Friday May 24: Ferry, cross the...
After our YHA "wee breakfast", which is actually a decent breakkie, we went supermarket shopping for midgie spray and stock up the snacks department. We haven't encountered too many midge's yet although we do have a couple of bites after being swarmed at one shady stop.
We walked up to the McCaig monument which, imposingly,overlooks Oban. A circular wall complex not unlike the Roman colosseum it was built over a number of years from 1897. Commissioned by wealthy local banker John McCaig, partly as a self celebration but also importantly to keep the local stone mason's employed over the normally quiet winters.. a philanthropic gesture.
Following an aborted cake shop visit, too long a queue, it was back to the YHA to pick up our bikes and line up for ferry boarding. Oban to Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. A 5 hour ferry crossing over calm waters which passed quickly and included spotting a (Minke?) whale. And so begins our cycling of the "Hebridian Way"
3 km ride in a cool wind to reach our hotel/resort accommodation, a new'ish building overlooking a lovely beach from a small rock cliff top. A long narrow building which enables all rooms to have a sea view. Our 6:30 arrival followed by a lovely meal then a stroll on the white sand beach...
Saturday May 25: Early risers catch the...
Barra - Vatersay - Barra - Daliburgh, 60 km
5:40 am wake up to be on bikes by 6 am so we could ride south to the official start of the "Hebridean Way" on the Isle of Vatersay about 8 km from the hotel. A big hill involved early in the morning was a bit of a shock but at least we had no luggage on board making it 'slightly' easier!! Just a metal sign in the sand but still worth the obligatory photo shoot. It is a very short distance between the 2 islands here joined by a causeway.
Then back to the hotel for shower and breakfast before being away by 8:30 am as we are on a time limit with our next ferry check-in at 10:45 am. This section of ride was in a stiff head wind so not so nice, but through some scenic farm land overlooking sections of the coast. Lovely beaches and a couple of camp spots passsed by which had small numbers of camper vans lined up.
The crossing from Barra Ardmhor ferry "terminal (read small shack)" to the Island of Eriskay was around 40 minutes... we had brought some fortifying, and very nice, cakes from the terminal before departure. Again a reasonably smooth sailing before queuing for the loo and an obligatory ride up a hill from the terminal. Before leaving the harbour we watched an otter frolicking in the wash from the ferry before it made it's way up the rock breakwater and disappearing into a hole... obviously it's a shelter spot.
A stunning ride over Eriskay and then over a rather long causeway to the Island of South Uist. Quite rocky slopes with not a lot of topsoil. The sea in the bays is very clean and nearly tropical colours. A strong, cool, wind if you stop but luckily on our backs most of the way when riding.
Filled in a bit of time checking out a cemetery in Deliburgh then checked into our very nice hostel about 3:45 pm. Actually an ex old peoples home, so it makes it good practice as well! It was nice to have had an easier day after reasonable lengths to Oban and we know our distances are going to increase again from tomorrow onward. No rain for the day, just the strong/cold wind with sun later in the afternoon. A great meal in the local pub.
Sunday May 26: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest... except if you are on a bike obviously!!
Deliburgh - Lochmaddy, 75 km
We had been forewarned that everything on the Outer Hebrides shuts for Sundays, being very religious folk. So much so that historically (it has changed a lot now) children were not allowed outside to play on the Sabbath, playgrounds were actually padlocked and apparently hotels removed the TV's from the rooms for the day!!
It has lightened a lot however, we passed 2 supermarkets (4 square size... that's all there is really) that had opened for the afternoon. Not being too sure of the actual situation we had stocked up yesterday. As it turns out we didn't go past any likely cafes/pubs really anyway so made do with our "squirrelled away" snacks... bars, ginger cake, yesterday's carrot cake!
There was some rain from midday on, not much however and it mostly seemed to be around the hills rather than close to the coast which we are following. There are a few cyclists on the roads also doing the Hebridean Way, probably saw 15 - 20 during the day. It was Grey's turn for a puncture this morning so Noel is becoming an absolute expert on tube replacement now!
It was a stunning ride today on mainly flat (ish) roads, firstly through marshy farmland with lots of little lochs and ponds. Lots of abandoned buildings including houses, they just seem to build new ones and leave old standing. A roadkill otter which must have been unlucky and following a fresh water stream as it was a little distance from the coast, and there has been no other roadkill!
Sheep and lambs grazing the roadside, the grass being not much different in quality and not much in the way of fencing anyway. Not many cattle are visible at all. We can't figure out what everyone does, there is lots of housing but not much productive looking farmland or industry of any sort. At times we are unsure if we are crossing from one island to another as there are multiple causeways along the way. For example today we started in South Uist and finished in the Island of North Uist... but definitely passed over the Island of Benbecula and a couple of other small islands between all linked by causeways.
