This trip was planned, or thought about, for a while. Three kids (3, 5, 7), two grown ups, and a lot of wheels. How will it work? We have a trailer. We have a follow-me (attaches a child bike to adult). We have a seven year old who definitely isn't ready for much traffic yet. Do we need to hire a tandem? Do we bikebus to a French canal-side path? Do we link up some sustrans in South Wales? I ask the kids at one point where they might like to go and am told "Coll". Something to do with Katie Morag. Hmm. Consult maps. Consult ferry timetables. Consult ukcampsite. Consider likely traffic levels. Re-check ferry times. Rinse, repeat, rinse. Hmm. We maybe haz a plan.
A single-night camping trip straight from home confirms the plan has wheels. Mini3 is in the trailer with a scoot-bike on the back. Mini2 is on the follow-me and lasting well. Mini1 is entirely self-propelling along cycle tracks and minor roads, with no particular backup plan. Ulp.
As we approach the start date we are having doubts. There is awful weather forecast for our early start the first morning, but the ferry times give us little flexibility on that one. We are setting out for Scottish islands with young kids, at least two of which must be exposed to the weather. Bought full sets of synthetic base layers for the kids, but still worried about being drenched and cold on the islands for days. We set up in the campsite just south of Oban on Wednesday night, with the forecast still looking poor. It looked like we might get drenched in the morning, but maybe clear once out to Tiree. Heavy rain on the tent during the night. But I woke up at ten to six and it wasn't raining outside. I guess that's a "Go" then.
We're packed and rolling the quiet little road 2km to the ferry port soon, but not as quick as I had (inaccurately) planned, and Jenny speeds ahead to make the ticket office with mini2 while the rest of us bring up the rear. We arrive to slightly grumpy remarks from the ferry staff, but we're not late enough to put it in doubt. A lot more cyclists boarding than previous times we've used ferries across the channel and the north sea before. And deck hands who are more used to loaded bikes and just get on with it by themselves. Must be good cycling country. Another family is heading to Coll with bikes, and enormous rucksacks.
Into the ferry with four hours to kill and the first thing I see once up the stairs is this:
Nice touch, calmac. Breakfast for the kids is then dry Cheerios and a bike-bottle of milk to wash it down. Weird things, kids. I begin reading out a Famous 5 story. Kids in their own little boat setting out to an island on an adventure. I'm reading out loud and feeling I might be overdoing the keen parenting thing a bit here, but it goes down well and only one nearby adult gets up and moves further away.
Arriving on Tiree, we have a bit over 10km to cover to the campsite and pick up some shopping along the way. Riding away from the ferry is a bit of a pain as there’s a little more traffic than hoped for. It’s all polite and considerate, but makes the single track with passing places rather tedious for all involved. Mini1 is following instructions well, but not yet developed the skill of timing a rolling stop in the passing places at this point. So stop and start. Nice beach for a rock pool potter while the shopping was done though:
Soon arrived at the campsite. Pretty spot, with a little shelter from the wind near the top edge of the site. An enormous bike shed / barn, and a camp kitchen well sheltered from the weather, with toilet and dining area. Good enough to rescue a few wet days if it were needed. Even WiFi.
As part of our plan for staying two days on the one campsite on each island, we next had a day of travelling light. First priority the next morning, the beach. The road down to the coast was so quiet we all got rolling on this bit:
A quick zig-zag on the big road and then down a sandy track to the beach. A huge white sandy beach, like in the postcards. We made sandcastles, and wrote our names in the sand. And “sand”, and “sea”. Being bold and manly, I changed into my swimming shorts and waded out into the sea. Mini2, who had joined me up until that point, made squeaking noises, left the water and ran back up the beach. I stood there for a minute and realised I was being watched by a seal 10m away or so. It popped up and down a few times to watch me before heading wherever seals go when they’re not staring at idiots. I finally ducked my head under the water for a proper swim, decided 30 seconds later it was still a bit chilly and followed my daughter up the beach.
The rest of the day was spent rain-dodging. First a short way along the road to the "Farmhouse Cafe" to eat lunch while watching it rain on the outside of the conservatory. Good kids meals, and a sensible place to see a rain shower from. We also eyed up the biggest hill on the island with a radar station on top. There was the natural human urge to go up it, so we headed over that way to another rocky bay and the base of the track up the Big Hill. Jenny and mini2 decided to go up it, mini1 and I went to play in the rock pools, and mini3 was sleeping his lunch off in the trailer. Three minutes after we parted ways, it starts to rain. We find shelter in the most south-facing rock cliff we can find, mini3 stays put (asleep), and the intrepid hill-climbers reappear to shelter under a boat. A few showers and breaks later, and we are all munching lunch under the boat.
