loiswolf

[loiswolf]

Day 56 July 19 Kirkcaldy- Linlithgow 50km

Day 56 July 19 Kirkcaldy - Linlithgow 50kms

It should have been easy today but it really wasn’t. It started out with a nice easy downhill run through Kirkcaldy.

Then there was a lovely jaunt along the esplanade 

There were lots of things painted on the pavement for kids ( or adults if they wanted to) to play different games on.

Things went a bit pear shaped when I was tempted off the route to pop into Lidl for my last chance to buy a few favourite things.

I headed back to the coast but that track turned into sand. The google bike route took me up a very large hill over the headland. From there I’m not sure what happened but I foolishly followed the bike route through a bunch of back streets , over another big hill, then ended up on a nasty narrow dirt track which was going to take me right up to the bridge I needed to cross. 

I took the first road off which was an extremely steep hill. I pushed Shirley up the steepest part then cycled up more hill to where  it joined the main road. This is a photo up the top

Down the other side was 16%, I’m not sure what gradient I had cycled up. An hour and a half had passed and I hadn’t even done 20kms. Deciding to stick to the main road I finally made some progress and reached the big bridge. Cyclists, pedestrians and buses had a separate bridge which suited me just fine. This is the motorist bridge

It looked a lot like the one in Greece near Corinth

This is the view from my bridge out to the left..

As you can see the clouds were gathering and just like yesterday, it started raining when I reached the other side. I stopped to put Pinky on but I was unable to get directions because my phone was getting wet. Just around the bend was a McDonald’s. How fortuitous!

I stopped for a coffee and some Lidl treats. The rain had eased by the time I left but I had already memorised a route using the main roads. No more stuffing around!

The last 15kms went very quickly and soon I was almost at Peter and Mary’s house…..it was very hard to find so a quick phone call to Peter and I was there!

I met Peter 3 years ago in the hostel at Stornoway and we cycled to Beauly together. I also stayed with him on my way south. I am staying here for two nights. Tomorrow I’m going into Edinburgh to have a look around and on Monday afternoon I’ll be flying home via Istanbul and Tokyo. 

So the adventure is over for another couple of years. I don’t have anything planned for the future but never say never!

This trip I have cycled 4700kms, Shirley is up to 68000kms. She is amazing!

I pumped up her tyres twice and she did get a new chain and cassette in Harrisburg.

Again there have been so many times on this trip when I have felt Gods protection and intervention. The fact that I was able to get back on my bike and keep cycling after that accident in Granville was an absolute miracle. I should have ended up in hospital, trip over. 

Getting accommodation in places where other people have tried much earlier and failed, getting Shirley places on the train without any trouble ( apparently this is not easy); having plans come together with different accommodation and ferry dates as well as weather allowing me to cycle late in the evening have all been a huge blessing. I pray every day on my bike and God answers.

ps.Peter and I just cycled to the shops to get fish and chips for dinner. We took the opportunity to get a photo with the famous Black Bitch of Linlithgow.

[loiswolf]

Day 55 July 18 Colliston- Kirkcaldy 83kms

Day 55 July 18 Colliston- Kirkcaldy 83kms

Another beautiful sunny morning. I left my accommodation at about 8:30 and headed for the A92. Yesterday a cyclist going the other way had told me that the cycle route along the coast was pretty good, so I decided to try it.

After passing through Arbroath I turn off onto the cycle route. It was not bad. At times the surface was gravelly and there were lots of pedestrians with dogs on it. Instead of going around a headland google maps took me through a complicated maze of streets which ended with a wait at a level crossing. I was getting hungry so I took the opportunity to eat something from my food bag while waiting for the train to pass. 

At least it was scenic 

And at times ran very close to the ocean….just a few meters between the path and the water.

At 23kms I stopped for a wee but before I had a chance a lady cyclist coming from the opposite direction stopped for a chat. 

Her name was Irene but she was still cycle touring at 84yo…although she was on an e-bike. She asked me how long I would keep touring for. Interesting question!!

She liked touring alone for a lot of the same reasons I do and she doesn’t camp either. She had also read a lot of the same cycle touring books I had so we had plenty to talk about.

Eventually we parted ways and I cycled off ( after doing that wee) towards the Tay bridge. 

Seeming to have made slow progress I pushed on for a while following the path around the coast. When I was almost at the bridge I flagged down a couple of cyclists coming from that direction and asked how to approach it. Google maps had told me stairs but I figured there must be a better way. Sure enough, the other cyclists told me there was a lift up to the cycleway which runs through the centre between the traffic lanes. 

It’s the same as the one that crosses into Portland from Washington State. I’m really glad I asked because the lift was around the other side of the steps tucked underneath. I wouldn’t have known it was there and would have dragged the panniers and Shirley up the steps separately.

The bridge was very long and by the time I reached the other side I was ready for a coffee. There was a kiosk in the car park where I left the bridge so I decided that would do. 

I was happily eating my stale donut on one of the seats when it started to rain. There were no seats under cover so I sat on the ground . Not my most enjoyable break. 

The rain looked like it was going to stay around but I checked the radar and nup, it was going to stop. A few minutes later the sun was out again and I was on my way. The plan was to try and ride the A92 because the cycle route was a lot longer. A brief stint on that road was enough to realise it was not an option. Very busy, dual carriageway and no shoulder. I left it asap and followed the cycle route after all….well not all of it. There was a lot of extra hills and kms just to avoid the road I was on. I didn’t do them. Yes, the cars did bank up behind me occasionally but I always found somewhere to  stop and let them pass if they were unable to do it earlier. 

It’s hard to find any ugly parts of Scotland. Again the scenery was really lovely

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With only about 15kms to go I felt like I needed something to eat and drink so I pulled over at a sandwich place which had tables and chairs outside. It was an improvement on my previous break . I’m over paying the equivalent of $7 Australian for a stale scone/cake/donut so I just had a chocolate from my food bag with a Diet Coke. 

A few kms down the road I tried the A92 again. Hmmm, it was a bit dicey. There were some paths in some sections and an alternative road for a couple of kms. The last few kms before Kirkcaldy I took my life  in my hands and braved the narrow shoulder with cars and trucks flying past me at high speed.

I survived to make it to my last accommodation, the Elbow Room. It’s a room above  a pub but it’s pretty good albeit a bit noisey.

Tomorrow is my last day cycling!

[loiswolf]

Day 54July 17 Stonehaven - Colliston 63kms

Day 54 July 17 Stonehaven - Colliston 63kms

Yesterday was a very enjoyable rest day in a lovely place. I had no idea what was around but after checking the map I noticed Dunnottar Castle was within walking distance. The weather actually felt almost like summer so I set off around the waterfront, up the hill to a stunning coastal walk.

