Henry is off the lead!

[in4]

Betty Hill was beautiful but her weather was dreadful 🌧️ 💨
7am I’m on the road.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5wSk25PYaSoYSBqG7?g_st=iw

The part following the River Naver was fabulous the rest was an endurance. Some very testing miles and weather through remote places.

After overnighting in Lairg and feasting well (inc a wee 🥃 one of which I’ve not had for years!)

I followed this route to Ullapool. It was spectacularly good. A few hills, a few gear 14 miles, a bit of free-wheeling and a 45kmh bit just for sheer fun. My best day so far.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pGkLRNUtF18Mg9Uf8?g_st=com.apple.sharing.quick-note

A few photos en-route showing the spectacular terrain and the presence of a strange object in the sky 🌞

I had a moment in the tin church. I played a few hymns on the harmonium/pedal organ. You pump the organ’s bellows whilst playing the keyboard. My legs took a moment to adjust to using a different muscle group.

[JohnR]

Betty Hill was beautiful but her weather was dreadful 🌧️ 💨
7am I’m on the road.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5wSk25PYaSoYSBqG7?g_st=iw

The part following the River Naver was fabulous the rest was an endurance. Some very testing miles and weather through remote places.

That's the reverse of the route I pedalled on my LEJOG but I had the benefit of fair weather and a van to carry the baggage. While there are no nasty hills, a head wind in such an open area feels like going up a perpetual hill. How is the wind farm between Altnaharra and the Crask Inn progressing?

[Matt2matt2002]

Betty Hill was beautiful but her weather was dreadful 🌧️ 💨
7am I’m on the road.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5wSk25PYaSoYSBqG7?g_st=iw

That's part of the route for my End2End of Scotland back in '14. That's 2014 - I'm not that old !
Fully self supported.......

I passed through Lairg recently and the camp site had gone. Where did you stay out of interest? Wild camp amongst the thistles?

Great trip - congratulations.

Best  Matt

[Andre Jute]

One of the special privileges of belonging to a quality touring forum is the vicarious tours one can take in places you won't be returning to (or ever reach) through the members' never less than literate reports and always exceptional photographs.

My favourite in the latest two sets from Ian is the view of Old Man of Hoy, which I had off the deck of a dismasted yacht with all the electronics out, knowing by dead reckoning that we were in a dangerous situation, swinging a leadline from the bow so that pride in my navigation didn't drop us from catastrophe into a dangers of the seas statistic, as the mist suddenly parted to almost ten yards visibility. You'll understand that I like Ian's calm if rugged photograph much better than the feeling of all that granite enfolding my shipmates and me in the moment's glimpse that long-ago day before I ran for the wheel, shouting at my first mate to turn any which way, but to TURN. That was a closer acquaintance with the Old Man of Hoy than I ever wanted to have again.* Ian's photograph is closure.

*Full disclosure: I have a Goretex mountain jacket from Chris Bonington's firm, but have resisted the temptation to ask if Bonington wore that very jacket when he made the first ascent of the Old Man in 1966.

[in4]

Betty Hill was beautiful but her weather was dreadful 🌧️ 💨
7am I’m on the road.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5wSk25PYaSoYSBqG7?g_st=iw

The part following the River Naver was fabulous the rest was an endurance. Some very testing miles and weather through remote places.

That's the reverse of the route I pedalled on my LEJOG but I had the benefit of fair weather and a van to carry the baggage. While there are no nasty hills, a head wind in such an open area feels like going up a perpetual hill. How is the wind farm between Altnaharra and the Crask Inn progressing?

Thanks for replying. The wind farm looks fully operational to me. Turbines turning slowly but relentlessly. On a good day the routes remoteness and bleakness would be quite appealing. In the unforgiving wind (emanating from the Devil’s own orifice) it was quite a challenge.

[in4]

Betty Hill was beautiful but her weather was dreadful 🌧️ 💨
7am I’m on the road.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5wSk25PYaSoYSBqG7?g_st=iw

That's part of the route for my End2End of Scotland back in '14. That's 2014 - I'm not that old !
Fully self supported.......

I passed through Lairg recently and the camp site had gone. Where did you stay out of interest? Wild camp amongst the thistles?

Hi Matt. I was pretty tired arriving in Lairg so I first ate in The Pier (a tad pretentious for this scruffed-up rider anyway) so I stayed in er the highland hotel. I appreciated being able to dry out, sleep in a bed and enjoy a whopping breakfast. Lovely ladies fed me well and let me use the garage for Henry.
TBH I wanted to wild camp as much as possible. Sure it’s a cheaper option but I really enjoy being self-contained and enjoy the non-campsite experience a lot. Plus, I get to practice playing my low d whistle.
Ha! I should worry about noise. Really decent bloke on my last campsite. Goodness knows how his wife caught a moments rest given the scrofuline noises throughout the night. Bless her forbearance and perhaps she’ll sew some walnuts into his pyjama top.

[PH]

More great stuff.  The road along the Naver is one of my favorites, I've ridden it several times, apparently the other road to/from Altnaharra (Via Tongue) is almost as good, and is the NCN route.  I've intended to ride that a couple of times, but the Naver route has tempted me away!
The road to Ullapool remains on my to do list, the only time I've been there was on the coach service that takes bikes (or did) on my way to the Hebrides. I'm encouraged that you liked it, if/when I get to do it, it won't be without some effort getting there without too much repeating of previous rides.
Your night in Lairg sound like proper luxury, when in the area I've either camped at the Crask Inn or a bit further south at Carbisdale Castle when it was a SYHA hostel. The breakfast at the Crask would match any, but breakfast at the castle, surrounded by Haggis Coach Tours full of US and Japanese youth made us keen to get back on the road!

