AND FINALLY IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.....

OUTER HEBRIDES 2017  — ARRAN BELLES

10 Belles:  Linda, Jillian, Fiona C., Fiona L., Fiona D., Isla, Sue,

                   Kim, Carol and Janice plus Wee Flo. 

DAY 1:       Tuesday 4th July - ARRAN TO OBAN

                  Claonaig to Oban  - 61 miles  Elevation 3987 ft.

                   

                  Linda/Jillian in campervan.     Carol/Janice cycling.  

                  Kim, Fiona C., Fiona D., taking their cars, each can take 2

                  bikes so remaining 6 Belles transported to Oban.

                  Accommodation:  Backpackers Plus Hostel -  2 X 4 rooms.

                                                 The Old Church, Breadalbane St, Oban PA34 5PH

                                              

                  £29 to pay on arrival. Shared facilities.    Linen/Towels 

                 Dinner:  Cuan Mor Restaurant, 60 George St., Oban. 7.30pm

DAY 2:      Wednesday 5th July - Oban to Barra.

                  Breakfast in Hostel or on Ferry.

                  Ferry- Oban/Castlebay:  Depart 07.15 - Arrival 14.15.    Via Coll &Tiree.               

                  £14.30 sgl.       Veh. 45mins before departure.            Lunch: On ferry

                  Castlebay to Pier, Barra - 8.4 miles Elevation 883ft

                  Coffee Stop: On ferry or camper van.

                  Ferry- Barra/Eriskay:    Depart 15.45 - Arrival 16.25  (or 17.30 -18.10)

                  £2.95 sgl.      20 mins before departure.     

                  Eriskay to Polochar Inn, South Uist - 5.6 miles.     Elevation 287 ft

               

                  8 Belles Polochar Inn. £53.75 each BB.  Linda/Jillian-Kilbride Campsite

                  Dinner: Polochar Inn @7.30pm

Day 3:      Thursday 6th July - Polochar, South Uist to Paible, North Uist 

                 Breakfast: Polochar Inn

                 Distance - 41.4 miles   Elevation - 1019 ft

                 Lunch: Hebridean Jewellery Workshop, !8.8miles

                              Near top of South Uist

                 Accommodation: Tractor Shed - 2 x 4 group rooms.

                                                Shared facilities, Linen. £16.25, each CASH.

                                                Linda/Jillian - extension lead provided

                 Dinner: Westward Inn. @ 7.30pm.  Taxi ride from Tractor Shed

                      

DAY 4:    Friday 7th July - Paible, NU to Tarbert, Harris 

               Breakfast: DIY at Tractor Shed - food box will be kept in camper van.

               Paible to Berneray - 18.1 miles   Elevation 490 ft (straight across ) or

                                                  21.5 miles   Elevation 780 ft ( west coast )

               Lunch - LobsterPot Tea Room,Borve,Berneray, 500m from ferry terminal

               Ferry from Bernerary to Leverburgh Harris: Depart 13.30 - Arrival 14.30

                £3.45 Sgl .  20mins before departure          

               Leverburgh to Tarbert - 21.2 miles Elevation 1659 ft. (West route ) or

                                                       20 miles     Elevation 2040 ft  (East route )

               

               Coffee; Skoon Art Cafe, Geocrab on east coast or

               Hebrides Art and Cafe, Sellebost on West Coast.

              Accommodation: Backpackers Hostel, Tarbert,

              2 X 4 rooms. Linen/Towels/Shared facilities

              £20 each payable on arrival. 

              Dinner: Harris Hotel, Tarbert @ 6.45pm

DAY 5:   Saturday 8th July - Tarbert to Stornoway

               Breakfast:  in Hostel

               Distance:  55 miles  Elevation 2960 ft  (  including detour to Callinish) or

                                 36 miles Elevation 2509 ft   (excluding Callinish)

               Cycle 21 miles.    Coffee: Old School Tearoom, Balallan then  

               Cycle 17 miles to Callanish or 14 miles to Stornoway

                Lunch: Callanish Standing Stones ( or Stornoway )

               Cycle remaining 16 miles from Callanish to Stornoway.

       Accommodation:  Laxdale Holiday Park, Stornoway

                                               2 X 4 Bunkhouse - £18 each. Linen/Shared Facilities 

                                               £50 deposit paid

               Dinner: HS-1 Cafe Bar, Royal Hotel @ 7.30 pm

               Linda/Jillian - Laxdale Campsite 

Day 6:    Sunday 9th July   Stornoway to Wherever ???

               Breakfast :   DIY from Campervan at Hostel.

               Ferry: Stornoway to Ullapool- Depart 0800am - arrive 10.30am   or

                                                                   Depart 1500pm - arrive 1730pm

                 

                45 mins before departure.  £9.20 sgl. 

                Kim, Carol, Isla, Janice, Linda, Jillian doing their own thing.

                Sue, Fiona L., Fiona D., Fiona C - hired mini-bus to Oban.

                Fiona D., and Fiona C., will have cars in Oban for onward to Arran.   

