High adventure, a deserted village and a good dinner

Out and about soon after breakfast we drive the few miles to Scalpay. As we drive through Kyles Scalpay, we check out a couple of plots - both with old ruins on them and both looking directly out to sea with many little islands, clear water and distant views to Skye. Beautiful but both quite small.
The road to Scalpay is two lanes, fast and well maintained - weird as it can't be used by many people. On the way we pass Loch Lacsadail and a signpost to a remote hostel over the hills and far away. We drive over the bridge (opened by Tony Blair when he was PM) and onto Scalpay. The roads are well surfaced but very very narrow with plenty of those hairpin bends and blind summits. The upside is that hardly anyone or any traffic is around. This is a beautiful island off an island and very lush and green. Seafood processing is the main employment and everyone seems to have a boat, floats and nets and things. We follow the road to "Out End" literally the end of the road. En-route we see the Scalpay Childrens playground - notice reads "All children to vacate playground by 9pm; Closed on Sundays"  An indication, perhaps, of the Scalpay community.
While we are parked up reading the route around the island, Gary mentions the track to the hostel and we decide to return to Harris and do that walk instead. There is a 12 mile option or we could just walk as far as the deserted village and return. Sorted, deserted village it is.
We set off up a nicely graded track, well defined with stunning views back over towards Tarbert and the hills beyond.

Back to Tarbert from the pass

We head upwards for some time then reach a cairn at the top of the pass. Just after this we turn right to head down towards where the map says the village is. This track is also well kept if slightly wetter in places.  An unknown bird tweets regularly beside us; captured on film just before my batteries run out. Will identify later.

Unknown bird - possibly a dunlin?

We now drop down quite steeply to the deserted village which has some interesting ruins, a beach and most interestingly a solar powered house in the process of being renovated. The only way to get any materials or provisions here would be by boat. We did see quad bike tracks higher up but the deep marsh and steepness of the ground would make it impossible to get any further.
The guidebook now suggests finding the gate leading to a track back a different way and meeting the track we left earlier at the head of the loch. Despite the bog, deep pools of mud and wet legs we do manage to find it and follow it, reassured by the footsteps and marks of others' boots. The track is narrow, undefined in a lot of places and quite tricky. We squelch onwards, over steep rocky bits, into deep quagmire bits and through the heather and fern. This is exhausting stuff - we can see the beach at the head of the loch so we persevere despite the steep drop to the sea on our right. Can't contemplate turning back now.
The book mentions there is a gill to cross; we hear it before we see it - good grief; the path deteriorates into a slimy, rocky, boggy nightmare and the gill is a raging torrent where a slip would be very nasty. Wet pants and trousers (from sitting / sliding in the water!) now join the wet legs as we slither and crawl across the rocks and through the water. Gary gets me across then follows me up a scramble on the other side and it's only another 20 minutes of wet slidey ground before we hit the beach and rejoin the main path. 
A well deserved break for water and some food before we turn it around to head back. We knew that training on Dartmoor would come in handy.
The bad news is that we are at sea level and must regain an awful lot of height before we can descend to the car. This is steep terrain with switchbacks taking you where you would swear no path could go. There is a lot of sweating. Eventually we reach a cairn but it is just saying "you have done the steepest bit" and is not the top. On upwards, then relief when Gary can see the cairn on the top of the pass and I can confirm to my brain that it does not have to direct my legs uphill for much longer. 
Back down the nice gentle path beside a tumbling burn and the welcome sight of the car waiting for us. 
A swift return to our B&B for showers and a change before we head out for dinner. The Rodel Hotel lives up to its promise and we enjoy a lovely dinner. We had taken cameras (new batteries) in case of stunning sunsets but the clouds came in and although it wasn't dark it was gloomy and not spectacular.
Back to the B&B where we were in trouble for not leaving out our breakfast demands. Now completed and enjoying a glass of red before sleep.
Tomorrow we head back to Skye on the afternoon ferry. One more B&B before we are self catering again for the week.