The weather carries on. Votes to head back to the campsite via an off-road short-cut. It’s a bit muddy and gatey, but it’s fun and goes the right way. One minute we're fitting gloves all round against wind and rain, and a few minutes later we’re all boiling again. And so on. Back to the campsite and the weather improves a bit. The kids have urgent games involving a complicated sequence of picnic table, bushes, tents and movements herewith. Successfully losing a pair of gloves, we discover a day later.
Next day, time for a ferry again. A bit more time in hand this time, departing at 1335 for Coll. Plenty of time for a gentle cruise across Tiree in the morning.
Join the ferry queue and an hour of boating later we are on Coll. Up the hill from the ferry port, allowing all the cars to go first this time. A slight panic at the post office as it had no food, before we were directed to the island stores down the road. Behind it we see a playground. Between us and it are a couple of fences, with assorted barbed wire. This seems a bit harsh for a children's playground, but hey an adventure. This way and that and around the shop and aha, we are in through a gate without blood loss.
Setting off the 9km or so for the campsite it quickly becomes apparent that this is a different island to Tiree. No stream of traffic off the ferry here, just empty roads and lochs and little rolling hills. Oh, and at some point mini1 appears to have developed some more legs. My sometimes thoughts of 'come on, keep it up' or 'steady pedalling, not little bursts' are gone and I need to politely request she slows it down on the short steep bits to wait for those with more baggage. I think she is in need of a rack and some panniers soon.
A tiny sign announces the track to the Garden House campsite, and it's sheltered by the nice little walled garden I'd hoped for from aerial photos. Little old lady shows us around, and we spread our tents and assorted crud out and then make down the little path for the beach. A bit of a mixed one this, the signs warning of algae had a point - the entering stream was green and stank. But the assorted semi-restored castles on the opposite bank were pretty, and walking further round the diminishing sand as the tide came in it was pretty clean by the point we defended the last spit of sand:
Next day was a semi-midge day unfortunately. The wind had dropped and the little buggers were upon us for breakfast and dinner. Fortunately the middle of the day was warmer and they soon left us alone. Maybe time for a round trip of Coll? Or at least the only obvious loop on the map. A km of sand track to make the link, a bit of pushing but tolerable. Then a while spent on the beach with streams and waves and water which made me go brrr again. Enough energy was regained for the ride back to the village at the centre of Coll (Arinagour) and its cafe. I thought a baguette might make the light option for lunch but failed to realise it was served with a humongous portion of yummy chips. Ah well. Back down the pretty road to the campsite:
Last day on Coll, and a ride to the ferry. Unfortunately the headwind made this a bit harder. Mini2 had to be hooked up to the followme fairly smartly after the first uphill headwind, but mini1's legs were again on form and we got back to Arinagour without further complaint. Quick visit to the playground again, before three hours on the ferry. I squeezed in the end of the Famous 5 island story we started on the ferry out. We got in to Oban 5ish, and sorted fish and chips without delay. Rode back out of town to the campsite and the relative security of a few spare clean clothes in the car left there.
Tuesday was our optional island, to be dumped in case of bad weather and grumpiness. No need for a vote though, broad sunshine and five happy campers: Kerrera here we come. A teeny tiny ferry across the waters and off along the stony track towards a castle!
The stony track was pretty good, even for mini3 on his little wheels for a bit. As we crossed the island we also become more aware of the enterprising nature of the Kerrera islanders. Each gate was accompanied by a colourful teapot and cheerful sign announcing how long until we would be eating cake in the cafe. And a steady stream of 4x4s transported stately Americans betwixt ferry and cafe. We discover later, apparently a Canadian group on a trip-of-a-lifetime across here. Very friendly, but clearly happy to be motorised every step to the pretty cafe on a Scottish island. I overheard one of them remark as they boarded their minibus after the ferry back to the mainland "at least we're not tired at the end of the day" in a manner which seemed meant for our ears. Doesn't seem the best measure of a day to me!
Anyway, off from the cafe playground and a short walk to a pretty awesome castle on the South coast of Kerrera:
This had a rock tunnel underneath, and a slightly wide but intimidating approach from the top on foot. Keep hold of kids here. On the stony track back to the ferry everyone seemed to have twice as much energy again. Maybe we should have planned more??
A short last ride back to the campsite. The end of the road for the bicycles, just one last night in the tent for us. A great trip, many thanks to the Scottish weather for cooperating in the end. The kids have been bouncing and talking about it since. I think they're reiterating every detail to granny at the moment.