FOOD PLANNING BY LINDA

EATING AND DRINKING – OUTER HEBRIDES TRIP 2017

DAY 1 – Tuesday 4 July

Arran to Oban

DINNER - Cuan Mor Restaurant, 60 George Street, 01631 565078 @ 7.30pm

DAY 2 – Wednesday 5 July

Oban to Polochar Inn (South Uist)

BREAKFAST - At hostel or on 7.15am ferry to Castlebay – arrives 2.15pm

LUNCH - On ferry 

2.15pm - Cycle 8.4miles, 883ft to Ardmhor, to catch Barra to Eriskay ferry at 3.45pm 

COFFEE - From the motorhome or on the ferry 

4.25pm - Cycle 5.6miles, 287ft to Polochar Inn

DINNER - Polochar Inn, 01878700215 – still to book, awaiting accom conf from hotel

DAY 3 – Thursday 6 July

Polochar Inn (South Uist) to Tractor Shed (North Uist) via Benbecula – 41 miles, 1019ft

BREAKFAST - Polochar Inn

- Cycle 22.6 miles

LUNCH - Hebridean Jewellery Workshop, near top of South Uist – 01870610288

- Cycle 18.8miles

DINNER - Westford Inn, 01876580653 @ 7.30pm – taxi ride from Tractor Shed

DAY 4 – Friday 7 July

Tractor Shed (North Uist) to Tarbert (Harris) via Berneray – 39.3miles, 2149ft

BREAKFAST - DIY at Tractor Shed – food box will be kept in van for use here

- Cycle 18.1miles, 490ft to Berneray

LUNCH - Lobster Pot Tea Room, Borve, Berneray, 01876540288, 500m from ferry terminal

1.30pm - Ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh arriving 2.30pm

- Cycle 21.2miles, 1659ft to Tarbert

COFFEE - Skoon Art Café, Geocrab (01859530268) on East coast or Hebrides Art and Café, Sellebost (07500117832) on west coast.

DINNER - Harris Hotel, Tarbert (018569502154) @ 6.45pm

DAY 5 – Saturday 8 July

Tarbert (Harris) to Stornoway (Lewis) – 54miles, 2916ft inc Callinish or 34.7miles, 2363ft direct 

BREAKFAST - Served at Hostel

- Cycle 21 miles over a big hill

COFFEE - Old School Tearoom, Balallan, 01851830778

- Cycle 17.5miles to Callanish or 15miles to Stornoway

LUNCH - Callanish Standing Stones or Stornoway, 01851621422

- Cycle 15.5miles to Laxdale Holiday Park, Stornoway

DINNER -  HS-1 Café Bar at the Royal Hotel, 01851702109 @ 7.30pm

DAY 6 – Sunday 9 July – DIY breakfast at hostel with food from van or depart for early ferry

EARLY PLANNING

Belles - Outer Hebrides 2017

Subcommittee -  Linda, Jillian, Carol, Fiona, Janice.

Route -  Starting in Barra continuing north through Eriskay, South Uist, North Uist,

              Harris, Lewis.

Interested  - Linda, Jillian, Janice, Murray, Fiona L., Carol, Tom, Fiona C., Fiona D.,   

                     Isla, Gwen, Neil, Kim, Wee Flo.

The following is an outline of early informal discussion with Belles.

 Day 1 -  Either cycle or transport to Oban on Tuesday, July 4th.  Stay overnight in 

               Oban.

  Day 2 - Catch early ferry Weds 5th July, to Castlebay Barra, 

               arriving about 2.15pm.  ( Time on ferry 5 hrs )

               Cycle 8 miles on Barra to Ardmore to catch ferry to Eriskay. ( 40 mins )

               From Eriskay  cycle 13 miles north to Lochboisdale where we hope to stay

               the night.

               Total mileage 21 miles

 Day 3 -  Cycle north from Lochboisdale to Lochmaddy. Thurs 6th July

               Stay night in Lochmaddy.

               Total mileage - 42 miles

Day 4 -  Cycle north from Lochmaddy to Berneray to catch ferry to Leverburgh,

               Harris. (1 hr )

              Continue north to Tarbert where we will stay the night.  Frid 7th July

               Total mileage -  30miles

Day 5 -  Cycle north to Stornoway where we will stay the night.  Sat 8th july

                   Total mileage - 36 miles 

Day 6 - Options:    Sun 9th July

                  1) Return home - this could take 1 or 2 days depending on whether

                      car or train.

                   2) Head for Skye and continue cycle there.

                   3) Cycle home.

As you can see there are numerous matters to arrange - transport north and home,

 accommodation, ferries booked, meals and coffee stops arranged.

The priority to be arranged by early 2017 is accommodation as there is 

a scarcity of B and B and hostels in the Outer Isles, places will

get booked up very quickly.   If you decide to camp consider that weather 

could prevent this and you could end up sleeping in a support vehicle.

Please let me know by 30th November if you are interested and your 

preferred form of accommodation.

Should be a blast, once we get there !!!

Janice