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I even paid to go into the castle. First you had to walk down, then up quite a few steps because the castle was perched on a headland.

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I didn’t even qualify for the seniors discount but I figured I was contributing to the local community . There was a lot to look at around and in the castle so I spent some time there. Afterwards I contributed more to the local community by paying £3.50 for a few teaspoons of ice cream in the bottom of a paper cup. This was from a van in the car park back towards the road. At least the coffee was ok. 

The walk back was equally stunning.

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My afternoon was spent walking around the shops, resting in my room and then having afternoon tea at one of the many cafes. I chose this one because you could see the ocean from the outside tables.

So this morning I left far too early. I think that when I worked out my accommodation I took into account the cycle route. It followed the coastal road at times but diverted off randomly adding unnecessary steep hills and extra kms. Today decided to stick to the A92. It wasn’t too busy and it had really great views.

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It was an absolute pleasure to ride with only gentle climbs and pleasant downhill runs. Just after the bridge where I took this photo I reached Montrose at 35kms

I had planned to have my break there so I found a coffee shop and made myself comfortable.

There wasn’t much further to go so I had to waste some time. I cycled back through town to buy a few things at the local Lidl. Next I chose my own road which was in between the A92 and the cycle route which promised more steep hills. 

There was a hill to start with but it was a lovely quiet road with more lovely views. 

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The perfect road! Despite all these delaying tactics I still reached my accommodation at 1:30. It’s just a house where I have a room, my own bathroom and a breakfast area I can use. It’s fine. You never know what you are going to get when you book on booking.com. This is in a real golfing area. Tomorrow I’ll go near St Andrew’s but it’s a bit out of the way, so ,sorry all you golfing fans, no photos. 

My hostess arrived while I was sitting outside looking at the map and contemplating riding to see the local castle. 

Janice allowed me in early so I watched the Tour de France ( I might have slept a bit) then cycled out to the castle when the tour was finished. The castle is privately owned so I didn’t even get to see it. I wasn’t willing to take on the German Shepherd guarding the grounds. At least it added on a few kms to a rather short but enjoyable ride.

[loiswolf]

Day 53 July 15 Insch - Stonehaven 69kms

Day 53 July 15 Insch - Stonehaven 69kms

Yes, same distance as yesterday. I think I might have done more climbing though.

Last night I popped down to the Indian restaurant which you access through the hotel. I’m not a big fan of Indian food so I just ordered a cheese naan and mixed kebab ( I didn’t really even know what that was). Well it was a quiet night at the restaurant…I think I was the only customer, so the man delivered the food to my room. It was delicious! I wasn’t going to eat all the naan because it was big and quite heavy, but it was so yummy, I ate it all.

Martin was around early this morning to see me off. He was the sweetest host. I had grabbed a couple of things from the breakfast selection but I really prefer to eat my own fruit…I had raspberries! He even offered me bottles of water to take but I had just filled up from the tap.

I was leaving early because I knew I would be riding into the wind today and was trying to do as many kms as possible before it became too strong. It didn’t matter if I arrived early either because the lady here had messaged me that the door would be unlocked and I could let myself in. Turns out there is a camera facing the front door so she knew I was early anyway.

Martin had advised using the back roads which looked a lot like the google maps cycle route. It was a lovely morning cycling out of Insch.

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And here is a photo of a house with lovely flowers for my sister whose birthday was yesterday.

The main road was busy with commuters heading to Aberdeen ( I assume) so I decided to trust google again and follow its directions. As soon as I’d turned off the main road I copped  a very large hill. Not unexpected! At the top I was rewarded with lovely views of the countryside.

I was glad I wasn’t heading towards this mountain.

The back road was really lovely. I was congratulating myself on being able to ride down roads like this

And enjoy rural outlooks.

It all came to an unpleasant end when the road became a lane and ended at steps. Nooooo steps are the worst! To back out I would have had to ride back up a long hill so I took the panniers off and walked Shirley up and over the steps and bridge then came back for the panniers. I should have walked them both up the steep dirt track that followed because it was really hard pushing everything up the slippery dirt when my cleated sandals kept slipping back.

At least the river looked pretty.

I was ready for a coffee after that trauma and I could see a Starbucks on the map. It would have been easy to get there on the motorway but I had to take the cycle route again which became a horrible gravel hill. More pushing was  required before I finally reached my morning tea break.

I ordered an almond croissant with my coffee. It hardly touched the side so I quickly grabbed a cake from my food bag. 

Having had enough of nasty bike paths I put the gps on car mode. This worked ok for a while until I reached the motorway where bikes were prohibited. Sigh!

Time to make friends with Google again who behaved itself for a change and guided me through many back roads and up another long, long gradual hill. 

I thought that hill would never end ….i knew I was getting closer to Stonehaven and would be descending into town because it was on the coast.

With only a couple of kms to go I finally reached the top and could see my destination.

It was  a steep descent into town which is a very unsatisfactory end to a long climb. A quick stop at the co-op then up the road to my accommodation. This place is pretty good. There is everything here which I require, I’ve even been able to wash my clothes. I’m upstairs and have a view of this house across the road.

Tomorrow I’m having a rest day so I don’t get to Edinburgh too early.

Sorry there is no map, I have no idea how I got here!

[loiswolf]

Day 52 July 14 Peterhead - Insch 69kms

Day 52 July 14 Peterhead - Insch 69kms

So after I’d packed up and taken Shirley and everything out of the room this morning, I found this on the floor.

I had no idea where it was from so I checked Shirley over and everything looked OK. Having not put on the GPS I was meandering out of Peterhead when I spotted a bike shop. Amazingly it was even open before 9am. I stopped and asked Duncan ( the bike shop owner) if my find was anything important. He couldn’t place it so we had a long discussion instead. First I had to answer all the usual questions then he told me all about the bike shop during Covid, I understood about half of it. 

He had to go answer his phone so iI moved onto Aldi to get a couple of things. 

Today’s ride was helped by a tailwind and mostly pretty enjoyable. I had a few arguments with google maps when it wanted me to ride dirt tracks, but after my morning tea break it took me on a superb 20km ride through back roads.

The weather was all over the place, cool, warm, a little bit of rain and variable wind. My first stop was at a historic place called Deer Abbey.

Just a few old ruins but I took the opportunity to retrieve Pinky from the bottom of my pannier. Such a rookie mistake leaving her there when cycling in Scotland!

