Western Isles of Scotland

It has been a while since my last blog....

So, from Oban we took a 5hr ferry to the second most southern Island (South Ulst) of the Outer Hebrides. The outer Hebrides are like nothing else. Very windy (fortunately a tail wind for us, which meant we sailed along on our bikes....), bare, flat, no trees, lots of water.... tiny roads. beautiful white beaches.

Our first night we attempted camping at the first rustic hostel. It was so windy, after no sleep we got up and moved the tent. then at 4am, with the tent threatening to pull apart, after still no sleep we retreated inside. The next night, another rustic hostel further up the islands, we opted to sleep indoors right from the start.

The final island we cycled on was different: hilly. and moon-like, rocky surrounds. It meant there were more bends in the road. which meant gusts of side winds hitting us and almost blowing us off our bikes. I started to feel more sympathy for a girl we had met at one of the hostels (whom Byrdie refers to as the whinging pom), who was trying to cycle south, into the wind, got blown off her bike and got a gash on her forehead. and not suprisingly completely lost her confidence.

After two nights on the outer Hebrides, we took a ferry to Isle of Skye; we started camping again. after cycling half way around the island, we camped again. unfortunately it was another very windy night and rainy.... so I had side ways rain coming in my side of the tent and woke with wet feet, sleeping bag, pillow (stuffed with some wet clothes).... etc. We continued to cycle around and took a ferry back to mainland and camped at a place called Mallaig. Then Byrdie had her turn with sideways rain and wet stuff. we decided the tent is only suited to vertical rain.... The weather really hasn't improved since, which makes drying everything very difficult...

We cycled along a lovely valley (in the rain) to Fort William and spent our final night camping in Scotland. We had a train ticket booked the next day to Carlisle in Northern England, from a place called Bridge of Orchy (about 40miles from Fort William). After initally saying it would be impossible to reach the 1pm train in time, Byrdie changed her mind and said i guess we could do it if we got up early, say leave at 7am. that changed to how about get up at 5.30am and leave at 6am.... we cycled along the lovely (but scary roads) Glencoe and arrived 2hrs before our train was due to leave...