The Islands

Day 44 (3rd September) Adrossan to Inverneil via Arran

Miles 40.02 climbing 635 , Ferries taken 2

https://www.strava.com/activities/1824105908/embed/728cf6ec323811d8ad175314af53828adf692

This has to be one of my favourite days so far. I was excited about getting the ferry to Arran, having never been on the Islands before. .

I woke up early and had a lovely relaxing breakfast in the quietness of an empty house. I wanted to make sure I was early for the ferry, as people had said if busy it may not be possible to get the bike on. There were no problems however and I got chatting to another cyclist at the slip was way waiting to board. Dave was heading over to climb Goat fell but had taken the bike to get to and from the start. It was lovely to meet him and have company on the boat. Think I surprised him a bit saying I was cycling round the coast of Britain. I secretly love peoples reaction to that. 😁.

Photos were a definite requirement of the trip and Carly was chief photographer for a couple of shots of us. Some more company for the journey. It was slightly (understatement of the year) windy and cold however and I decided that I needed to thaw out and warm through on getting of the ferry so headed to the local hotel for a coffee. Originally Carly was planning to join me but her friend arrived early so she decided to go on and start their walk early but not before saying goodbye. She gave me a lovely hug and wished me all the best. I hadn't realised how much I needed/wanted a hug until she gave me one.....Its funny the things we take for granted when seeing friends and family, hugs are such a big part of life and give a lot of warmth and comfort - its only when not getting them as frequently that you recognise the importance.

Meeting Dave and Carly really set the day up well for me. It helped that the sun was out and even though the was a breeze it was good to feel the sun on my skin. I set off but got slightly distracted by the local shops. After going round the corner a little I was stopped by the scenery and photo opportunity. An American couple, who lived in Scotland, had stopped due to spotting some seals, had they not been there i may have completely missed them. We had a little ride up the coast to get better look and were rewarded by the larger one of the group posing for us on his rock. literally moving round on the rock to ensure we got a picture from his best side.

I had to tear myself away from the seals or would never get round the rest of the route. My route took me up the coast and was stunning,the sea was so blue and the coastline full of spectacular rock formations really stood out. All of this was in the shadow of goatfell. I loved the ride and had a smile on my face the whole time. The road then took me inland a little, up over a pass to the North shore. The road was quite long and the hilly but the water falls, heather and rock formations distracted making it go by quickly. I bumped (not literally thank goodness) into two other tourers, a mother and her daughter, who were doing a short tour of the islands. It is lovely to see family out cycling together. I cycled with them for a short time but then headed off u up the pass.

I cycled past the distillery on the way through and was tempted to stop but thought I ought to go on to the ferry port as i had a few miles (30 odd) to cycle when back on the mainland.

As I approached the ferry I met Tanya, She is touring on a recumbent trike, Island hoping and raising money and awareness for Mind. It looked a bit terrifying, if I am honest with yyou, being so close to the ground, but she was loving the experience. I cycled back with her a little way to see if I could get something to eat before the ferry, this wasn't too be, so back I went having missed lunch. It was a short ferry ride onto the mainland and I was sad to say goodbye to Arran, I would have loved to have stayed there and explore more but as a first experience of the islands I couldn't have asked for better. I feel a little bit in love with Arran that day.

The coastal ride over to the hostel was also stunning, I did eventually manage to get some food when stopping to buy dinner for the evening. I love the fact that as you are getting tired and are towards the end of the day, you have to stop for dinner ingredients, filling up your panniers and making them heavier. The hostel at Inverneil is great. It is a purpose built building and the owners are really passionate about what they are doing. They have lots of local knowledge to share and helped me think about the route the next day. The hostel looks out onto the Loch and is incredibly picturesque. Another place to add to the return to list.

Day 45 (4th September) Inverneil to Craignure

Miles 43.73 climbing 653m Ferries 1

https://www.strava.com/activities/1824105907

The sun was streaming in the window of the hostel this morning. It was an incredible view to wake up to and such a great way to set up the day. Today was to be my second venture on the islands but only after a ride up through the Mainland to Oban.

A local town had a bike shop and I had decided to stop there and check my tyre pressure and seat height etc, as I have been getting a pain in my knee and let's not even mention the saddle sore.

