Sunday 5^th

North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist

The causeway is not far from the village of Borve where we stayed on Berneray. Opened in 1999 by Prince Charles who had a special affinity with the people here, it spans across the sea to North Uist for 0.9km. We liked the way natural stone blocks have been used- not concrete and it sits well in the landscape. Care has been made to provide culverts for otters and efforts were made to discourage rabbits from crossing to Berneray as the islanders feared a plague of them would upset the local ecology. Some rabbits have been spotted though we didn’t see any signs.

On North Uist we passed little lochs, salmon farms and a forest with a deer sign. Pink, mauve, purple, white heathers were everywhere. A short- eared owl was out hunting in one of the dry spells. N. uist is so low lying that half the total area is under water.

It rained hard and we wore capes which we struggled to keep down over us as the wind whipped them up. They were on and off a few times.

After 20 miles we came to a hotel at Carinish right by the road instead of a mile or two down a side road. It was quiet and the girl behind the bar came from Bolton- not so far from us. We had plenty for lunch as we’d found the ride exhausting and then set off towards the series of causeways to Benbecula.

 The tide was rushing in. The first causeway touches Grimsay on its way to Benbecula. There are 3 bridges along the single- track road that sits on top of the causeway for 5 miles, Carinish to Gramisdale.2 bridges allow for boats to reach the main channels and 1 is for drainage. Each mile of causeway road has 9 passing places to each mile. In 1960 the Queen Mother opened this replacement for the North Ford, which was a dangerous route only passable for a short window and beside quick sand.

Part of Benbecula seems to be given over to the Ministry of Defence, which deceptively made the airport look enormous. Starlings gathered on the rooves and chimneys making minor murmurations. On the mown grassy areas plenty of birds pecked away- they seem attracted to airports we’ve noticed.

This is the largest place that we have seen in the Hebrides- apart from Portree, that could be a small town. Ballvanich must have grown of it must have grown with the MOD presence, especially the many terraced houses seemingly made from concrete. In a lovely craft shop we were told there is a restaurant beside the bank- both were set back from the road and if we hadn’t been informed we would have gone by. At 3pm plenty of people were eating but we settled for a comfort stop and tea. We are about 28 miles from the last B and B. Lots of motorists have passed us waving vigorously and giving us the thumbs up but we have seen 2 other tandems today- going north like every- one else!

 We took the longer coast road passing a supermarket not dissimilar to Waitrose that is open till 4 on   Sunday. We passed a closed visitors- centre and a large school with a sports complex attached. The rain is coming now fast and sharp and we are very wet. It has been over 35 miles. We found the B and B, a deserted bungalow. We didn’t think 4 an unreasonable time to arrive. I asked Bob to see if we had a message on his phone. She had left one saying she would be back after 5.

We decided to go to the Isle of Benbecula House Hotel where I had booked us a table for the evening. At least we’d be warm and dry. There was hardly anyone in the dining room so they didn’t mind giving us our roast lamb early.

The house still looked a bit friendless with a rotten wooden B and B sign laying in the porch. We weren’t that confident this would turn out OK. The lady came eventually but seemed a bit confused. It turned out that she is on the point of retiring. Anyway she’d had no more than a few words with us and she was out again after saying we could sit in the TV room ( the bedroom was small) Comfy chairs and I was nearly asleep but when we went to bed and our host still hadn’t come back I couldn’t sleep. A long time later I heard a cough and realised she was back. The wind and rain pelted against the windows- it was wild!

Monday

Our clothes were dry by morning. We couldn’t smell breakfast which when it came- possibly cooked in a microwave- was very poor compared to all that given by the generous hosts we’d encountered so far. It was an expensive stay too at £80!

We were back in our cycle capes not long after setting off at 9 and out trousers were wet through again. We passed sand dunes. Bob decided to sit on a tarpaulin in front of a farm gate. I was just totally defeated by the weather but felt better after a rock cake bought on Harris ( they had  kept well)

Then the farmer arrived with a tractor and we had to move on. Sometime after 10 we noticed we were making a shadow on the road and people were cycling towards us in T shirts and shorts. Work is going on to boost electricity here, putting up new posts and reinforcing the power line. We can hear the rhythmical driving in of the posts on the hill. It has been hillier in south than north Uist.

15 miles into the day we came across the first place with a café a museum and craft shop. This place is busy compared to most we’ve been to. A group of cyclists have been brought here by van and they are off on hired bikes with their guide. Meals are served from 12 and we enjoyed our jacket potatoes and for a pound extra, a huge plate of flaked smoked salmon- too much though.

I particularly liked the medieval carved Clanranald Armorial Stone in this, the Kildonan Centre. It depicted a hand with a cross or sceptre, a bird, horse, castle and boat. It was the story that intrigued me of how it was stolen by 2 young men and only after the untimely death of her son did the mother discover it with photos of how they accomplished the theft, while clearing out his flat. It is large and heavy and now thought to be cursed. I could have spent a lot longer looking at the interesting exhibits of life on Uist, but the sun was shining so we pressed on.

Another 8 miles brought us to a café at Kilbride Campsite. Beside this is a high walled garden of historical note from Bonnie Prince Charlie’s time. Just inside the walls is a craft shop. The family grow produce for the household needs and spin, dye, knit, crotchet, weave and felt with the wool (mostly black) from their own Hebridean sheep.

At last the sun is really out as we go through W. Kilbride and we can see the causeway to Eriskay ahead.