At 30kms I rolled into New Deer and noticed a cafe which was part of a church. Perfect! I had a very good coffee and decided to make up for a meat-free dinner last night by having pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.

As mentioned before the next 20kms I let google have its way and followed it faithfully through scenic farmlands on quiet back roads.  ..

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The animals here lay down a lot. I don’t think they do that in Australia. Are they lazy? Or just well fed?

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An exhilarating downhill run into the town of Fyvie was quickly followed by a steep climb out the other side. I wasn’t silly enough to think it would be any other way. 

I  switched  to car mode again after google found me another unsuitable track. The  road had evened out again and I had no more big climbs. Passing a property with some very strange sculptures/ statues I took a photo of just one.

They were all really weird and it was a very large property. I don’t know what it was all about.

Again ignoring the gps I followed a sign to Insch and pulled up in front of an honesty box selling berries , grapes and rhubarb. I love raspberries! It was only £1.50 for a generous plastic container of freshly picked raspberries. The owner, Jim, appeared to replenish the stock and offered to get me a lid. Yes, that would be good…it took two trips back to his house to find the right sized lid  and another lengthy conversation about half of which was comprehensible..

Even with these delightful interludes I was still early for checkin at the Commercial Hotel. I decided to fill in time by rolling up the road to the local co-op for some fresh bread and sparkling water. I was about  to leave when a lovely young lady named Jess  asked me about my trip. We managed to talk for about half an hour by which time I could check in.

Still no one at the hotel I called the number and Martin came down to let me in. He was absolutely lovely and made sure I was happy in the kitchen/lounge area while he went to prepare my room. I have a “deluxe “ room which is pretty nice. Shirley was moved to the laundry later on after I had watched the end of the Tour de France and had a shower. Not sure what I’m going to have  for dinner…..

[loiswolf]

Day 51 Aberdeen- Peterhead 55kms

Day 51 Aberdeen - Peterhead 55kms

When I told Kate and Rab I was going to Peterhead today they both grimaced. Apparently it’s the drug capital of Scotland. They smuggle heroin ashore here…or they used to. It could explain why it’s so cheap to stay here.

The ferry ride last night was pretty good. I had a great fish and chip meal with salad from the cafeteria. It was quite reasonably priced too. My bench lounge was comfortable enough combined with my sleeping bag liner which I can pull over my head to block out the light. Unfortunately my earplugs couldn’t block out the sound of the toddler nearby who cried a few times for about 20 minutes each time. I have no objection to controlled crying but I don’t think somewhere public where other people are trying to sleep is the place to do it. I noticed he settled down quickly when they patted him. Couldn’t they have done that earlier? 

Anyway, as usual I wasn’t in a hurry to get off the ferry after it docked at 7am. I knew my time was up when they paged the remaining cyclists to come and remove their bikes from the car deck. Yep! That was me. There was only one other cyclist and he would have left straight away. 

My young New Zealander friend who had guided me onboard was waiting for me. He said we could be friends on this side of the planet. He welcomed me to Aberdeen, the crappiest city in the UK. When I told he I was going to Peterhood he asked if I was doing a tour of crappy towns.

The wifi had been useless on board so I made my way straight to McDonald’s so I could post yesterday’s blog. Sorry it was late. Another friend wrote to me in place of reading my blog. That was a nice idea….hint hint.

Martin, the older man working there was incredibly nice to me since I didn’t even buy anything. I just sat on the bench provided for the uber eats delivery men and used the wifi. It’s amazing how many people order their breakfast to be delivered from McDonald’s. Is it that hard to make your own breakfast?

Anyway Martin complained constantly about the teenagers but decided I was doing no harm. He even unlocked the toilets for me so I could change into my shorts. It was turning out to be a rather wqrm day.

I left there at about 9am but stalled again when I passed a Lidl. It was getting really hot when I came out of the there so I layered off to a t-shirl.

Google maps wouldn’t give me the coastal route I wanted because I had to use a major road for a while. Since it was Sunday morning it wasn’t a problem.

I am actually heading north to do a short loop around the north east corner of Scotland before I head down to Edinburgh. My flight home is not until the 21st so I have to fill in time.

The extra distance wasn’t a hardship. The scenery wasn’t the dazzling vistas I experienced on the Shetlands but the countrywide to the left was pleasant enough 

and occasionally I glimpsed the ocean to the right.

I had noticed a “Beachside Cafe” on the map so that was going to be my morning tea stop. After cycling straight past it…mainly because is wasn’t beside the beach and it was part of a swimming pool complex, I parked Shirley and had a banana and toffee scone just out of the oven. 

It doesn’t look much in the photo but it was very good.

I snapped a photo of this church on my way through Newbourgh

And another one of the way into Cruden Bay. 

Time for another break I had a Diet Coke and Cornetto in a lovely hotel. I got to sit in this nice window seat where you can see Shirley waiting outside it you look closely.

Not far to go and I’d managed to spin today’s ride out until 2pm. Peterhead didn’t look too bad 

Although the buildings are very gray and depressing. 

I was able to check in early. The room is ok but doesn’t have a fridge. Fortunately there’s a microwave where I can heat up the frozen meal I bought at Lidl this morning.

If I’m feeling brave I might even go out for a walk later. 😁

[loiswolf]

Day 50 Lerwick - Sumburgh - Lerwick 81kms

Day 50 Lerwick- Sumburgh - Lerwick 81kms

So far I’ve been really remiss in not mentioning all the people I’ve met on the Shetlands. It seems every time you talk to someone here it feels like they’re an old friend. Here’s a list of some of the interesting people I’ve met

There was a young Asian girl in the sports shop who had a very strange combination of Scottish accent and Asian grammar. I was so curious about how she came to have such an odd mix that we had a long conversation about her background. I could have listened to her all day.

The guesthouse was run by a Thai family and turned into a Thai restaurant in the evening. A lady who I assumed was part of the family was recovering from lung surgery and was accompanied by a Buddhist nun who was bald and wore white robes. I talked to them for quite a while too. They were very interesting.

There was a group of eight Aussies doing an Intrepid tour, who were saying at the guesthouse. They were great to talk to over breakfast and gave me the idea to cycle over Bressay Island and walk Noss yesterday.

Liz and Diana were the older ladies from  Bristol I had coffee with in Scalloway. Diana gave me permission to not embark on a five hour coach ride that afternoon. I really appreciated her input.

Riding out to the lighthouse yesterday I stopped to talk to a lady who was walking. She hadn’t been able to find accommodation in Lerwick and was headed to Scalloway that afternoon. Most people are amazed when I tell them I only book a few days ahead. They try months before and don’t succeed.

