Wednesday 1^st August

Skye to Harris including Scalpay

After our gentle crossing from Raasay we arrived back in Sconser and set off straight away on the busy main road and only route to Portree- the “capital” of Skye. There was a lot of climbing. The ride’s highlight was a fantastic rainbow arching and touching the water of the loch, in the clearest of colours through the fine rain.

This picture doesn't do it justice.

 

Several people stopped in cars and even a coachload of tourists- just to capture it on camera. Long descents made it worth the slow climbs. Wild raspberries and many flowers, particularly more fuchsia, seemed to grow well here.

Portree was humming with tourists of every nationality and they spilled out of the eating places that were open. Two very young lads were busking, playing the bagpipes, with an adult, hopefully not exploiting them, but definitely in charge. We found a café with as many tables crammed in as possible. Bob went to park the bike where it wouldn’t cause an obstruction and I sat down. A rather rude bearded fellow plonked himself down opposite me. I told him Bob was coming but he said that that made only two of us- he was certainly invading my space! The waitress thought we were a couple when I ordered. He was very disagreeable when there wasn’t something on the menu he fancied and he left in a huff before Bob returned. Thank goodness! Pea soup and toasties later we were back on route, stopping only to buy some bike straps from a tucked away bike shop beside the Youth Hostel.

It had brightened up and we stayed dry. We had to pull the bike over quite a lot even though the road was less busy than before Portree. There wasn’t anywhere to stop until nearly in Uig – the Uig Hotel 30 miles from Sconser. We’d tried to get a room here, but they were fully booked. The meals looked good, but we only had a drink. After riding down the steep hill towards the ferry port we realised we might not want to cycle back up for an evening meal.

Uig is tiny!! Calmac has a largish office opposite the ferry and we went to find out about tickets. Bob had paid on line. The official said she was just printing tomorrows off – they were coming off in a stream piled high-so could we come back at 8 am. It had just started to rain and we were feeling cold. Our B and B lady had said she wouldn’t be in until after 5 as she worked in a charity shop. She only B and B’d occasionally and we were lucky to find somewhere. We had soon seen all there was in Uig and there weren’t any charity shops so she must be in Portree. It was dry and there were chairs in the Calmac office so we went back for somewhere to wait to find that our tickets were ready for us, but we would still have to report there in the morning, being with bikes. Bizarre! The office is open till after 7 today.

Two border collies took offense from our tandem as we went up the lane at 5 oclock. They ran at us, hackles rising, chasing us down the B and B’s drive. They brought out our host who thought we’d brought dogs with us! They soon skidaddled back to their own, once we set feet to ground. What is it about turning bike wheels? Is it the noise dogs can’t tolerate? Dog aggression is always worse when we are on the bigger bike than solos.

This turned out to be a very sociable stay as we had a lot in common and shared the house space. She tried booking us a table at the Ferry Inn, but the phone number didn’t work. She found out online that it was for sale. It looked like we’d be eating at the Pier Restaurant- the only other option.

It was actually a tasty meal, served by young waiters dressed in black- rather incongruous with the café like set up. My carrot and orange soup was lovely and Bob had his favourite cuillen skink, both followed by more fish dishes. Well it is at the sea.

Thursday morning we had an early breakfast and still unsure of the bike protocol we went back to the ticket office. A different girl from yesterday tore up our tickets and gave us back our boarding cards that we expected to leave at the desk. Then she told us to go down to the boat before the vehicles disembarked, which we did. We were first on after the boat had emptied but they didn’t want our boarding cards.

It was a large boat with comfortable seating. People were buying breakfast though it took ages for them to do self service coffee and then pay for it. The trip to Tarbert on Harris cost us £6.30 each one way and it would take 1 and half hours. We sat away from the engine at the front, where it was quiet. The sea was calm. While I fetched Bob a coffee (it took some time) he saw a pod of dolphins. I did manage to see a gannet with its yellow facial streak as it crossed over the prow of the ship and then a puffin skimming the sea’s surface but I was disappointed!

We were last off the boat at Tarbert. We had booked a car for today and tomorrow, so we rode around Tarbert looking for the car hire office. Meanwhile a man waited for us at the pedestrian exit. After a quick call we were told to look for a man with a moustache! I found him with a clip board and another passenger in tow who wanted our car if we didn’t turn up. It looked an unlikely size for the tandem to fit in, but as the man said it was bigger than our Corsa. It must have been the bright orange colour that made it look smaller. I’m sorry to say that it was a relief to stow the tandem away for a little while at least. The agent and a friendly policeman watched as we took the bike apart and carefully loaded it in, on our blue tarpaulin.

Bob parked the car and we went in search of lunch which isn’t served till the dot of 12. We settled for 2 bacon butties from a hot food van which we ate looking out at the harbour. I looked around a craft exhibition in the civic hall- harris tweed dresses and jackets, tattered rugs, glasswork- all beautiful but not practical for us as we would soon be back on our bike with no extra space for giftware. I loved the modern look of the tweed especially the greens and mauves, but even small pieces cost a lot.

We drove out on the single- track roads. We’d hired the car because we knew we hadn’t enough time to cycle Lewis and north Harris as well as the rest of the outer Hebrides. It was raining on and off but at Ardrouilie we walked near an outward- bound centre where they had planted thousands of new and varied trees for woodland. The sun shone on us and we walked at least a couple of miles appreciating the wild flowers.

We drove to Scalpay, an island now connected to Harris by bridge. We stopped near a little white building that inside became a trendy café bistro full of home cooking. We sat on leather arm chairs surrounded by harris tweed décor with a pot if tea ( and a piece of ginger cake with butter)

We walked best part of the way to the lighthouse featured in the café sign. We were picked up by a little white terrier. It would run ahead then wait for us to catch up. We travelled at least a mile this way when a car drew up suddenly. I thought the dog might be run over as it skidded to a halt. A lady got out and started both chastising and petting it. Relieved we weren’t abducting her pet she said it had followed an American couple to the lighthouse and stayed the night in their tent. It likes tourists! she said.

Scalpay has a lot of houses and cars going up and down necessitating us to go in the gutter a few times. The playground is locked up because the equipment needs replacing. We noticed 2 free churches and passed a school that seemed for art ( maybe just for the summer) one wall can be used for low climbs with plastic foot holds. The tidal water here is supposed to be otter habitat but it being late afternoon, seeing one wasn’t likely. There were plenty of fee range chickens wandering about. There was a good idea for a bird feeder- someone had cut out bits of buoys and hung them up to contain seed. Although we seemed to walk quite a way we never saw the Eilean Glas lighthouse(1789) which is on the eastern peninsula and we know we were heading the right way. The island is only 2 ½ miles square

We drove back to Tarbert and a mile out is our B and B. We leave the car after checking in and walk back to the Harris Hotel but they have a party of 50 coming. It has a beautiful walled garden but we decide to go back to the Hebridean Hotel by the ferry terminal. It was well after 6, but we got a table and enjoyed dinner with 3 different kinds of vegetables not carrots or turnips unusually. The beer was good for both of us too. Usually it’s too bitter for me.

After walking back to the B and B we reckoned we’d walked at least 6 mile despite having the car. There was chocolate cake in our room. Mmm. The walls were quite thin and as we could hear our neighbours we decided not to watch TV but sat in the lounge with views over the Loch. A young couple were trying to capture a sunset but the sun wasn’t playing!