Fri 14th: Oban to Barra

Day started well- no breakfast available at the overnight stop so we buzzed along to the Green Welly at Tyndrum for a fry-up.

Then on to Oban, arriving there with enough time to buy ferry and train tickets (for the route back) and a few bits and pieces in town.
Standing waiting to board it was a bit damp and windy. Once on the ferry all the bikes got tied up next to the cars and there must have been around a dozen there in the end. All sorts- road bikes, tourers and mountain bikes.

For the first few hours the ferry weaved between in islands of the inner Hebrides, and then it got to the open sea. At that point it got interesting!! The waves were crashing over the bow and splashing against the windows of the observation lounge. You could hear the ferry crashing in to the troughs between the waves. My head and stomach didn't like that too much, so I spent the second half of the journey snoozing on a bench.

We got into Barra about 18.30, passing the ruins of the castle on the island in the middle of the bay. There was a bit of cycling back and forth to try and find somewhere for dinner. The hotel was full but the girl at the bar directed us to the chip van at the Ball Courts so we had our first freshly cooked fish and chips of the holiday!!

The Castle in the Bay

Then it was a short ride round to the B&B in Borve - fortunately not to far as it was starting to get dark and Mal was without a front light!