The roads are pretty much all single lane with "Passing places" which are pull off bays every few hundred metres... a constant dance of cars and bikes, well as constant as you get over here... there is not a lot of traffic anyway! It does result in a bit of stopping and waiting at times.
Later in the afternoon we are going through tidal areas, the tide was out, and it would be a changed landscape at full tide. Lots of rocks, pools etc along with stunning patterns left by the departing tides. We did stop at a gin distillery which was open (on Sunday!) but mainly to use their toilet... public toilets on the island are very, very scarce! The distillery is still under construction in a repurposed, historic, farm building.. interesting discussion with the owners who explained they had to lift a section of the roof off to install the still's as not allowed to alter the walls. The roof removal entailed replacing each single roof tile in exactly the same place to meet historic requirements.
At one point a cuppa spot, finding some shelter from the cold wind inside a bus shelter.
A self induced diversion off the main route to travel 13 km over the island of North Uist to our hotel at Lochmaddy, which we will turn around and retrace tomorrow morning. Due to the Sunday lack of meal options, this was the one hotel/restaurant open that worked in for our plans! Lochmaddy is a ferry terminal for crossings to/from the Isle of Skye. On our cross island detour we rode past areas being harvested for peat for household fire use. There are hardly any trees on the island so guess it is the only, practical, option.
En-route we walked up to a big pile of rocks which was a collapsed burial ground from a period of hunters in the Mesolithic period (middle stone age), i.e. really old!!! The site is called Barpa Langais... currently occupied mainly by midges!!! Swarms of them all around your head when you stop.
Tonight we seem to be in a room without a view, around behind the stairs and by the water pipes. Not sure what we have done wrong but we will do our best "cupboard under the stairs" impression of Harry Potter. No, seriously, a nice room so no complaints really. Also a nice meal in the hotel restaurant.
As we bike along we keep hearing cuckoo's... a funny thing but getting used to it!
Long daylight hours, still broad daylight at 10:30 pm (the latest we have stayed awake to!) and it is daylight by at least 4:30 am... and between times if you awake it is still not that dark anyway.
A lot of the hotels/hostels we've stayed at have a whole lot of tartan going on... carpets, curtains etc all in varying shades and the curtains nearly the texture of a blanket... so the art of self promotion! Interestingly the sheep we have seen so far appear to be mostly self shedding so not so sure where the wool actually comes from.
It is on the islands that it is the first sheep we have seen with multiple lambs, which are now around 6 weeks old. We wonder if on the mainland the multiples are taken off to be hand reared? The lambs do look healthy whereas the ewes often look scruffy due to the self shedding of the wool.
Seeing geese (domestic) and goslings, swans and cygnets. The purple rhododendrons are mostly gone as is most trees of any description... low lying grass/tussock likely the only hardy enough in these obviously wind swept islands. Did spot a couple of cabbage trees as we were heading into Lochmaddy however.
Monday May 27: A morning of Deja Vu followed by stunning environment
Lochmaddy - Berneray, 59 km
Although breakfast at the hotel was included in our room rate we had a bit of miscommunication so had ordered based on price! But really yummy bacon and egg baps went down a treat.
Departed around 9:15 am ahead of the electric crew (Lynley and Grey) to retrace our 13 km detour, it was mildly wet/squally conditions, mostly uphill with a head wind so it was a bit tough. Didn't take long for the digital brigade to overtake us before re-grouping at the intersection where we rejoined the Hebridean Way route.
We took the route to the village of Solis, mostly with the coast in sight and a lot of inlets and lochs. Continuing to see lots of houses, Lynley has researched and the original black houses were superseded by white houses which are now being superseded by slightly more modern homes... which has resulted in lots of abandoned ruins of houses, sheds and churches plus the ruins of the really old "round houses". The population has seemingly built new time and again without demolishing the old. At times the old have been used for stock/storage or maybe not... lends itself to dramatic photo's anyway!
A quick stop at the Bayview Co-op store which was just as well we did as the cafe we were aiming for was shut! We instead had a cuppa and some ginger cake on the beach front just beyond the Corncrake bird refuge which was where the shut cafe was. To top up Lynley and Grey also stopped at a very busy roadside caravan that was open, beside Solis, for soup. We just carried on to the Solis Co-op store and stocked up on supplies there.
Interesting that this area had a whole beach length of new housing in modern designs that would easily fit into the NZ current building style.