Luskentyre beach, an interesting drive and dinner

Headed to Luskentyre beach today which didn't disappoint. Originally planned to climb the hill behind the beach for the views over to Taransay and the islands beyond. However when we saw the size of the hill we realised how tired we were from all of that driving so decided to stick with the coast instead. Found a lovely small beach for our coffee break then headed back to the miles of white sands to walk around the estuary as far as possible. With the tide out, the sands go on for ever. It was also difficult to see the course of the river that cuts across the sands and seperates the two beaches. Decided to turn and head to the dunes for lunch. The weather had been mostly kind with small winds, slight showers and some sun. Managed to find shelter down a large pit in the dunes and settled down for lunch - eaten just in time before the true Harris type rain returned. Waterproofs on for the walk back to the car.
We saw a grand total of twelve other people on the beach - busy summer holiday time on Harris. Back at the carpark we talked to a 91 year old (with heart failure) who was contemplating walking the short distance to the beach - we reassured him it was flat and well worth the time and effort. It is apparently recognised worldwide as one of the best beaches to visit. That would explain the crowds then. We chatted to him a bit longer and he told us about how he negotiated his room rate at the Tarbert Hotel down from £160 to £100 - and it may call itself 4 star but is lacking in the finer detail.  He later passed us on the road - still driving well and only stops or slows down when he feels unsafe! 
We then parked up and suddenly almost two hours had passed watching the tide sneaking back in and taking photos.

Sunshine

...and showers

 These pictures taken within 2 minutes of each other!

Thoughts return to food and we decide to drive to the Skoon Art Cafe which has a good reputation and is situated off the "Golden Road" This starts out well but quickly turns into a Harris special with less than a single track in places, steep unfenced drops to sea lochs and other watery areas with the odd hairpain bend and summit without a view thrown in for good measure. We managed to find the cafe but it is only open from 10.00 to 16.30; we might return at a later date. Decide to drive on to the end of the road which gets even narrower; luckily we only meet three or four cars (there are passing places) However one of these comes over the hill much too fast and we meet on a steep hill. They refuse to reverse so eventually Gary has to reverse back down the hill for some distance. Choice words and his opinion of the lady's driving ability are shared through the open window. On we go until we arrive at the Rodel Hotel, which is open! We run in through yet another heavy shower and end up like drowned rats. Could we have a table for two? Fully booked so we make a reservation for tomorrow instead.
Good views across to Skye from here - we never really got to see this view because of the weather in March / April. 
Back to Tarbert seeking a takeaway but no joy. So it's to the local shop for dinner goods and back to our des res to eat them along with a bottle of red.
Plan for tomorrow is a 6 mile walk around Scalpay via the new road bridge. Should be interesting with good views to Skye and the smaller islands. 


More notes re B&Bs


6: If toast is ordered as requested, please do not toast the bread and place it on my table 10 minutes before I arrive at my designated time. Cold, thin toast is a challenge; most of us would rather wait a few minutes and have it hot. (We have a plan - tomorrow we will be early!)
7: Would it really cost that much to offer orange juice by the refillable glass rather then a measured (small) portion which is gone when it's gone. You want to be viewed as generous not mean.
8: Owners of B&Bs are going to have to get with the digital age - not everyone carries that much cash with them. Cheques will soon be a thing of the past.

Harris via Skye and our first encounter!

Oh there's a lot of catching up to do -  two days worth of travel and overnight stays not to mention arriving at Tarbert on Harris.

