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.

Island 13 - Coll, 30th June 2014

Here we are on Coll, having survived a very early start. Stayed at the newly refurbished SYHA hostel in Oban between island ferries.

Flat, open roads with great views

We met a German couple who are not young but obviously very fit and strong.  They are biking around Scotland for four weeks and are carrying camping stuff. We feel like lightweights beside them and tried to remedy that by introducing them to scones with butter, cream and jam. They think we are being nice but we are just trying to even up the scales, so to speak.

We are very pleased with my B&B find -Tigh na Mara. We can recommend it for friendliness,  comfort and stunning location.  It's also very close to the ferry. I'm fantasising about coming here in winter. It would be warm and dry with same wonderful views.

Island 12 - Oronsay, 29th June 2014

Even the bike is tired in the hot sun

Farmed by the RSPB

The pictures of the Oronsay visit say it all really. This small island is off the end of Colonsay and can only be reached by crossing the sand at low tide.  Not at all suitable for bikes but since when did that stop this project?

Only accessible at low tide

Supporter Bill walks the bike back across the sand

It was a very hot day and it felt very desert-like on Oronsay where there is very little shelter.

This island is an important bird reserve and we loved all the black sheep which live there. I am not including pics of sheep in this very serious blog :-).

It was handy that the Colonsay Hotel had an outside tap so that the support team could wash the bike afterwards.

Washing off the salt water is part of the support package, it seems!

Island 11 - Colonsay, 28th June 2014

Delicious

The team at Colonsay backpackers

With Anne and Bill, I moved from Islay to Colonsay on the Saturday ferry.  This connection is only available twice a week and so is a big occasion for both islands. Indeed the planning of this whole trip involved careful scrutiny of the ferry timetables and checking that there was accommodation available to match.

Riding past the pretty Kiloran Bay

At Kiloran Bay

Our weather continues to be warm, dry and so sunny that even Bill is applying suncream occasionally. That the island had a 7 hour powercut on the Sunday was very inconvenient for those trying to provide meals for those leaving on the ferry but the staff were calm and as helpful as they could be.

Colonsay is owned by one estate and, whatever one might think about land ownership in Scotland, this leads to very integrated services.  We left the hostel and were able to leave luggage in  the hotel where we also enjoyed the 'pre ferry' menu, albeit simplified because of the absence of electricity.