The route in was along a canal path, this made a nice change to the coastal path but was short lived and i wanted to get back to the stunning scenes of the Lochs anyway. On reaching the town, I found the bike store, pumped up my tyres and received some advice re the saddle. ....'it looks fine don't do anything ...your knees are probably reacting to so many days in the saddle mixed with the weight you are carrying' - fair point. I took their word for it and continued on.

It was a lot of cutting through and over peninsulas today The only other option was to go further south than i had been at Arran and going down to Campbeltown. The original plan had been to get a ferry over there but unfortunately it only runs on specific days and i was there at the wrong time. I was tempted to cycle down and back up again but this would have added two days on to the journey and meant I was effectively cycling back on myself. It was a hard decision but i decided to continue moving up the country, but that meant going over the top of the penisula.. Some people may call that cheating - really its being practical, I can't do every small stretch and the Scottish coastline goes in and out so much. Finding a sensible way up through has been tough.

Unfortunately I met with my fair share of annoying drivers on this stretch, it was a shame, as they did ruin bits of the experience for me. Can anyone please explain to me the need for people in sports cars to rev their engines as they go past cyclists. I really am not trying to compete with them - we all know they will be able to beat me. Is being slightly held up by a cyclists, on a small Scottish road really that bad? why are we all in such a hurry all the time. The scenery is stunning, it doesn't take much to slow down and take it in a little.

Having said all that the gorges, lochs and hill passes were stunning, I never get bored of the landscape, every part has its own unique formation and the weather totally affects the way it looks and the colors. You could look at the same area everyday and it would never look the same twice. Why rush through that? but i did have to keep moving - at a steady pace of course until i reached Oban.

I wasn't very worried re seeing Oban - It was really a stopping point to get the ferry over to my second Island - Mull. It was only later I found out about the amazing Chocolate shop I should have visited.

I didn't have long to wait for the ferry - just long enough for a late lunch. The crossing itself was uneventful and the sea really calm. It was definitely a warmer crossing than i had experienced getting to or from Arran. It may have been a calm crossing but it started to rain as I arrived. Thankfully it was a very short ride to the hostel. I sorted everything out before having a little venture round Craignure - it is a small place and once i had got some food retreated back to the Hostel for the evening.

There was quite a mixed group in the hostel that night, people travelling but also people who were using it as a base for work. There was a whole team of people that were working on the fish farms, vaccinating Salmon. Who knew? certainly not something i had ever thought of.

Day 46 (5th September) Craignure to Iona

Miles cycled 36.64 climbed 616m Ferries 1

https://www.strava.com/activities/1824101269/embed/051b2e944f59eac1c139e0ecbdd07b72956d9c88

Today was really a day of three parts. Waking up to the rain did not make it very inviting to set off this morning. I was really disappointed as I had been looking forward to seeing Mull and only had two short days to enjoy it. I delayed the start as much as possible but eventually I had to get moving. The initial part of the ride in Mull was round the coast and then up over the hills. Unfortunately it was pretty misty so I may have missed lots and it took more concentration to ride but it was still amazing, the hills, heather, pines, and waterfalls all gave a stunning backdrop. I think in some ways it was probably more magical in the mist (Could probably have done without the rain drops however). It was a tough ride due to the weather and I was beginning to get a little fed up. The road on Mull are small, mainly single track and that means lots of stopping and starting. Apparently cars always have the right of way.....I am exaggerating, some car drivers were very sensible, just some weren't.weren't.(to be fair I am sure they would same about cyclists) In the wet, this gets very tedious not to mention trying.

Thankfully just as I was beginning to have a bit of a sense of humour failure, the was a break in the rain, just a short one but enough to be able to have a bite to eat and take a couple of photos. By this time I had made it over the pass and was heading round the shore line. It was so different from the hills but still stunning. No matter the weather to deal with, I loved all I saw of Mull.

It is amazing to see life carrying on all around as I am on this trip, kids at school, people getting up going about their daily lives, working etc. It is really weird to think about my friends and family and what they are up to especially as I normally don't have any idea what day it is. Island life is a bit of a mystery to me. I guess it is different on all the islands and although beautiful I am sure it is tough at times especially in the winter. I quite like the idea of being a bit more cut off from the business of towns and cities but then I am not doing it all the time.

The road seemed to go on forever, but eventually I made it to the ferry port. Due to the fact I was soaking, I was pleased there wasn't a massive wait for the ferry. I got something to eat for on the ferry and then we were off.