Lockerbie is not a quiet place to stay - plenty of youth with plenty to shout about and on a Sunday night too. Compromise being open window and noise or too hot to sleep. A very good breakfast to set us up cooked by the husband of the couple running the B&B. A fast and easy trip to Glasgow and no problem with the motorway around the city either. 
Stopped for a break and to swap driving at a forestry commission visitor centre just west of Loch Lomond - we decided to take the scenic route via Loch Fyne. The visitor centre was firmly closed, possibly for ever although they were building nice new toilets. We decided to eat our mid-morning snack here; all things dictated by the next food intake; so set ourselves up at a picnic table, opened the biscuits and the midges decended en masse. However neither of us was actually bitten although we did take some of them back to the car with us - proof perhaps that the vitamin B trick might be working. Will be smothering myself with the Avon spray from now on - double protection!
On along the lochs and coastal road to Fort William where diesel is cheaper than in Devon. Took full advantage of that assuming fuel prices would still be sky high in the islands. A short drive further north to Springburn B&B which was lovely. Clean, comfortable and very very quiet. Had dinner in Spean Bridge in a converted railway carriage - on the actual station. very nice and full of people walking the Great Glen Way. It was still light at 11.30 at night but kept the curtains open for the view. Also the clouds cleared and we enjoyed a wonderful sunset.

 

Highland cow at Springburn - enjoys leftover toast

Sunset from our bedroom window - 23.25 GMT

 After another fine Scottish breakfast we were off on the road to the Skye Bridge. Slightly underestimated how long it would take us so we were late for our meeting with Mary. 
She was waiting for us and we enjoyed a hour and a half discussing our dream home, what would go in it, what was possible and what would cost more / less. She also provided us with a sketch of the process and payments schedule. We could be looking at 18 months in total once we have decided on the plot. She told us that she had recently made a site visit by Kayak - it is a build on an island site but most people would take the boat. She had to prove that she was actually the architect before they would take her seriously. She also said that she had enjoyed her bike ride around Harris looking at sites we had found. Anyway, the long and the short of it is that she can work with virtually any site but we should find one with outline or detailed planning - everything else is possible.
Headed off via Portree to see three sites that are north of Uig (where the ferry sails from) One of them was in a fantastic position and was around 3 acres. One we failed to find and the third was not suitable. Nice area though with great views to the Outer Hebrides.  
Back to Uig for the ferry - an easy and quiet sailing with not many passangers or vehicles on board. The journey was somewhat traumatic as a result of me "losing" my new smartphone. I retraced my steps at least twice; asked if it had been handed in; rang it from Gary's phone 12 times listening out for the ringtone and ..... finally found it when we returned to the car! Sometimes I amaze myself - I knew I'd put it in the rucksack and yes the zip was open so of course it has fallen out / been stolen / was being used by someone now etc etc. Gary was very patient and nice about the whole thing. 
So we have arrived in Tarbert, checked in at the Avalon B&B (twin beds!) and got very wet walking the half mile into the town. So wet in fact that we turned around and came back to the B&B. Wifi available so can write to my heart's content. Also have a mobile signal here.
So, settled in for the next three days; owner looked slightly alarmed at the amount of luggage we traipsed in but we really needed to sort out the car which was full of stuff. It has just started raining hard again and it was 12.5 degrees when we came off the ferry. Now that's summer!


Notes to anyone running or thinking of running a B&B
1: Have a good think about the size of the towels you offer your guests - would you dry yourself on a large handkerchief? If the answer is no then why expect paying guests to do so?
2: Use good quality coffee at breakfast; we can accept nescafe sachets in the room but hot brown water at breakfast doesn't cut it!
3: Don't plaster your walls with notices - provide a "book" of house rules if you really must.
4: If you say wifi available then broadcast the network and let your guests have the key.
5: Why do we have to order breakfast the day before? I might fancy something different tomorrow morning.
(there may be more to follow, we have 4 more nights of B&B to go)

Not one midge seen or heard since the forest so perhaps it is too cool / windy / rainy / sunny.

That's it for now - tomorrow is for leisure and re-aquainting ourselves with Harris and its glorious scenery and friendly people. trying the Harris Hotel for dinner - close enough to walk, rain permitting.
 