Last night I ended up having dinner with a group of 3 sisters and one husband. They were from a family of 8 siblings so we had a lot to talk about, sadly their father died when the youngest was 18 months old leaving the mother to raise them alone. They shared the lasagne they had baked in the hostel kitchen ( amazing kitchen!) 

Even though I had already just consumed my own dinner. I never say no!

Yesterday I met Kate and Rab on Noss Island. Somehow we missed each other at the hostel last night but when I stopped at Tesco’s on my way back today I spotted their bikes. We went back to the hostel together and had a coffee and a chat. It was very handy for me to get inside with them because it meant I could have a shower and then head straight down to the ferry. Kate is also one of seven and her father was an alcoholic. Sometimes I feel very blessed to have had the childhood I had.

Speaking of ferries, I slipped again when boarding in Kirkwall. My foot just slipped back onto the pedal and I didn’t think much about it. 

That afternoon in the guesthouse I noticed blood on the bed cover. I realised it was coming from the back of my leg and cleaned it off the quilt. Then when I removed my leggings ( which I had been wearing for way too long ( ferry trip and ride the next day) yuk) the scab tore off and the blood went everywhere. I spent a lot of time at that guesthouse cleaning up messes I made. There were also incidents with hair dye and salad dressing. 🙄

So I decided that if the shops in Lerwick had a shoe shop with the exact shoe I’ve been looking to buy anyway, and it was on special, I’d buy it. Pretty remote chances ….but, they did, and I bought them. They were perfect for that long walk yesterday and I’ve just boarded the ferry without slipping. Actually this was the first time I was allowed to cycle on and it wasn’t wet…but anyway…still happy to have shoes with some grip.

So back to today….it was a perfect day! I’d saved this ride for today because I knew the weather was going to be good.  It really was. I cycled out of Lerwick feeling smug because I was heading south and wouldn’t have to climb the massive hill you hit when you go north. Of course there was a hill on the southern road too…..maybe not quite as bad. 

Shirley and I were flying along without panniers again so the odd hill didn’t matter. There were really a lot of hills but none were too steep and the scenery distracted enough to not make them matter. It was stunning!

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There were plenty of lovely Shetland ponies to see as you would expect here.

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Sumburgh is where the airport for the Shetlands are. The runway crosses the road so there are lights and barriers to stop traffic when a plane is landing and taking off. Unique!

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I was expecting a small town and maybe a cafe there but there was only a hotel and a headland. Not keen to tackle any unnecessary hills I went into the hotel to find coffee. They weren’t particularly welcoming but I did get a coffee and some internet to call family at home and of course chat to some people who had come off the cruise ship today.

There was an ancient Norse crumbling building I walked over to but not willing to pay for. I guess that was something else people go there for.

Oh yes, and a nice beach where people were even swimming!

The ride back was fantastic too. The ocean was the most amazing blue colour which doesn’t really come through in the photos but I kept trying.

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I stopped about halfway just to stand and look for a while and eat a chocolate bar of course!

Now I am on the ferry early. I boarded a little after five but it doesn’t leave until seven. I wanted to get a length of lounge to sleep on and leave some stuff on it before going to look for food.

Mission accomplished!

A selfie with Kate and Rab.

[loiswolf]

Day 49 July 11 Lerwick - Bresser - Noss - Bresser - Lerwick. 27kms + 2 hours walk.

Day 49 July 11 Lerwick- Bressay Island - Noss - Bressay Island- Lerwick 27kms cycling +2 hours walking.

Yesterday I had a break from cycling and spent the morning exploring the old town

Visiting the museum and the fort

and then taking a bus across to Scalloway on the west side.  I enjoyed a coffee and cupcake in a cafe there with two lovely ladies from Bristol . I had intended to bus and ferry my way to the north but it was going to be a five hour trip and I just didn’t want to, I walked around town then went back to my guesthouse and relaxed.

Today I explored to the east. Leaving my panniers at the guesthouse again I cycled down the hill to take the ferry to Bressay Island. It was a 5 minute trip. Leaving the ferry I first took the road to the north. It was only a few kilometres and ended in someone’s farm.

Next I crossed the island to the southern end. This was a bit further and there was a lighthouse at the end.

Through the lighthouse gates and looking over the wall was a wonderful view.

Back to the middle and I took the road to the west, over a couple of hills then the road ended at the tap , overlooking Noss island. 

I chained Shirley up with a couple of other bikes , changed shoes, and walked down the gravel hill to the “ferry”. First I had to pass these ladies

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I only had to wait a few minutes for the dingy to return from its previous run. It was a beautiful day and I sat on the steps eating a chocolate bar admiring the clear water.

By the time the dinghy came back there were four more passengers. We all had to don life jackets for our 2 minute trip. Then we walked up the hill to the information place where another lady told us where to walk on the island and expect to see different birds. To go all the way around was a three hour walk so I was just happy to walk up the headland where the puffins were , then come back.

I met the other cyclist up there, Kate and Rob and we ate our lunch together. They are staying at the same hostel tonight so I will probably see them again. 

The views from the walk were quite lovely

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 I was the only passenger in the dinghy going back and it didn’t take long to cycle back over the island.

Another ferry ride, my last cycle up the killer hill to my guesthouse (yay) then a short ride to the hostel.

This hostel is very highly rated. It’s a bit odd. My room has a little fridge , its own bathroom and a TV but has two double bunks like a dormitory. Kate and Rob said they have a 12 bed dorm to themselves. Weird!

It was a fantastic day with perfect conditions. I hope tomorrow is just as good because I have a longer ride planned. 

[loiswolf]

Day 48 July 9 Lerwick - Aith -Voe - Lerwick

Day 48 July 9 Lerwick - Aith - Voe - Lerwick 78kms

The ferry ride wasn’t too bad last night. I’d paid extra for a “pod” before everyone told me they weren’t worth it. I did seem to get a bit of special treatment boarding but that might have been because I was the only cyclist. At about 3am I gave up trying to get comfortable in the pod and moved out to the lounge area. Much better!

The ferry docked at 7:30 but I wasn’t in a hurry to get off. The weather wasn’t looking good so I delayed until after 8 to go collect Shirley and ride to my guesthouse. I was able to leave my panniers there and figure out where I was going to ride to.

I think it shows a lot of fortitude going for a ride in a new place on a day like today. The rain wasn’t heavy and the wind wasn’t too strong….but they were still evident. I had discussed routes with people on the ferries and in the hostel  and all they suggested was to either head north or south. Hmmm, I had a look at the map,  googled ‘coffee’ then worked out a sort of loop heading west to start. It included something called the ‘Cake Fridge’ which was the only place apart from Lerwick which seemed to have a coffee shop. 