[Matt2matt2002]

More great stuff.  The road along the Naver is one of my favorites, I've ridden it several times, apparently the other road to/from Altnaharra (Via Tongue) is almost as good, and is the NCN route.  I've intended to ride that a couple of times, but the Naver route has tempted me away!
The road to Ullapool remains on my to do list, the only time I've been there was on the coach service that takes bikes (or did) on my way to the Hebrides. I'm encouraged that you liked it, if/when I get to do it, it won't be without some effort getting there without too much repeating of previous rides.
Your night in Lairg sound like proper luxury, when in the area I've either camped at the Crask Inn or a bit further south at Carbisdale Castle when it was a SYHA hostel. The breakfast at the Crask would match any, but breakfast at the castle, surrounded by Haggis Coach Tours full of US and Japanese youth made us keen to get back on the road!

I passed by the Crask Inn. Lovely folks. Offered me a free camp stop in their garden, I think it was June and as the chap pointed to the spot 20m away, I wondered why it was in a cloud. On closer inspection I found it to be midges!
Needless to say, I pushed on.
Needless to say, the ( same? ) midges were awaiting my arrival at my final camp site.

Interesting history to the Crask Inn. Others may know more than moi. I think it was connected to a church - or church folks ran it? It recently opened for the year so I suspect they close for the winter.

Cheers

Matt

[in4]

https://g.co/kgs/DH4QeX

Had a great night’s stay here. Spectacular scenery to enjoy.
Save for the Bratitude of a Reception girl (clearly temping from her course in Tik-Tok/Whateverology at the University of Surlyface) who in fairness was probably just having an off day, I’d stay again without reservation. Decent showers too.

I was up with the lark so rode into Ullapool itself and bought my ferry ticket. Time for a ubiquitous coffee too. It’s years since I was in Ullapool and even with some development it remains a lovely place. A memory lapse precluded me from remembering the B&B a mate and I used on our last visit. It was a pretty decent save for the lady of the house who smoked her own kippers around the back and finished off every sentence spoken with a worrying, manic laugh! 😂

Stornaway was way to wet to start a day’s riding so I took a look around, ate some great fish and chips and stayed in a B&B overnight.

The next morning the sun had come out to play. I was booted, suited and gone. Quite a long but fabulous day’s ride up to the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse and an overnight stop at a campsite in Shawbost.

Some spectacular and barren landscapes interspersed with great sea views, cliffs and beaches. 67 miles all told. One of my best days so far. Incidentally much of this route forms part of The Hebridean Way.

[Matt2matt2002]

Nice pix. I stayed in Stornoway but never attempted the Butt. Too far for a round trip and weather had closed in so didn't fancy a soggy night camping out.

Heading South now? All the way to Castlebay? I've done it both ways. I think it was easier heading South.

Some ferries didn't ask for payment. They just wanted ££ from the car folks.

Best  Matt

[in4]

After leaving Shawbost I continued to head South, on The Hebridean Way. Contrary to convention (moi? Surely not!) travelling south usually entails enduring the south-westerly winds. I’d clearly appeased the Wind Deities as I enjoyed pleasant North-easterly winds. Additionally the weather was unseasonable warm with lots of sunshine. My first time riding through Harris was an absolute joy. Misty-eyed for miles and feeling thankful for my good fortune. Down past the Callanish Stones before heading east and then south west, sharing words of encouragement to fellow riders doing it the proper way round.
My euphoria was gently extinguished by The Clisham, a huge unforgiving ‘hill with no end’ just before Tarbert. Tiredness and a lack of high church resolve meant I had to get off and push for most of the hill. Younger, fitter, less laden riders can do it but me? No chance.

I must have looked a rather bedraggled sort when I arrived at the servo, just before Tarbert. ‘Is there a campsite anywhere near?’ I asked the lovely lady behind the counter. She said ‘no, but would you like to camp on our croft just down the hill?’ So, I got a loch view all to myself and a piece of cake from two passing bird watchers. The kindness of Strangers, personified.

[Danneaux]

Fantastic, wonderful photos and write-ups, Ian. I'm truly enjoying your installments!

All the best, tailwinds and godspeed,

Dan.

[PH]

More excellent stuff, great photos.  It's hard to tour the Hebrides without repeating roads, some of the best bits require riding out and back, with no loops, or maybe that's just my excuse to keep going back.  You're probably already on your way, but South of Tarbert is a tough choice, the contrast between the East and West coasts is striking, gives some understanding to the clearances. Both great rides in their own way, just so different they could be 100's of miles apart rather than a couple.

[Matt2matt2002]

Ha ha. I recall that hill. Done it both ways.
Broken many a man!

I camped at Lickisto
Interesting spot. Changed hands since my stay but lovely location.
Then waited at Leverburgh  for 4 days looking for a boat ride to St. Kilda. Weather against me. But I'll be back.

Great pictures

Best
Matt

[Andre Jute]

Super write-up, excellent photos. May all your hills run downhill, Ian!