I slept pretty well, considering I went to bed at 9pm, and got up at 6:30am, although I did write yesterday’s blog at 2am. It was nice getting packed up, as this I’d the first time everything is laid out and has a proper place to go. It all fitted in very well, although I had to throw away my trusty Hind rain jacket – I will buy another. Although talking of jackets, it was a really nice morning and perhaps I was hasty with my purchase yesterday (don’t worry I’m 100% sure I’ll need it – but I always have an optimistic outlook).

I headed off before 8:30, for the short ride into Oban. The last ferry check in time was 10am, which gave time for a small breakfast and a coffee in Wetherspoons, and sat right next to a plug that I had spotted yesterday.

I joined the bicycle queue for the ferry to Barra (the second most southerly island making up the Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles) and is clearly very popular with cyclists. There must have been at least 30 bikes in the queue and a real variety of cyclists. A few on full tourers like mine, plenty of “bike packers”, a good few ordinary cyclists with stuff bungeed anywhere it would fit, and a few guys on carbon road bikes and very small rucsacs. It just goes to show you can use whatever bike you want, and ride the Hebridian Way in whatever style you want. There were a couple of really heavily loaded e-bikes, ridden, I suspect Dutch tourists, but the least said about these, the better!

Us cyclists boarded the ferry first, and tied the bikes to a rail all around the vehicle deck before heading up and grabbing the best seats. It was just then a case of waiting for the nearly 5 hour sailing. Its amazing how far away the Outer Hebrides are, almost 150 km from Oban. I passed the time, writing this blog, charging my phone, and pouring scalding hot coffee over my arm. I wouldn’t recommend the latter, and time will tell how it turns out!

It also gave me a chance to check my plans. It should be said that these plans are on my printer output tray at home! Therefore are not the best laid plans. Luckily I had stuck a copy on the fridge, so Liz was able to photograph a copy for me.After a good lunch we eventually arrived at Castlebay on the island of Barra, at 3:30pm.

All the other cyclists headed off, but I hung around town looking for the public toilets, where my information said I should find water. I was very low after the “boil notice” campsite. The toilets did have a tap, in a basin and I was able to fill my bottle about halfway. It should be fine. I then headed off south towards the island of Vatersay, where the Hebridian Way starts. I could see a few cyclists ahead, and passed one or two that had stopped to fiddle with their luggage or enjoy the view. It definitely had nothing to do with the 12.5% (up)hill. Although I did find it necessary to take off my coat halfway up, and enjoy the view from the top.

The road dropped down onto a causeway which linked Vatersay to Barra. I got to where my information said the route started, which was marked, in a very incognito way, by a bus shelter. Perhaps I should have done some research! I recall my niece wrote something in her blog when she cycled here, but there was no signal to check. Upon checking when writing this, she did find some sort of monument, but completely missed the bus shelter!

It was strange that I’d not seen any (many) of the cyclists from the ferry, but it became clearer on my return journey. Retracing my route back towards Castlebay, all (a lot of) the cyclists on the ferry were heading towards me. None of them had bags, so they must have dropped their luggage at their accommodation and started cycling. This does sound like cheating to me. The e-bike gang appeared with no luggage, this is definitely cheating on many levels. One of the ladies couldn’t have been a day over 80, so absolutely no reason to be e-biking!

I decided to head to the northern end of Barra, closer to the ferry to the next island (Eriskay). This involve a very dramatic ride along the western coast. Plenty of surfers out on lovely white beaches. If only it had been warm, and even at 6pm is seemed rather dim.

I cycled past the turning to the Eriskay ferry (last ferry 5:30 pm) towards Barra Airport. Now, Barra Airport uses the beach as a runway. Unfortunately the tide was in so I didn’t get to see any flights. It looks like there are two flights a day to Glasgow – certainly quicker than train >cycle >ferry >cycling, and possibly more exciting (the landing)!

The Barra North Sands campsite was a short hop later. This is the type of campsite I love. On the face of it very basic, but so much nicer and cared for than the bigger sites. Just opening the door into the Mens Toilet block was like entering another world. Instantly out of the wind, into the warm with music playing and great facilities with spacious showers and toilets. It was only £10 a night – with £1 for a long shower. The custodian took pity on me and threw in the £1. He said he had been watching my brand new luminous jacket approach from miles away!

I cooked dinner, had a shower and did some washing (not in that order), so I’m getting back into the swing of cycle camping!

And my scald has turned into a pretty tasty blister!