I’ve marked the map so you can see where I went. The views would have been amazing if it was clearer, but they weren’t too bad anyway.

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There was one place called ‘Whiteness’ ( for a reason) where I saw a tourist bus stop so its passengers could take photos of white. That’s all you could see.

I did 36kms before finally coming to the Cake Fridge. 

Did I mention the hills? Yes, well there were a lot of them but I at least I didn’t have the usual weight on the back to drag along.

The Cake Fridge was a lovely place. I had an excellent coffee and coffee sponge with buttercream. 

All their cakes were freshly made and very good. 

It was about midday when I left to do more big long hills as well as some fast runs down. The sun was trying to come out so I even got to layer off.

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Finally I was back in Lerwick and after a quick stop at the co-op to get bread and water I just had the nasty hill up to my accommodation to ride. Sigh! Why couldn’t my guesthouse be somewhere flat?

This place is ok apart from that. It’s suddenly turned into a Thai restaurant this evening so I’m eating in. I didn’t want to go out in the rain down and up the hill anyway. 

The weather is supposed to be worse tomorrow so I’ll probably just get a local bus somewhere and have a look around town.

[loiswolf]

Day 47 July 8 Tour de Orkneys 70kms

Day 47 July 8 Tour de Orkneys 70kms

The sun was shining through the cracks around the curtains when I woke up this morning. My late night cycle yesterday had been in perfect conditions with the evening sun casting amazing light over the countryside and a nice tailwind to make the ride a bit easier. You can’t always depend on consecutive days of good weather here , but things were looking promising.

There were a few things to sort out because tonight I am sleeping on the ferry to the Shetlands. Staying at this hostel was an inspired choice ( it actually was the only accommodation I could find) because I am able to use the showers/kitchen/ lounge/bike and luggage storage areas until it’s time for me to leave tonight. Had I been in a guesthouse I would have been out in the cold from 10am this morning.

I’ve put a map in today to show where I went. I hardly repeated any roads as last night I went down the middle of the island. There was only a slight overlap.

At 9am I was ready for action and mounted a lightweight version of Shirley without any panniers. Down through the town I followed the coast road into the headwind until the turnoff to the tourist attractions.

Not a big lover of touristy places I thought I should do some of them as the young couple on the ferry last night were very enthusiastic about several places here..

Not far from the turnoff were the Standing  Stones of Steness. 

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Like all these “stones” nobody seems to know what they were for and how they got there. Apparently the farmer who owned the land got tired of ploughing around them and started knocking them down. The locals were so outraged they tried to burn his house down. It probably explains why there are only a few left.

Not too much further up the road was the Ring Of Brodgar.

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These were smaller, more of them and formed an obvious ring. I walked all the way around then was told by the lady at the information stand that I really should keep going to the next place…Skara Brae. Apparently this is what people come to the Orkneys to see. Only another 9kms….18 there and back. 

Oh well, I thought I’d better go see what the fuss was about. 

Several long hills later I was there and ready for a coffee. There were also coachloads  of tourists there. 

Skara Brae is a village with houses and stone furniture which presents an insight into the daily lives of Neolithic people that is unmatched in northern Europe. ( yep, straight out of the tourist brochure). I had a look around but wasn’t prepared to pay so that I could peer into the underground homes from a distance.

Many people did. I also wasn’t keen to join the queue to sit in the noisy cafe so I hopped back on Shirley and left. 

The beach there was nice but it always amazes me that these ancient civilisations could settle in such cold climates.

Back over all the hills to the main road and a couple of kms along I reached Sterness. Hoping for a coffee I went into the information centre. There wasn’t much else there apart from a service station. The man at the information centre offered me a coffee from the machine. I was happy with that and was able to sit in their lovely quiet display area where there was also a  table and chairs.

Another few kilometres up the road and I turned left to follow the coast road on the other side of the island. 

I find cycling in such incredibly beautiful surroundings a lot more enjoyable than schlepping around tourist attractions.

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Back at the hostel by 3pm I probably should have taken a bus to see some place down south. Nah! Couldn’t be bothered. It was a big enough effort to ride down to the shops to get something for dinner. 

I’m all ready to spend a comfortable evening in the lounge area then late tonight ride down to the terminal to spend an uncomfortable night on the ferry.

[loiswolf]

Day 46 July 7 Contin - Kirkwall ( the Orkneys) 64kms cycling

Day 46 July 7 Contin- Inverness 36kms train o Thurso 5kms to Scrabster ferry to Stromness - Kirkwall 23kms   Total 64kms

I woke up to a lovely morning today. There was a lot scheduled but I wasn’t  in a hurry, my train from Inverness didn’t leave until 2pm. After a conversation with Rod I packed up and left at about 9:15.

This was my leaving town photo

Just a bit different from the ones I posted in the USA. Yes, it was a lovely ride. I’d set the gps to a Lidl in Inverness so it took me different way to the last time I cycled here. 

Beauly is one of my favourite Scottish towns because I spent about 4 days there last visit having a rest and recovery from an illness. I didn’t realise I’d be cycling right through the town and was pleased when I noticed that was where I was headed. I was even more pleased to see my favourite shop open. Then I was super pleased when I went in and they still had the style of jumper I’d bought 3 years ago which is still my favourite jumper. Of course, I bought another one. I would have liked to get a few while I was there but they weren’t cheap and I still have to fit them in somewhere.

After that little bit of excitement I followed the road around the other side of the lake.

More lovely cycling and soon I was in Inverness. At Lidl I stocked up again on baked goods and treats. This strategy had saved me a lot of money on the outer Hebrides. Following the Google directions into the city was also a good idea. I avoided all the traffic by walking Shirley over this little bridge.

Straight to the train station to collect my ticket. Then I left Shirley in the cycle parking place, changed shoes and went looking for a coffee.

I ended up in a small coffee shop with this

The pistachio thing was so incredibly filling I complained to the barista that I wouldn’t be able to eat it all. He said no one ever did and he’d give me a bag. I actually proved him wrong and did finish it to his amazement and adulation.

Back across the road to the train station and to retrieve Shirley. (I didn’t really like leaving her there) and wait another hour for the train.

The train ride was almost four hours long but quite scenic. 

Hard not to be when you’re going through Scotland . The train seemed to be going fast but the coffee cart lady told me it can’t go any faster than 100mph. Well….thats actually pretty fast in kphs. 