Although I hadn't seen Mull out of the rain, I did love what I had seen, but was keen to get over to Iona and find the hostel to dry of. My first thoughts were about its size and the number of people. Lots of bus and coach tours visit for short periods of the day. Still it seemed packed. I was pleased to head through the crowds and look for the hostel, I was upset that when I arrived no one was there to check me in, but there was a notice saying to make self at home etc. I began by using the drying room for the top layer of wet thing thing(I had a feeling the drying room would be well used) . By which time one of the volunteers arrived, Showed me round and thankfully I was able to shower and get on some warm dry clothes. I loved the peace and quiet of the hostel, it was such a contrast to the business of the other bit of the island I had seen. I would happily have spent the rest of the afternoon tucked up on the sofa with my cup of tea and some home made shortbread, still warm from the oven. However it gradually cleared up, so I wondered over to the beach. This turned into one of my favourite moments so far. At one point I was the only one on the beach. The sun, rocks and sea all made for an amazing landscape. The beach was memorising, unfortunately I didn't keep it to myself for long but it is clearly a quiet place for people contemplate.

I loved my time on Iona, it was a really special time. I am definitely going to go back and just enjoy being there. I can see why so many people go there for a retreat. Again I was shown that there are many different ways to do life and although i may not copy the way others are doing it, it does make me think about how I want to do life, what is important and what kind of pressure do I want to be under when I get back, whether that is pressure from myself or others/work.

Day 47 (6th September)Iona to Tobermory

Miles Cycled 50.84 Climbed 820m Ferries 1

https://www.strava.com/activities/1824101349

I was sad to leave Iona and pleased that I got to see a little of it before catching the ferry back to Mull. The sun came out and it was great that I would get a slightly different experience of Mull. The ferry was quick and I decided to wait for all the cars to go first so as not to meet them on the single track road and stop for them to pass me. Whilst waiting I met a lovely family who had been on holiday on Iona for a few weeks. Its such a small world- they come from just down the road from me.

Eventually all the cars had left the area, so I headed off down the same road I had come yesterday. It was tough to retrace the same bit of road, especially as it continues for 18 miles. I was pleased when I got to the junction where I would turn off on the other route, particularly as it had my favourite sign warning of otters crossing for 6 miles.

I set off really wanting to see the otters. Unfortunately I didn't see any. The road had been recommended to me as being stunning. Initially I was disappointed by what I was seeing. The path the day before had been so much better. They were cutting the forest back in the area. I was amazed at the log piles. The whole of the hillside was bare. It was disappointing after yesterday. However once I hit the coast road that all changed. It was superb. I loved the road. It was again very different than other parts of the island. It felt like I was getting to see all different landscapes that Scotland has to offer in one place.

Although distracted by the scenery i was beginning to feel a little hungry. I know this is always a theme for me. I therefore decided to follow the sign for the cafe to decide my route to Tobermory. Cafes are not very frequently come across. I discovered that the hard way.

The cafe was great, I was greeted by two ladies who had passed me on the road, they were impressed by how quickly I had made it to the cafe and really interested in what I was doing. As they left I took their seats outside, enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin after the horrid weather of the day before.

The group sitting at the table next to me had overhead my conversation and also spoke to me as going and gave me a donation. The carrot cake at the cafe was amazing..... Yes I had a sandwich first. I managed to stay at the cafe for about two hours and was given further donations. It was a such an amazing stop and really encouraging .

Whilst there I spoke to another touring cyclist . She was off to do the Hebridian way. I would love to do that ride but not this time....... I eventually left the cafe and made my way to Tobermory.....I had really enjoyed the days cycling and was looking forward to a much round the town. Bumping into the cyclist again on the road, I learned she didn't have anywhere to stay. I knew it was busy in Tobermory as I had trouble finding somewhere to stay. My room had a spare bed so I offered this to her. Initially she went off to see if she could find anything but later accepted the offer. It was great to have some company and see her plans for the ride. Gives me some good idea for future.

Day 48 (7th September) Tobermory to Skye

Miles Cycled 57.93 , climbed 1240 m Ferries 2

https://www.strava.com/activities/1827654128/embed/de07b6fa2dbc10191f88cf91fe80185a30f6fcf0

So I was a little excited this morning as I was due to meet Mum and Dad this evening on Skye. I was slightly worried as had 60 plus miles to cycle and two ferries to get. I had to make sure I got the first one out of Tobermory or I would not make it in time for the last ferry to Skye. Feeling the pressure of the day made it really tough, I was also feeling quite tired. I was due some time off in Skye and I think psychologically that this was impacting me.

