34 miles
988 feet climbed
Average Speed 10
VMax 32.5 mph
In which the Blank Family discovers the assistive properties of a stonking tailwind and Suzy wishes she had gone out on her bike a bit more before we left.
Great nights sleep followed by a top notch breakfast at the Lochmaddy hotel
And we’re off – it’s 10 miles to the ferry which will take us from North Uist to Isle of Harris and we can’t be late so we leave in plenty of time to get a cup of tea from the Lobster Pot cafe before the 1025 ferry. A lovely cup of tea from a woman who is the Auntie of one of Millie’s teachers we didn’t knowthis, it just came up in conversation – the locals are very chatty. (Teacher number 2 – we met another one of her teachers on the ferry).
So a short ferry trip and we’re on Harris and we have a stonking 15-20 knot tailwind which translates into a comfortable 20-25 mph on the flat. Now there was a visitor centre but to be honest we were fairly clattering along and Millie was going for a PB Vmax (28 mph at that point although she saw 32.5 later in the day) so we didn’t stop.
It’s the Hebrides so it is a bit windy but that is more than made up for by the scenery and the driving! – everyone patiently sits behind waiting for a passing place to pass, we even got a flash of the blues from a panda car after he’d patiently followed us down a hill.
We saw all the sights of Tarbert and bought a document wallet in the Harris Tweed shop whilst simultaneously establishing that neither Suzy nor I would suit a tweed hat before checking in at the Harris Hotel.
Tomorrow is the longest day with 38 miles and 1686 feet to climb so I’m not sure how that is going to go as Suzy is complaining of sore knees, bum and everything else. And got dropped by a ten year old on all the hills.
But we chatted to a taxi driver over lunch who confirmed that his car is big enough to take her bike and she wouldn’t be the first cyclist he’s given a lift to.
To be continued…