Only 5 minutes late to Thurso I hurried out of the train station and jumped on Shirley to do the 5kms to the ferry terminal down the road. Of course I had plenty of time and didn’t need to hurry at all.

The ferry trip was just over an hour and I spent it talking to two other cyclists and a lady who sails. When I looked up I realised that the Orkneys were in view and were looking spectacular.

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A man was taking photos of another man so I handed him my phone and asked him to take one of me. The guy whose photo was being taken originally said it would look photoshopped because of Pinky….and it does!

The ferry was a little late and the bicycles all had to wait for the cars to drive off before we could leave. So I started riding again at 8:30pm. It doesn’t get dark here until really late and it was actually a lovely ride. This place is really beautiful!

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I arrived at the hostel just after 10pm. Instructions and a key were left out for me. I’ve showered , eaten the last of my broccoli ( I needed some nutrition today) and am about to turn out the light. 

Goodnight!

I am here

[loiswolf]

Day 45 July 6 Ullapool- Contin 62kms

Day 45 July 6 Ullapool - Contin 62kms

A rest day yesterday was a very good idea. The weather was miserable so I was pretty happy not to be out on the bike. I had booked 2 nights at the hostel thinking I could cycle a bit up to the north and back without panniers. Nup! Not in that weather. I did a walk up to the local castle for a look

Through the nice grounds

Then had a look around the shops. I even had a sleep in the afternoon so I must have been tired. The hostel was pretty busy because of the rain and there were 9 women in my dorm the first night, and 7 last night. It doesn’t sound great but they were all nice quiet girls and I slept well.

On the first night I met two ladies from Estonia.

They were Evelyn and Terje who had just finished walking the length of the islands I had just cycled. They had carried all their camping gear over 11 nights staying in hostels only a couple of times. Wow! I couldn’t understand how they didn’t have sore feet. They couldn’t understand why I don’t have a sore bottom. I guess some people are built for different things. 

They were interested in my travels and were even keen to go out to the shed to meet Shirley.

They were on the ferry to Ullapool this morning along with Robbie, the Scottish walker I’d met in Tarbert and two other cyclists Neil and Ian who kept popping up everywhere. They were on the ferry to Tarbert and the hostel last night and today I caught them at a rest area when I stopped to use the toilet.

They really didn’t have the right gear and Ian didn’t even have gears on his bike. They seemed to manage quite well anyway.

The ferry today left Stornoway at 8am.

It was a pleasant crossing which I had done before as well as the ride today. I would have really liked to take a different route up across Scotland towards the east then north to Thurso but finding accommodation was impossible. Apparently you have to book about 2 years ahead to get anything decent, not a few days as is my usual style.

So I’ve had to double back toward Inverness. 

Today was a ride I have done before but it is really lovely and I enjoyed it anyway.

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At 36kms I stopped at the same hotel I stopped last time. Three years ago I had a stale scone. Today I had a stale piece of chocolate cake.

I missed having Peter and Donald for company whom I met up with last time, however I found Noel and Ian down the road and cycled the final 15kms with them. There had been a big hill at around 20kms but after that it was just one great big cruisy downhill ride. We couldn’t work out how there could be so much downhill , but we weren’t complaining.

I’m staying at a rather nice motel/ guesthouse. The reviews mentioned a fridge and microwave in the room so I purchased a frozen meal for dinner tonight in Ullapool. However, when Womba ( the owner) showed me to my room, there was neither. He was kind enough to find me another room with the required facilities.

I was pretty happy to watch the end of the 2nd stage of the Tour de France while enjoying a coffee and two bagels with butter and honey ( the first one was so good I had to have a second)

Tomorrow is going to be a very long day and I’m going to end up somewhere completely different again. .

[loiswolf]

Day 44 July 4 Tarbert Isle of Harris - Stornoway Isle of Lewis 58kms

Day 44 July 4 Tarbert Isle of Harris - Stornoway Isle of Lewis 58kms

Ugh! Rain! All night long and the forecast was for it to continue all day. 

At least I got to use all the waterproof gear I’ve been carrying around the past two months.

Last night I had the female dorm all to myself. It was on the top floor so technically I had the penthouse for the bargain price of £24. Sometimes these hostels are absolutely packed full and sometimes, like the last 2 nights, they aren’t. At least I had people to talk to because there were several guests staying in other rooms. 

I managed to waste enough time eating breakfast, talking and packing to delay start until almost 10am. We all had to be out by then.

Dressed for the first time in my “waterproof “ pants, Pinky and Orancho I set off up the hill away from Tarbert. I remembered the first hills quite well from three years ago. However the weather was quite different so I’m going to cheat today and post photos from last time. 

The only photo I stopped to take was of this water gushing from the rocks at the side of the road. 

There were similar gushing eruptions roughly every twenty meters. They’ve had a lot of rain! 

Again I must have pushed pretty hard yesterday because my legs weren’t particularly excited about those hills. Luckily I had a very strong tailwind helping me from behind. It was very strong!

The outlook was still pretty even though the day was quite dismal. Fake photo…

At the top of one of the biggest climbs the road twisted around to the other direction for a short time. Seriously, it was like being in a cyclone. It was actually scary trying to keep Shirley on the road. 

I recognised most of the countryside..

At 20 kilometres I passed the sign for Isle of Lewis. It still seems bizarre that you are suddenly on a different island in the middle of the landmass. This photo was taken in Lewis last time. There is no discernible difference between the “islands”.

There were many more hills to climb before I reached my cafe at 35kms. I was pretty happy to see it as I was really hungry by then. I no longer have enough fat stores to keep me going for long distances without food. 

The cafe was just as I remembered it. It’s  a community hall and today was some special event where you made a donation instead paying for what you ate. I had a hot chocolate since there was only instant coffee 😞 The slice was some kind of rocky road thing and provided enough sugar to get me to Stornoway. 

There were a couple of cyclists leaving just as I arrived. They were going the other direction. I really didn’t envy  them and warned them about the cyclonic conditions at the top of the mountain. Hopefully the wind and rain would have eased by the time they got there. It seemed a bit calmer for me going onward from my break.

Many, many more hills and finally I was rolling down into Stornoway. I was at the hostel early but I really wanted to get out of my wet things and have a shower so I went in anyway. The girl was fine about checking me in. I won’t have a room to myself tonight as the hostel is very busy. The rain brings in all the campers and walkers who want to get dry. They have a washing machine? Yay! 

My clothes are already in the dryer. I snuck my backpack into the washing machine too as it was indescribably filthy. Checking the blog from last time I was here, I did the same thing. However I was able to dry it in the sun. Tonight it is in the drying room. , I’ve had a shower and been to the shops, and I’m dry! 

