To the very South

The journey south continued in the same style across South Uist. There are some impressive rocky hills to the east of the Uists but by good design all the roads run along the flatter parts.  I took a quick detour to look at Tobha Mor hostel, one of three run by a trust on the islands.  It was beautiful, with a traditional thatched roof anchored by big stones.  You can't book: just turn up and take an unoccupied bed.  I started to see quite a few cyclists coming the other way, most cycle-camping judging by their voluminous panniers and other bags attached at every point.

I needed to get a bit further so I carried on to Daliburgh and a very nice bunkhouse - it should be called a hostel as it has all the facilities.   So much better than last night!  With the help of a Co-op round the corner,  I prepared a balanced meal: macaroni cheese, yoghurt, and banana, washed down by copious cups of tea. Oh, and a pint of Dark Star ale.

It seemed my luck was in. A good night's sleep,  and there was a ferry at 07:50 the next morning to Oban, stopping at Castlebay on Barra, the southernmost island.  There are only three sailings a week so my timing was ideal.  And since I was coming back past Daliburgh, I could leave my panniers!  

Monday dawned overcast and calm, we set off from Lochboisdale. Like Lochmaddy, it's a small place at a rocky inlet with facilities for a big ferry.  A dozen or so Scottish cyclists were on their way to Oban for more cycling.  They had had a heavy night on the beach last night and were intent on sleeping it off in the observation lounge.  It all makes my efforts seem a bit tame.

Barra isn't the MOST southerly Hebride: for that I cycled a bit south to Vatersay, or Bhatarsaigh, in Gaelic.  By the way,  I discovered how Castlebay got its name (see the photo).  Lovely white sandy beach with a wild camping site, although that seems a contradiction in terms.  Then cycled round the island following the Hebridean Way cycle route.  The weast of the Hebrides are famous for the machair environment, made of sand and shell fragments - this supports a profusion of flowers, which probably change through the summer.  Today it was mainly daisies and buttercups. 

At the north of the island is Barra's airport,  where planes use the beach as a runway.  As I arrived, a Flybe plane was just taking off,  and several more light aircraft csme and went while I was there.

The airport building also had a rather good café,  which was lucky as it was nearly noon, and the next ferry off the island wasn't until 15:45.  The café cum departure lounge cum arrivals hall got quite busy with a mix of flyers and tourists, and one wall was covered in pictures of seabirds made of shell mosaics.