Third attempt via smart phone

Unable to connect via wifi and struggling with smartphone so limited update today. Hopefully will be able to write tomorrow. Very tricky when I can't see the text! At Springburn B&B near Spean Bridge. Much quieter than Lockerbie!
Looking forward to tomorrow.

2,4,6,8 MOTORWAY

(Tom Robinson from the 70's for those of you wondering)

Anyway, today has been the day of the M5. M6 and M74 until we reached Lockerbie.

I would recommend travelling on a Sunday if you are planning a journey from South to North. There were plenty of people towing caravans that seemed to agree with this but otherwise a fairly fast and uneventful journey. 357 miles in less than five hours actual driving time (just worked it out and we apparently didn't exceed the speed limit either!)

Discovered a connection for the i-pod in the Audi so we could listen to selected tracks when Radio 2 was rubbish. Playlist for the journey included early 10CC and Leonard Cohen.  

So we are now firmly ensconced in Tarras B&B on the main street in Lockerbie and using their wireless connection. Downlead speed approaching 6mbs, which we can only dream of in Willand.

A fine, if early, dinner at the King's Arms a short stroll up the high street and we are set for the night. As we walk back in to the B&B we have to place our order for tomorrow's breakfast - full of dinner and unable to even contemplate the thought of more food, I agree to some toast with a wee bit of bacon. Gary saves the day by going for the full Scottish. This pre-ordering seems to be the norm north of the border.

So, tomorrow we face the delightful prospect of travelling either through or around Glasgow to reach yet another motorway, the M8 which will transport us across the Clyde via the Erskine Bridge - listen out for it on the traffic reports - and into the highlands and the road to the isles. Rumour (well Jacqueline actually) has it that a new link road will be open by the time we return, making this bit unnecessary.

We have accommodation booked close to Spean Bridge for tomorrow night on a working farm complete with highland cattle, plenty of tartan and a fairly basic website. No clear directions but how many farmhouse B&Bs can there be close to the A82 in that particular area? We will see. I will include a photo of the next B&B in tomorrow's blog.

It's still very warm and humid here but forecast for tomorrow is bright, sunny and cooler. I was extremely grateful for the air con in the car today - one more thing I couldn't do without.

I'm off to eat the thoughtfully provided toffees from the hospitality tray as dinner had now been partially digested and I have a small corner to fill.

From a very peaceful Lockerbie, until tomorrow.

 

A report from Mary and 14 potential plots

Great excitement as two emails from Mary at Dualchas rolled in late on Thursday afternoon. She has visited Harris to take a look at the three sites we had given her details of. She had, as promised, gone on her push bike and cycled around the whole island - I know it's not that big but even so ..... and I'm pretty sure that the wind would have been against her, whichever direction she was travelling in.  Add to that the not so summery weather and, much respect to the lady.

Anyway, her preference is the same plot as Gary likes best purely because of its location which has uninterrupted views across the Sound of Harris and is very private. However, it is a steep site so access could be tricky. Although planning has lapsed on all three sites, the planners wouldn't have any objection to new submissions so that's OK then. The site near Tarbert would be easier to develop as it is relatively flat with services near by. "But it is near the main road" this comment did make me smile; it's not exactly a motorway!

We will discuss all in more detail on the 28th June when we next meet with her.   

As far as Skye goes, we have reduced the list of possible plots to see to a manageable 14 and have grouped them by area. The plan is to see a few on the Tuesday afternoon before getting the ferry then a few more on Saturday morning before we head to our holiday home "down south". We are determined to have a few good days simply walking, eating, reading and drinking good wine and will plan in the remaining  plot visits on a rest day. I need to get the details from various agents so we have a better idea what we are looking at, what planning permission already exists and any conditions attached to purchase.

Some of the plots are in great positions and most of them offer more land than those on Harris.

We will see.