I booked 2 nights here because I was planning to do some extra cycling further north and back without panniers. 

This won’t be happening if it’s still raining. I’ll be staying right where I am now!

[loiswolf]

Day 43 Isle of Benbecula - Tarbert 86kms

Day 43 July 3 Isle of Benbecula- Tarbert 86kms

The sound of the wind howling outside this morning was not a particularly pleasant one. Neither was the lashing rain running down the window. It was early and there was always time for things to improve.

The hostel was so quiet with no one else in it. I made breakfast and spent more time trying to work out my ongoing agenda….even though I told myself I wasn’t going to. Oh, well, it’s a good time waster even if it is stressful.

Packed and ready to leave by 9am I walked out of my accommodation.

The good news was that the wind was blowing from the south. Yay! A tailwind!

It was pretty easy riding for a while with mostly flat roads and the wind helping. Most of the roads here are only one lane so they have these passing places. Lots of them! 

I don’t know why they just don’t make it a lane each way. There is a complicated etiquette involving waiting in the passing place when you see someone ahead, or for me, coming from behind. You have to take into consideration the gradient and the speed both parties are travelling. Waving is also very important. 😁

Even though the sun wasn’t out it was still a very enjoyable ride to start with. There is an incredible wild beauty to these islands with and without sunshine. 

Coming up to a T intersection I had to decide whether to go left or right. Google maps said right…..so I went left. The distance looked about the same but I thought it might be more scenic.

Happy with my decision I set off with the wind hitting me from the left. It wasn’t too bad until it was joined by driving rain. No longer happy with my decision I pulled up in front of something that looked like a community centre. 

Hmmm, the door was unlocked so I went in.

Hmmm, there was a lovely cafe about to open where the girls were bringing out freshly baked delicious looking pastries. Do I have an internal radar or something? There wasn’t even a sign. 

It was too good not to stay and I had plenty of time to spare. Here is a photo of the incredibly delicious brioche topped with custard and raspberries  still warm from the oven. 

The rain had stopped by the time I left so I only had a few more kilometres to deal with the side wind before I turned south again.

It was a really quiet road. Being mostly blown along is a lot of fun however it wasn’t long before the road swung around to the right and I was being hit by wind from the right. And rain! 

I paused in a bus shelter for a few minutes until it passed then set off again.

The road turned a few more times and even though the sky was grey the water was a lovely pale crystal blue.

Once  over the causeway and 50kms done I was at the ferry. Bypassing the ferry terminal I headed up the road a little way to the Beneray cafe and shop. 

Another coffee and some hot chips consumed I visited the shop to get something for dinner then headed down to the ferry terminal.

By the time I boarded the ferry I was freezing. It was warm enough inside but I was worried about being cold when I disembarked at Leverburgh. 

There was still a long ride when I left the ferry at 3:25 but it wasn’t cold. 

It was a beautiful ride and I had to stop often to take photos.

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Also to take layers off before a big hill I knew I had to climb before tearing down the other side into Tarbert. 

My host at the hostel had told me I wouldn’t get there by 5:30 ….my estimate, but he didn’t count on the tail wind and the awesome team Shirley and I make.

We arrived at 5:20. 😁

It’s a long day when there’s a ferry ride in the middle. Tomorrow there is no ferry and I’m covering ground I’ve cycled before. That’s ok when the scenery is this beautiful!

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[loiswolf]

Day 42 July 2 Isle of South Uist - Isle of North Uist 48kms

Day 42 July 2 Isle of South Uist - Isle of North Uist 41kms

It wasn’t really even 41kms today. I managed to add about 20 extra kilometres with some variations to the route. Knowing it was going to be such a short ride I was happy to divert a couple of times.

I hung out in my pod until checkout time managing to avoid a sudden downpour. It didn’t rain the rest of the day. 

This is what I was looking at from the bedroom end of my pod back over the other side of the main road.

Yesterday you saw plenty of beaches but today was more lovely inland farms and lakes.

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I’d checked the map and noticed there was a castle. This was my first diversion towards the coast. There was a break wall between myself and the beach but you can smell the ocean here when you get close. It’s not a bad smell, just a salty smell. 

I had to wheel back and take a photo of this sign simply because I’ve never seen one like it before.

The castle wasn’t much to look at and it was fenced off so you can’t access it.

It didn’t matter. I continued on the back road which was signed the cycle route anyway. It met up with the main road eventually. Lots of pretty lakes to look at

And at just the right time I saw a sign pointing to a cafe. Time for another diversion. This one also ended up near the coast but was more rewarding.

Again I got bogged down trying to book things ahead. I really shouldn’t do that on my break but it’s good to get a start on it. I became stuck at a ferry booking because it wanted verification from my Australian mobile number. I’ve actually lost my SIM card from back home so this is totally impossible. Sigh! So far I’ve been able to use Apple Pay or PayPal but for some reason I couldn’t. I have managed to get around it now. 😬

Due to my stressed condition on leaving the cafe I missed a turn and enjoyed a few extra scenic miles in  the wrong direction. 🤣

Back on track I passed more beautiful blue lakes

Then approached the Causeway between islands. Another sign I’d never seen before

 A stop at the co-op to get something for dinner took up more time so I managed to stretch out my riding time until 2:30. I’m staying in the Nunton House Hostel and checkin wasn’t until 3. 

After waiting outside in the cold for half an hour I rang the doorbell. No-one there so I rang the number on the sign at the door.

Donald told me to go straight in because the door wasn’t locked. Doh! I could have been inside instead of slowly getting colder waiting outside. 

Donald took a while looking for my booking then to my surprise told me I was the only guest tonight. I’ve got the whole place to myself….for £30!! This is very good value considering how much I’ve been paying for one room….or a pod, the last few nights. The hostel at Castlebay was full two nights ago and I couldn’t get a bed. Weird! I’m in hostels for the next three nights so maybe they might be empty ish too. It would be nice to have some company though.

Tomorrow is not a short day. Because of my limited accommodation options I have another ferry to catch with quite a lot of distance either side. 

I’m sure Shirley and I are up to the task.

[loiswolf]

Day 41 July 1 Castlebay- Isle of South Uist 61kms

Day 41 July 1 Castlebay Barra Island - Isle of South Uist 61kms

So this morning I woke up to this!

Yes, a perfect day! Even though they have a saying here that ‘no two days are the same unless they are rubbish’, the fine weather is supposed to continue for the rest of the week.

