also on show.
This is the first time the Gurkhas have trained in the Western Isles and corporal, Saugat Subba, confirmed they had received a warm welcome from islanders.
He added: “The island offers good terrain for training. This has been very beneficial for our driving.
“I have been in the army for 12 years and never before been on a ferry or driven on these type of roads.”
The 28 Squadron, The Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment are based in the south of England where much of their driving is up and down motorways.
Therefore, testing out their driving skills on island single track roads is “challenging and demanding.”
One of their 15-tonne trucks slid into a ditch near Borve on Thursday when the driver hugged the side of the road too closely to let a commercial HGV pass safely.
One epic journey saw the soldiers embark from Stornoway down the west coast of Harris to Rodel, and subsequently returning north through the twisting narrow roads of the Bays of Harris.
Their main test was safely negotiating a wide, heavily armoured, six-wheeled Mastiff along the Husinish road on Sunday where one slip could have seen the 17-tonne vehicle tumbling down steep hillsides.