HEB 5 Harris alps to standing staines

The Harris Alps

May 12, 2019

        Less pressure on the gang this day as we had no ferry’s to catch and after yet another whisky night some of us ( me )were slightly slower to emerge from our slumber. I slept like a log and even though it was one big room with six men in it, I had to be woken to be told everyone was up I hadn’t heard a thing! The rest of the gang had all had a breakfast by the time I was up showered and organised, we were half an hour later than normal getting organised but we were ready to hit the road at around 09:30.....we knew there was a big climb near the start that day and it was decided that some Tai chi stretching would be a good idea. This was performed in Tarbert main street with me trying to piece together the little amount of instruction I had received in Ecuador 12 years previous,  and we set off at 09:40.

                                  

          This was Sunday and the sabbath is a big deal on these islands they take the lords day serious and we were worried there would be no shops cafes or restaurants open for food, the boys had loaded up on snacks at the shop the previous evening I had stupidly not that on top of missing out on breakfast meant I would be surviving on my trail bars if we could find nowhere to eat

 The weather was good and soon we were at the bottom of the toughest climb we would encounter on the Hebway. From sea level to the bealach is only around 180 meters but it is steep. For some of us the previous nights over indulgence felt like it may become an issue, however the sleeves were rolled up the gears were ratcheted down and the toil began. Some of us found it wasn't as bad as we had thought others walked pushing their bikes most of it, I passed a pool of blood on the road on the way up its colour looked very rich almost purpled pinkish I looked to the left to see if there was a clue to where it had come from and there was a poor wee dead lamb, I know we don’t give a shit about lambs really and eat them as a delicacy, but it saddened me to see this one strange how your mind can separate your food from the beast you eat, Tarbert is an old Norse word to describe a short stretch of land where you could drag a boat from one body of water to another. this is normally at a low level area. (in this case sea level!) we had a big climb up but soon enough we were all getting our breathe back in a layby at the top. We all had differing amounts of pedalling for the full hill most had a wee push at some stage or another.

 After a few more ups and downs, we were round Clisham, the highest mountain on the Hebrides,

 the main descent back to sea level ensued, pedalling was definitely not required, the boys reckoned I set off at rocket speed and totally disregarded the road repairs that were in progress, apparently according to bob and Tim I rocketed over the ramps with careless abandon and swung out onto the other side of the road to keep maximum speed around the bends, those of us following were at time extremely concerns for his safety. It was definitely an exhilarating descent. I do not deny it! I let fly but safety was a concern I just used my knowledge and experience from years of cycling and motor-biking to read the road asses the risks and enjoy the thrill of the fast descent, which I had felt I had earned from all the uphill’s we had done, my face was full of joy on the lower stretches of that hill a smile from ear to ear as I held onto my lower bar head tucked down behind the handles for aerodynamics, my heart beating fast not because of hard work this time but the thrill of the ride
            At the bottom of that stretch I pulled into a picnic area with a cool looking snack van called the sea snack shack the seats and tables were all out but of course the van was shut for the sabbath, we took a seat and got out some snacks to take in the Lochside view over the mountain pass we had just crossed and the islands and shore in the distance. We were all laughing and swapping tales of how we had approached the thrilling descent with road works loose chips and approaching vehicles on hairpins, I got fair excited considering my lack of food when the van owner turned up and opened his snack van door but alas he was cooking nothing, he did allow us to fill our water bottles from his tap though so that at least was a bonus

We had one more hill nothing compared to what we had done then the miles that followed were lovely flowing and easy. The sun was out and the views were stunning, the only danger came from a couple of motor bikers who rocketed by leaving us less room than we would have liked....a scary moment!!

We spotted a golden eagle soaring by and also an as yet unidentified large raptor. Bob managed a poor long distance photo so more work was required to identify.(Gary done this work when we got home and it was a young golden eagle the white feather markings had threw them but its normal in young eagles) We stopped again later on just at the roadside where the boys got tucked into their supplies that they had because they had this Sabbath business covered however I had not! I was seriously regretting that I hadn’t bought supplies in Tarbert the boys hunger was quelled. Tim gave me some of his nuts and dates but my hunger would have to wait

 

          The sun continued to shine and 6 happy cyclists soon rolled into Callanish, just as we approached the town Ali got the first issue with the cheap panniers myself and him had bought it was folding itself into his tyre and seized his back wheel up! 
 we were now all hungry again I stopped to take some photos of the third section of the local standing stones while waiting for Ali and bob (who was helping him fix his panniers) there is the main stones and two other sites within walking distance, none of the other boys stopped here they had their sights firmly set on food,

 the open Alpacaccino cafe was a welcome sight, The boys first Hebridean scone did not disappoint them me being dairy free was pleasantly surprised at all the vegan options and got a fruit flapjack, the place done dinners that looked fab but they were unlicenced and closing before we would be ready, Some amusement ensued when the resident male peacock took a shine to Guys new green panniers. The staff at the place were super helpful and we got lots of good info from them it was like a mini curiosity zoo with very unusual animals and birds for this part of the world
          Our accommodation for the night was the Callanish camping pods which were close by only a mile from where we were eating our scones with coffee, once refreshed Gary was on the phone to the owner 15 minutes later we had our keys.

 Gary, as if he hadn't done enough got to work on the owner and soon had a lift organised for us to and from Doune Brae's hotel sorted. We had too quickly unpack our gear into the three pods, by then we knew who was being who's roomy instinctively nobody even questioned this, me and guys pod was furthest away but we liked it we locked up our bikes(probably unnecessary here) were unpacked and at the car the quickest with Ali. it had to be two trips of three people in her car we set off to the restaurant first with instructions from the remaining group two, that we were just to order food anything if they were closing the kitchen at half six  We arrived around six and got beers up the other three arrived right on 6.30 just in time for last food orders (had we not pre organised it, the hotel was very quiet and we guessed they were glad to get some welcome business, the food was good, the hosts were very friendly and made us feel very welcome. we thought we would be retiring to the bar once the dinner was finished but the bar was shut already, We arranged with The owner of the camping pods to come back with two vehicles to pick us all up again at 9pm, we had secured some beers to take away from the bar, the pod owners’ daughter was driving her husbands work van. Which unfortunately for me I was alone in the back of it, along with his work tools and a drum of diesel for company on the journey back to the pods, it was very surreal to be lying in the back looking out the back window as the van went over a slight hill and the huge standing stones appeared into view. We had been pretty blown away by the hospitality, friendliness and helpfulness of the local people they could not have been more helpful. I had met a bloke at my fire training who was from the area also before arrival, his nephew is the lead singer of skippinish a band I really like, turns out it was Murdo`s intention to meet up with me and give me a band T shirt but it  unfortunately wasn’t to be the shirt hadn’t arrived in time, we had to move on before I could get a catch up with Murdo

           Once back at the pods we all got together in myself and Guys pod, 6 happy holidaymakers with a few beers to enjoy, I went outside and took a photo of my beer can sitting on a post in front of the stones, we could have so easily just walked up there (now I wish we had) at night, It was an earlier bed  for us that night as we had no whisky that evening, maybe sensibility had arrived? but  more likely it was because of the islands Sabbath rules

Our cycling total that day was 39.41miles that had taken us five hours