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A trip by bicycle from Stornaway on Lewis to Lochboisdale on South Uist in the summer of 1997, July 7th - July 13th.
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A trip by bicycle from Stornaway on Lewis to Lochboisdale on South Uist in the summer of 1997, July 7th - July 13th.
Three years ago I was on my way to a two week GP attatchment in Stornaway. I was taking the slow route via Mallaig and Skye in order to enjoy the scenery. As the ferry tied up to the jetty in Armadale it was a glorious sunny day, the sea a sparkling blue, the island green with the distant Cuillin mountains visible as hazy shapes in the distace. As I waited on the deck for the gangplank to be wheeled into place, the boarding ramp for cars was already down. First off though, was not a car but two bicycles. Laden with panniers they were clearly touring and as they bumped off the end of the ramp, cycled up the jetty and away down the road I was suddenly convinced that this must be the ideal way to see the Hebrides.
The freedom and adventure of a Hebridean cycling holiday remained a dream for the intervening years, but this summer I decided that I would use a week's holiday to fulfill the dream. I bought a bike, equipped it for touring, read everything I could about the Outer Hebrides and then finally set off one sunny Saturday morning on the train, bound for Inverness and adventure...
Day 1 |
Inverness - Garve - Ullapool |
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Day 2 |
Ullapool - Stornoway - Arnol - Shawbost - Garenin |
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Day 3 |
Garenin - Carloway - Callinish - Tarbet - Luskentyre |
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Day 4 |
Luskentyre - Na Buirgh - Leverburgh - Roghadal |
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Day 5 |
Roghabal - Leverburgh - Port na Long - Traigh Iar |
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Day 6 |
Traigh Iar - Beinn Langais - Clachan na Luib - Balivanich - Liniclate |
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Day 7 |
Liniclate - Kildonan - Lochboisdale |
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Postscript |
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