In the meantime, the house is cleaned to within an inch of its life and we 
( I ) have to get into the habit of leaving it tidy whenever we go out and even when we don't. It's a bit of a trial but hopefully it will be worth it.

So, a few more challenging walks planned before we go - we should be fit enough to tackle the Cuillins - B&Bs checked out via Trip Advisor and no nasty surprises there although unable to read the review written in Spanish. Directions to our holiday accommodation in Ord have arrived; it sounds quite remote with views of the sea and the mountains behind.

All we have to do now is wait - easier said than done. I thought I had learned patience over the last three plus years but it's surprising how quickly you revert to type. 

Next post will be just before we go / as we start travelling - unless something happens that adds to the story. Have managed to use the Scanlife app to upload this webpage to my smart phone so will be able to update even if we are out of wifi range. Not bad for a non-techie!

A Dartmoor distraction

The plan - a long walk around the northern hills of Dartmoor.

The weather - cloudy, a fresh breeze and no rain forecast - perfect for walking.

Arrived at Belstone and set off as intended. Walked through the woods to Sticklepath and South Zeals looking for a different route up Cosdon Beacon. We know it would be uphill and then some whichever way we climbed it. The hill was indeed steep but gave us a different perspective and we (eventually) hit the top, sat by the trig point and enjoyed lunch no 1.

The route took us down the long ridge deep into Dartmoor's remote hills then we would go across to Hangingstone Hill, down to Steeperton Gorge and back along the Belstone ridge. A good 11 miles of fairly challenging walking.

As we set off down from Cosdon, Gary spotted a slight problem on the horizon - the army had other ideas and were exercising their right to use the moor for firing practice. As we usually walk the moors at the weekend, it hadn't occurred to us that this could be a problem.

After a quick re-think we decided on an alternative route and carried on to Hound Tor where we planned to about turn and find a track back through the marshes in the Taw basin. Well it had been dry for some time. However first of all we had a quick chat with a couple we met on the Tor. Did you know there were 189 Tors on Dartmoor?  No but we do now and we also know that this couple were planning to visit them all during their retirement. After a bit of a competition as to who could name the most Tors we headed off in the opposite direction towards the marshes.

(The last time we were on Hound Tor, we met a man who insisted on telling us all about his overnight bivvi up on the high moor)

Through the ankle scratching new gorse bushes, following sheep paths and narrowly avoiding pot holes, boulders and other hazards we fought our way down the hillside and finally picked up a good track that took us across the flood plain. This was easy if warm walking. The cooling breeze was hidden by the Belstone ridge.

As we were moaning about the army and red flags and perhaps we could have just visited Steeperton, the guns started up followed by what sounded like machine gun fire. Then the heavy artillery with huge loud bangs and flares in the distance. OK, so they really were firing today.

We were outside of the range so imagine my surprise when Gary mentioned the soldier in full camouflage gear, peering over the sights of his gun about two metres to our right. We smiled and walked on past and over the ford.  No idea what he was doing there or how many of his colleagues were hidden out of view from us. I imagine he was the boundary guard or something similar.  It was an interesting feeling to walk away knowing there was a man with a gun just behind you!

At the next ford, two cyclists - one of whom was in her swimsuit in the river (she had very pink knees); the other appeared to be dismantling his bike. 

An uneventful walk back to the car with a lunch no 2 and a final cup of coffee taken just off the track.

An interesting reverse required in the lane from Belstone as a knackered old lorry tried to drive past us. There was no way he was going backwards so we did; luckily Gary can fast reverse without hitting the hedge or wobbling off course.

The GPS showed we had walked almost 8 miles so not as far as planned but there's always next week. Note to selves - check the range firing programme next time!
An interesting day out, continuing the getting fit theme and a nice distraction from wondering about the house sale, plots of land and what jobs might be out there.
We have no photos to share as we took no cameras - would probably have been regarded with suspicion if we had tried to take one of the soldier!