Mostly had the wind behind us or side on after our cross island retrace, the rain cleared as the morning progressed but it remained cold if you stopped for too long. Continued on, up and down on single track road until the small settlement on Berneray Island, connected by a causeway. We are staying in a fully booked bunkhouse, sleeps 8 in total but we all have twin rooms. A lovely and modern complex rebuilt in Blackhouse style...complete with a peat firebox, just near the ferry terminal for our departure in the morning. The nearby restaurant was fully booked so it's noodles for dinner!
The whole island chain is in an interesting time space, tourism is rapidly growing including lots of cyclists but it is only a relatively short season (mid-May to Sept). With a low permanent population can they justify increasing accommodation/food/infrastructure( ie toilets)??Although they all are friendly and helpful you do wonder if they have mixed feelings around the increase in visitor numbers.
After dinner the weather had improved a bit so we biked around, without panniers... the speed!, to a beach on the other side of the island. It has been named in a " top beaches worldwide scenically" category by someone a couple of years ago...and it was nice with white sand and dunes, but our parochial side thought they have obviously not been to NZ! :)
Wildlife spotted for the day included a pheasant, possibly a corncrake but more likely a red shank bird... who was quite upset we were stopping to look as it had 2 or 3 chicks in the grass. Lots of sea birds, maybe some snow geese... or swans...still hearing cuckoo's, plus noted some cattle in the area.
Tuesday, May 28: Arriving on the big Isle
Leverburgh - Tarbert, 36 km
We rose at 7 am to find all the other 4 guests already gone, they had indicated last night they were to catch the 7 am ferry to the Isle of Harris, whereas we are on the next one at 9:30 am. When we arrived at the terminal, which was quite small... just another small office really, there was about 40 other bikers there which illustrates the popularity of the route.
There is a UK couple biking the islands and taking it to the extreme by making it a family excursion with 3 boys. Dad is towing a trailer of gear, then 2 boys on their own bikes the oldest boy being around 8 or 9 and having a pannier on his bike, the next on bike only, probably 6 or 7whilst the youngest (3 ?) was on a tow behind bike hitched to Mum's bike! All looked like hard work to us on multiple fronts!!
We arrived into the port of Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris, all unloaded and bikes all seemed to spread out at their own pace. Somewhat misty arrival and we set off hoping to find a cafe of some description. The one advertised at a museum was closed but we were advised to go along the road where a home baking stall was located at "croft 39". We did so but discovered it had opened just minutes before and there was a huge queue of locals already there... the owner walked past with a tray of pies for a pie warmer but we doubt the pies would have made it that far! We made the decision to just carry on as there was the promise of a cafe some 6 miles on.
Followed the coast which is full of white sand beaches and tropical blue seas... quite stunning views if somewhat seemingly "out of place". Some rain and the luck of the wind at our backs continues. Once again we are passing a lot of stylish new houses in certain locations, it appears they will likely be holiday homes for absentee owners. Also likely holiday owners are the scattering of small homes/cabins.
Passing some marked standing stones in places, they date from the neolithic period or 4500-5000 years ago but nobody really knows why they are there, who exactly put them there or for that matter how!
Found a quite new complex of a combined art gallery and cafe for lunch. A busy place which got quite frantic over the time we were there... staff stretched ... and we had a nice lunch but the cake we ordered just never arrived so we had to depart without that treat, no cakes again!!!
The rain is clearing as we continue our ride around more stunning coastline and white sand beaches. There are quite a few camper vans on the roads and they certainly have a choice of lovely spots to camp.
Shortly after we got to a decent hill, a couple of kms of steady climb in order to cross from the west to east of the island. It was thankfully, mostly, 2 lane road so we didn't have anything waiting behind us for a passing place. A nice ride down but a noticeable change in the scenery with no sandy beaches, back to rocky shoreline and small offshore islands.
We are staying in Tarbert tonight, in the Harris Hotel which was 1 of the 2 choices... a small village but it does have a ferry port and a whiskey distillery: The Isle of Harris Distillery
A recuperating shower and cuppa and time for a walk around the village, which didn't take too long. Followed by a lovely meal at the hotel, becoming experts at critiquing Steak and Ale pie... delicious!! You certainly get given huge meals at the hotels, but we guess we are needing them after all the biking... or that's our excuse anyway!!.
Interesting fact to bore the readers... Charles and Camilla stayed here in 2011.
Tomorrow it is hills... hills... hills...
Wednesday, May 29: The hills are alive... with the sound of.... puffing!
A bit of effort required today!
