Island 18 - South Uist, 4th July 2014

Welcome signs are very handy to remember where your are

Yes, I did have a busy day on the 4th July but South Uist is only a couple of mines from where the Barra ferry comes in at Eriskay (new) harbour. There is a causeway between the two islands and I am going to use that same pic of the wonderful sign because I love it so much.

Cycling on South Uist with Barra in the background

Speaking of signs, I espied a Green Yes leaflet in the waiting room at the Eriskay Harbour, but on with the journey.

I loved these signs

I did enjoy South Uist. The sun had come out and the wind had eased and I pottered along by the sea, admiring the cottages and the lovely little sandy beaches. I met a young man, Cameron, out doing daring stuff on his bike with his little brother. He was kind enough to take some pictures of me, including this action shot. I was without any support team and so am very grateful to Cameron for stepping in for Bill, who had been Head of Photography until I found Cameron.

Sorry about that, Bill - you shouldn't have left.

So it was time to head back through Eriskay to Barra and from there by big ferry to Oban at the end of my wonderful two-week island-hopping trip. I am indebited to all my supporters along the way - to Mehrab, Willie, Anne, Bill and Cameron as well as to the author of the helpful little book Anne found on Islay - 'Cycling in the Hebrides' by Richard Barrett. Much of the information in these blog posts come from there - like the story of the prize bull drowning on the Vatersay crossing.

Island 17 -Eriskay, 4th July 2014

Sign to Eriskay on Barra

On the ferry to Eriskay

The ferry to Eriskay is only 8 miles from Castlebay on Barra - eight fairly hilly miles but I didn't have my panniers. That was lucky as they now contain a range of distillery tee-shirts, a party frock and shoes and a ceramic image of Skerryvore lighthouse, bought at Tyrii Pottery. They are not as light as they were - pardon the pun.

It's quite amazing to me how close and yet distinct each of these Hebridean islands are. They would not be so close in very bad weather although the causeways from Eriskay to the north have made travel between the islands very much easier. It might be hard on the otters trying to cross the road though - I do love that sign.

I sat by the causeway trying to see otters but it was the wrong time of day.

Eriskay has a shop (something for which we must always be grateful) and a café in the Community Hall. Like other
community cafés, it was hospitable and comfortable. Eriskay also has a pub, romantically entitled 'Am Politician' after the ship which sank with all that whisky in 1941. It is a very unprepossessing place but the food was nice and the view is Hebridean - i.e. fabulous.

The weather has brightened up considerably and I had an easy two mile ride to the causeway for Island 18, South Uist, keeping a careful eye out for otters crossing!

Island 16 -Vatersay, 3rd July 2014

 On Vatersay,  looking at breakers in the sea.

Looking down to the Vatersay causeway

Vatersay is the southern-most inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides. It is attached to Barra by a causeway. This was built, so the story goes, after a prize bull, called Bernie, drowned while swimming the short channel in 1986.

Check out the cover on the slot for letters. 

Rain and wind made photography difficult

I cycled there from Castlebay on Barra. It is just about 2 miles but the weather conditions were pretty severe. I decided that it wouldn't be wise to explore very far as the visibility was poor and I was without my intrepid support team. It would be a wonderful place to explore on bike in better weather conditions.  Memo to self: come back here for a couple of weeks next year and have a play along all the Outer Hebrides. 

Island 15 -Barra, 3rd July 2014

This is why the town on Barra is called Castlebay

After a bit of a rough crossing from Tiree to Barra, which is quite far west and we crossed very open sea, I arrived at Castlebay on Barra. Already missing my Head of Photography,  I am reduced to accosting strangers and asking them to take embarrassing pics like this one by the Welcome sign. The trouble is that there are very few of them about in these weather conditions.

It's not as flat as Tiree

I left my stuff in the Dunard Hostel, recovered with a cup of tea, changed into biking gear and set off for Vatersay, which will be Island 15. Inaim to do Eriskay and a little bit of Soith Uist tomorrow before the feeey so I can't wimp  out of Vatersay just because it is blowing a gale and raining horizontally.

Island 14 - Tiree, 2nd July 2014

Tiree Millhouse Hostel

   Having had to cover up from the sun the last few days, today has reverted to normal island weather. It is blowing a gale and starting to rain. Ah well - it will make for variety in the photos.  Those pics of us in shorts and tee-shirts were getting samey.

In spite of the challenging weather (gale and rain) we set off in search of adventure and coffee,  though not necessarily in that order.  The pics here were taken in the occasional break in the wind and rain.

We had a very welcome bowl of soup at the recommendable Farmhouse Café before getting to Hynish. Here there are exhibitions about the Treshnish Islands and about the design and building of the Skerryvore lighthouse.

Traditional house with tar roof

After all that excitement we headed to the only shop on the island to buy provisions for dinner so that we could eat in the hostel and not have to venture out on the bikes again.

It cleared up to be a lovely evening but after 19 miles biking in those conditions  I was very pleased to move no further than the shower and couch in this grand hostel, which reminds me of where I grew up because we had a millwheel too.