Still after a very filling English breakfast I said goodbye to Kate and cycled of. I was in plenty of time for the ferry, It was quite a short trip but a fairly blustery one.

The Ferry docked in the most westerly point of Scotland, another milestone to tick off and then it was off down a rather hilly single track road to start making the way up to Mallaig to get the ferry.

I loved the route through, It was quite mixed through more open areas and then down through woodland, along the coast and up through passes. This was one of those occasions where staying next to the coast was difficult as the roads simply don't go that way. I was feeling disheartened and like I was really not getting anywhere. On top of this a couple of people on the ferry had said that the distance and terrain was tough and were surprised i was going that far. Another cyclist, who looked a lot fitter and was carrying far less than me, also commented they had decided to stay in Mallaig, so as not to pressure themslef. This was playing round in my head constantly and made the hills drag more, it can be hard when getting into a pessimistic head space to get out of it, I really felt that i would not make the days journey. My legs felt like led and I just didn't want to continue hormones were probably playing a big part in this to.

I resorted to sending a few messages to the family. As always they were great and sent me some really supportive messages. I knew Mum and Dad would be waiting and this did kind of spur me on. It didn't matter what time i made it, as long as it was in time for the last ferry at 18:00. Come on i could do this.

A couple touring came past at that point and were really encouraging, they had broken the distance down in two days but were clear that it was possible in a day and really encouraged me to take it a mile at a time. They encouraged me to look at the surroundings and just enjoy. It was great to stop and talk to them for a bit and for the rest of the journey I tried to replay their words and not the words of those on the ferry.

I broke the day down into bits, I was disappointed on reaching Salen to only have completed 18 miles, still that was almost a third, and the next main point was signposted as another 18 miles. Come on - I can do this!! The messages from Home started coming in and i also posted on facebook that it was such a different day to the day before, more supportive messages to help me on my way. We won't mention the encounter with the cows.

I needed to remember to look up, the scenery was breathtaking and distracted from the thoughts and pain of the process. This was something that spoke to me about life to not just the ride, i can so often be focused on the negative that I don't see the bigger picture or what I do have around me.

I am a little sadistic and although i really struggle with hills, i do love the really big ones - not on the way up clearly but the sense of achievement and there was one in my way, with a mix of 10 percent inclines. I gradually made my way up and received encouragement from passing cars, the views out where worth every pedal stroke. As I reached the top and started down the other side, i was just filled with Awe at what i was seeing. The landscape was majestic and I had a very emotional reaction to it. With tears in my eyes, I enjoyed a really impressive 'weeeeeeee' moment on the descent, literally shouting it out into the wind as I went, tempted to take my feet off the pedals(i didn't for fear of losing control of the bike). What a moment, it replaced all the negativity i had been feeling. I needed to hold onto this for the rest of the day!!

I didn't find anywhere to stop for food, the cafe signposted did coffee but nothing of any nutrition, they gave an alternative suggestion but i must have missed it somewhere. I told you Cafes are few and fair between at times. It was then i came across the signpost of 17 miles to go. I was nearly there - well in comparison to what i had been doing and the road was a main road and therefore this meant faster - no more single tracks. The last miles were tough but i continued to push myself. There were hills and descents and a bit of rain, but i knew i could make it in. I just wanted to get there now. There was a lady waiting on the side of the road for her husband who was cycling behind me apparently. She really cheered me on and encouraged me. Knowing someone was behind me spurred me on. The competitiveness in me may have kicked i a bit. :0) I never did see him, so guess i must have stayed in front.

I eventually made it to the ferry port. unfortunately having just missed the ferry, therefore it was a little wait for the next one, which was the last one of the day. With an hour and a half to kill, I went off and found some food - well tea and a scone!! it was really nice - especially the tea!!

I met another cyclist on the ferry, he was touring and wildcamping. I was grateful that I was being met by Mum and Dad and that they had camp already set up. I wouldn't have enjoyed trying too find somewhere to wild camp at that time.

Mum had surpassed herself with dinner as always and Dad had set up my little tent all ready for me. It was holiday time!!