Tarbert - Callanish, 72 km
We left Tarbert at 8:30 am and ahead of Lynley and Grey, after a very flash breakfast. Could have been more exotic though if we had plucked up the courage to have black pudding and Scottish potato cakes!!
A sunny morning as we followed a short section of coast before reaching the climb to a pass to get us over the other side of Harris and then shortly thereafter crossing into the Isle of Lewis. Harris and Lewis are actually one big island that is defined as 2 separate areas. The climb was reasonably brutal and the pass had snow poles along the side of the road, but the downhill was long, steep and fun!
Have been trying to spot Golden Eagles and wondered if there was one or 2 near the tops... although it could have been raven. Lynley and Grey caught up with us not long after the hill effort, Grey planned to have us stopping at a cafe at Kinloch.. however it was closed! (story of trip a bit!).
We did stop at an interesting monument cairn to the "Park Deer Raiders" who in 1887 staged a protest occupation in opposition to the landowner who would not allow crofters back to reclaim some land that their forebearer's had lost during the Highland clearances of the late 1700's. They had set up camp on the land, caught and cooked some venison and were then arrested for trespass.
Our lunch spot turned out to be in the sun, sitting outside a church just outside of Kinloch.. thankfully we were all carrying enough supplies of such delights as ginger cake.
Post lunch the ride got tougher, with some long uphill stretches before we turned to the west... to be met by a strong westerly wind as we wound our way to the Callanish Standing Stones. It was a very long undulating stretch of around 15 km, hard work in the strong winds.
We first stopped at a small circle of standing stones before making our way to the visitor centre where the large circle is... plus a bonus of a toilet at the visitor centre!
The main standing stones had large numbers of cruise ship passengers visiting, tenders from the ship anchored in the harbour were constantly transferring the passengers to and fro. An amusing sight as they all walked around the site still wearing gumboots and life jackets!
The stones are dated to have been placed some 4500 - 5000 years ago, but no one actually knows why exactly! They have been placed quite precisely in circles or straight lines.Various theory's exist, the one most appealing to us is that they are giants who had been turned to stone for refusing to convert to Christianity... seems quite practical... not!!
The structures are older than the more well known Stonehenge in southern England, and significantly pre-date the Pyramids of Egypt.
Following our visit there it was a last 8 km push to our hotel, still a serious hill and some cross winds to contend with but a very welcome sight when it came into view. A large hotel with probably only 10 guests maximum this evening. A lovely meal provided.
The scenery for the day was coastal, rocky hills, more coast then peat moor lands plus the standing stones. All stunning.
Lynley and Grey down to 20% battery for the day after the climbing and winds, we were down to about 0.1% of our reserves!!!
Thursday, May 30: The final push... or should we say pedal...
Callanish - Stornoway, 47 km
After a hearty breakfast served by a chatty, lovely local lady we left the hotel around 9:15 am. Great to hear the hotel has a booking for 16 cyclists this evening and then weekly until July as the tourist season here is short and they need the bookings given how quiet it seemed last night. In saying that this hotel is by itself with no village around it so may not be the natural spot to book for people.
Our first stop of the day was Dun Carloway, one of the best preserved broch towers in Scotland. It is a stone roundhouse from about 1900-2300 years ago and would have been a principal dwelling for a local family. Built with a defensive aspect to them and the bigger the tower, the more important the family (somewhat like modern families, although mostly it is "self importance" nowadays!!). Structurally a double skinned building with stairs between the 2 walls.
Our next stop was the Gearrannan Blackhouse village. Restored and reopened to the public in 2001 the last of these dwellings was occupied up to 1974 when the residents moved to flats down the road... the thatch on the roof was leaking and with no young members of the family left to do the repairs it was the only option for the elderly inhabitants. All the families had moved away, often off the islands.
Black houses got their names as originally the peat fuelled fire was in the middle of the floor area, and hence all the walls/roof went black!! Around the 1920's many of the houses were remodelled to have a fireplace with chimney installed on an end wall, thus letting the smoke escape slightly more user friendly! Around the same time skylights were installed which helped to lighten the interior.
The display cottage was 2 rooms, plus a livestock room, with a double bed in the main living room and a bunk bed arrangement for the children in the second room. The floor was deliberately sloping steeply so that the heat from the fire gravitated upward and heated the whole area and second room.
The other buildings in the village which have been rebuilt historically correct externally are actually a hostel, a hostel laundry plus a cafe and gift shop. The village is located in a stunning bay however there was a bracing wind... which we suspect is there for the other 364 days of the year as well!!
