Postscript........

8 July - The met office map above shows how dry the north and west of Scotland was during the spring, and how we avoided the soggy south of England when we headed north!

Home....... An amazing 18 days........

22 June - 4.5h on the M6/ M5 and we're home...... In time for the vote, and my niece's wedding, with a good weather forecast....... A momentous day, in my case for 2 reasons.

Heading home

21 June - A 6 hr drive as far as the Lakes today, arriving in time for a cycle on the east shore of Ullswater - a few midges in evidence tonight on the shores of the Lake..... heading home tomorrow :-/

Lewis, and farewell to the Hebrides

19-20 June- A proper dreich day on 19th, heavy rain in the afternoon and evening. Hushinish beach not quite so magical as sometimes according to the photos, but still worth braving the wind and blowing sand for the crashing waves. Evening camp by a small loch halfway from Tarbert to Stornoway ensured that we were able to get to Callanish stone circle in good time on 20th

........blue skies for the amazing stones that you can walk up to and touch! More by accident than design, as 2016 is a leap year, today was the longest day, but not many New Agers to be seen compared with Stonehenge.......

Then to Stornoway, a shock after 2 weeks with its roundabouts and superstores......and the ferry to the mainland and Ullapool. Showery bright weather for the crossing of the Minch. A superb beachside spot at Ardmair for our last campsite on Scotland, with an atmospheric sunset over the sea, and the sound of the waves at night after the longest day of the year.

What a great Hebridean experience we've had, so many highlights.....

Incredible Harris.......

17-18 June - Ferry from N Uist to Harris on 17th........ Amazing scenery and blue skies on Harris...... White beaches and turquoise blue sea with the mountain backdrop......rugged indented coastline and dramatic twisty road to Flodabay farm for our stopping point

.....complete with panorama to Skye and the mainland. Harris is the most scenic and rugged of the islands so far, much more the feel of the west Highlands but still with the sense of island isolation, and without the vibrancy of all the wading birds on the machair of the Uists. An amazing cycle on the 18th on the undulating switchback of the "Gold Road" with seascapes around every corner, and art galleries a plenty doing justice to the mountain/sea combination. Rather laid back, sheep and all.....

Oh, and a close White-tailed Eagle and a distant Golden Eagle today, flyover Black-throated Diver, and a Greenshank at Leverburgh.

South Uist re-cycled.......

16 June - We decided to revisit South Uist, as we only had one day there, a scenic 20 miles or so in itself, across the causeway to Benbecula en route with big skies and wild coast. Our 2 hr cycle on the machair visited a superb white Hebridean beach en route (local beachwear required due to wind chill !) and we just beat the rain.

An evening return to Balranald and wild seas on the coastal rocks at the nature reserve, with Arctic Terns struggling into the wind to bring fish for their young. Dramatic silvery evening light.

Off to Harris tomorrow morning. Mull seems ages ago !

Breezy Uist

15 June - A very strong NE wind today, so cycling deferred in favour of walking at Loch Langass and the stone age burial chamber at Barpa Langass. A panoramic view of the myriad lochs on the landscape, with a pair of Hen Harriers as a bonus. A fairly early campsite arrival (Moorcroft, stunning beachside location) and some downtime, after all it's supposed to be a holiday!