Last night after leaving the ferry I rode up the  hill to find my accommodation was the first building. 

Makes things easy. I checked into my nice but expensive room and quickly unpacked. Walking a loop through the village in search of something for dinner I found nearly every recommendation to be closed or about to close. I walked back up the hill passing by my accommodation to the hotel where I was told they would do a takeaway. Like very other local piece of information I’d been given, this too turned out to be incorrect. 

The prices on the menu were more than I had slipped into my purse and I really didn’t want to sit there alone in my grotty travelling clothes. 

While I was deliberating over my options a couple of other cycling ladies from the ferry walked in. They were happy to sit with me and after inspecting the menu we realised we could order the child’s meal which was more affordable. We all had fish and chips with salad for £11 and enjoyed our meals and each other’s company thoroughly. 

Waking up to a beautiful fine day this morning with a view over the harbour and the ferry leaving was definitely a highlight. After consuming a large breakfast I left the panniers at the BnB and cycled south to the island of Vatersay. Words are not enough to describe how beautiful it was so here are a few photos

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After cycling right to the end of the road I turned around and started riding back. Stopping to use the amenities I started talking to a tall youngish man who turned out to be Australian. There was a steep hill back to Castlebay ( as there was coming out ) so I was glad I didn’t have all my luggage.

I stopped at the co-op to buy something for dinner, managed to arrange everything thing on the bike ( not sure what state it would  be in when I arrived this evening) then popped back to the Airbnb to retrieve my panniers. 

Next section of today’s ride was around the west side of the island. It was beautiful too!

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There were even some surf beaches. It looked a bit like Australia but really unspoiled. 

My ferry was not until 15:45 so I had plenty of time. When I thought I was somewhere near the ferry terminal I decided to speed up to see if I could make an earlier ferry. Nup, it was well and truly gone and it was 4 hours until the next one. There was another beach to the north to explore with an unpronounceable name so I took the road out that way. 

Another lovely place!

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Even though google maps had not earmarked the airport as a possible coffee venue I decided to try it anyway. Success! 

I indulged in a piece of malteeser rocky road with my coffee and did some work on my onward journey, its really difficult to know whether to book accommodation or the ferry first, not knowing if either will be available on the date you want. It’s stressful! 

Not wanting to be stressed on such a beautiful day in such a stunning place I abandoned the admin and cycled back up the to headland I’d noticed earlier. Here’s Shirley enjoying the view

I removed my socks and sandals and walked out to check the water temperature. Amazingly it was warm! Note: the temperature here is not like they are experiencing in England and the rest of Europe. I’m in long sleeves and a neck warmer….its pretty cold. The Australian friend I met earlier had acclimatised and was wearing crocs, t-shirt and shorts which is why I spoke to him. Bradley said he’s been living in Glasgow for eight years and thinks it really is summer here. 🤣

Eventually I cycled back to the ferry terminal to start writing this and wait. Eventually we were boarded and Shirley was parked next to an ancient but very loved old Raleigh bicycle owned by a girl called Alex. 

When we arrived at Eriskay we were met by a very large hill. 

I took a couple of photos on the way up and still managed to get to the top first. 

Alex caught me because I took a wrong turn….google maps was confusing, I don’t like it when it’s upside down. There was 20kms to cover before I reached my Airbnb. The first half went quick because I was chatting to Alex. She stopped to buy some eggs at the egg box

I myself feel that eggs and bicycles are not a good combination. Alex turned off shortly after and I continued on. It was a nice easy ride but I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to find my accommodation. I’m staying in a pod!

Fortunately I had good directions and was able to see it from the road before I even reached it. It’s so cute! But there is no wifi so I’ll be posting this a day late, sorry. 😞 

looking out now my pod.

[loiswolf]

Day 40 June 30 Dalmally - Oban 43kms ferry to Castlebay

Day 40 June 30 Dalmally - Castlebay Barra Island 43kms + 5 hour ferry ride

When I wake up in the morning I sometimes find it really hard to imagine where I’ll be at the end of the day. Today was one of those days.

There wasn’t a big hurry to leave my guesthouse but I woke early, procrastinated a little, ate a quick breakfast ( mostly food taken from yesterday’s breakfast) and was ready to leave a little after 8am. 

The morning was overcast but there was still plenty of lovely things to look at.

This church ( now a hotel and tea room)

Then I was cycling along another loch

Again I had to pull over occasionally to let traffic pass or wave someone through if I could see the road ahead was clear enough to overtake. I kind of enjoy directing traffic this way…it appeals to my bossy nature. There were a few hills which my legs did not appreciate today. I think I might have pushed a little harder than usual yesterday. More lochs,

A bridge over some rapids

And there was only another 10kms to Oban. 

Three years ago I cycled into Oban from the other direction but I was really early for the ferry so I did a ride to the north on a cycle route then returned via the road. Hmmm, which way to go? It was starting to rain and apparently the cycle route had less hills so I took that route which was slightly longer. Mr Google had conveniently forgotten about a couple of short sharp hills on the bike path but a sign reminded me they would be there. 

After donning Pinky I tackled the path which was scenic and quiet. I walked the first steep hill but the rest were ok. It was too wet to take photos so I’ll put in a couple from 2022.

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I had a couple of things to do before going to the ferry terminal and plenty of time to accomplish my missions. First I stopped in front of a bank. I withdrew cash without any trouble and I think without all the extra fees I was charged in Salisbury. Too easy!

Next I headed up the road to Lidl. Unsurprisingly I wasn’t the only cycle tourist stocking up with cheap bakery good. I’m not sure how I managed to fit all my goodies on Shirley and in my backpack but I did. 

I had planned to go back into the town for a coffee but the turnoff to the ferry terminal appeared first so I took it. There were a lot of cyclists there! 

Leaving Shirley outside I went in to retrieve my ticket I’d purchased online and get changed into some dry clothes. I have some sort of Reynard’s disease and I had temporarily lost the feeling in my fingertips…..so next was a coffee at the small cafe next to the terminal to bring life back into my hands up again. 

Once finished I wheeled Shirley over to where the other cyclists were waiting and talked to a few of them.

Soon it was time to board. I wasn’t very happy about putting Shirley in this bike mashup but I didn’t get to choose. I’m sure she will come out unscathed in her usual fashion. 

This ferry ride is a really long one, nearly five hours. I’ll include a photo so you can see where I am. I’ll be getting off at a  little place called Castlebay on the island of Barra. It’s the starting point for the next five days of cycling through the islands. There will be another two shorter ferry rides and several causeways.

I just hope the weather improves!

Looking a little hopeful out my window.