As we moved on our next stop was at a small thatched roof mill; a Norse mill and kiln which was working until the 1930's and powered by the stream beside it driven by a water wheel. The mill processed barley and oats whilst the kiln for drying grain as well as fish and perhaps pottery. The existence of the mill shows the large Scandinavian influence of the Vikings during the 8th to mid 11th century.
Found a community hall cafe, open as a bonus!, so made a welcome break just after passing the Whale Bone Arch. The arch was originally bones of a beached, Blue Whale from the 1920's which still had a harpoon in its head... it obviously was having a bad day. The arch has since been coated in fibreglass resin to preserve it but unfortunately that makes it now look completely fake like a playground dinosaur!! Luckily we managed to find the cafe... they are not big on advertising self promotion here so we could have easily biked right past it.
Further stops included another Black House village area, as well as a historic Moor Shieling which was a spring house for families to occupy for 2-3 months as they tended to the livestock which were grazing on the moors after the 5 month long winter in the Black Houses.
After that it was a 20 km stretch over the island to Stornoway which was hugely assisted by a tail wind and very smooth tarmac on the busier road (main link road for Isle of Lewis). This was across a rolling peat moor showing large areas where peat has been removed for domestic heating. Peat is still the main fuel for fires as wood generally has to be imported from the Isle of Skye, or beyond... there isn't many trees here!
Got to Stornoway around 3 pm, into the town/city along quite a busy road but great traffic behaviour giving bikers lots of space. A quick walk around "downtown" reveals a once prosperous town looking a bit sad and empty now. We booked a meal at the Crown Hotel whose claim to fame is having a 14 year old (then) Prince Charles buying a cherry brandy there under age... resulting in his security officer being sacked!
When we finished our meal there was a bit of excitement in the restaurant which overlooks the harbour, yachts and Castle on the far side. There was a couple of dolphins swimming in the close part of the harbour plus once we went out for a look there was some seals floating around on the surface also. The Seals were seemingly eyeing the tourists watching them. Quite a bonus.
Friday, May 31: And back to the beginning...
A slower start as we have no biking today and our ferry does not depart until 2 pm. We had breakfast at a modern (celebrating their first birthday today) cafe which was yummy food. We had boycotted the hotel restaurant because it is obvious their nightly rate, and breakfast charge, is extortionate (mind you so is everywhere in town) for what is a pretty ordinary room. We guess they only have a short summer tourist season so they have to make hay while the sun shines... just a pity the hay leaves a bad taste! Stornoway is also the main port town for Lewis which likely plays into their hands/wallets too.
We left our luggage stored at the hotel and walked to Lews Castle on the other side of the harbour/estuary. The Castle was built in 1844-51 by Sir James Matheson, an opium trader and actually an ancestor of Kerry (Lynley and Greys daughter in law). The castle is built on a site previously occupied by Seaforth Lodge which had been built by the MacKenzies in the 1600's.
Matheson died in 1878 and the castle stayed in family ownership until 1918 when it was purchased by Lord Leverhulme, the founder of Unilever... Lever brothers, among its most well known products was Sunlight Soap. The Lord later gifted the estate (600 acres) back to the people of Lews. We had a wander through the castle and the museum within it, which is a brilliant museum of the Outer Hebrides. The castle does have accommodation on the 2nd floor but at $1000/night you will struggle to find a review by these travellers.
Lews Castle grounds is also the official end point of the Hebridean Way so an obligatory photo shoot was necessary.
Went back to the same cafe we had breakfast in for a quick bite before collecting our bikes and bags and heading down to the close by ferry terminal. A 3 hour crossing from Stornoway to Ullapool.
Met in Ullapool by the bike hire company shuttle, today actually being driven by Gavin our friend from Inverness... more on Gavin in future episodes!! (Editors note: come on, really... a hint in the post to try and create cliffhangers?)
A Ford van which Gavin skilfully crammed with 6 people (another couple plus us 4), all luggage and 6 bikes, 3 of which were e-bikes. A drive through productive looking farmland for part of the way, past a depleted looking hydro lake, and trees....lots of trees!! The first stop was in Inverness for the other couple then back to hire depot to collect left bags (our one Gavin is taking to his house... ) and we farewelled Lynley and Grey from there as they are heading back to NZ, once Gavin drops them at the train station.
We rode up the hill a little way to our pre-booked B and B, a lovely house run by an efficient and friendly couple... plus it is over the road from a pub so the perfect location to find our dinner also.
The 2 combined legs of the trip (Caledonian Way to Oban, and then the Hebridean Way) has been hugely enjoyable, albeit with a bit of effort involved. It was lots of fun to have company for these opening 10 days as well!!.
