Author Topic: Western Isles, June 2012 (Read 10243 times)

PerkyGirl · « **Reply #25 on:** 31 May, 2012, 09:37:29 pm »

You might know of these already, but two quick Barra recommendations (GlasgowDave and I were there at the beginning of May)

Kismul Cafe - the Indian(/Italian) restaurant in Castlebay. Pop in and book, it gets quite busy and it is not very big, but the food is great.

Barra airport has a cafe - there is no obvious sign, we stopped because we saw lots of bikes outside and sure enough there were lots of cyclists tucking into soup and cake in the one big room which is cafe/arrivals/departures/security.

Have a great great trip,
PerkyGirl

(we are off back down to Moffat this weekend, will be more tandem and less car this time!)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #26 on:** 31 May, 2012, 09:41:55 pm »

Ooh thanks for those. The Kismul sounds good.

RJ · « **Reply #27 on:** 31 May, 2012, 10:00:20 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 31 May, 2012, 08:01:23 pm

It is. Culicoides impunctatus isn't supposed to be active this early.

Mind you, these bloody creatures never read the right books.

Take it from me, the Hebridean midge is on the go from May to September. They're just hungrier and more abundant in July and August

IanDG · « **Reply #28 on:** 31 May, 2012, 10:02:43 pm »

The butty bus in Leverburgh and First Fruit cafe in Tarbert recommended.

Midges are not too bad here at the moment, but there has been a good northerly wind blowing

IanDG · « **Reply #29 on:** 31 May, 2012, 10:27:28 pm »

Loch Croistean cafe on the road to Uig - not much else between Leurbost and Uig anyway (unless you detour to Callanish visitor centre)

Jaded · « **Reply #30 on:** 31 May, 2012, 11:19:43 pm »

When I (finally) do the LeJoG next year with two mates we are NOT going to miss Callanish. That would be plain daft - to be within 15 miles of it and not go. They've never been, and I've only done the stones 6 times, so I mustn't stop yet.

Wow may have already been though.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #31 on:** 01 June, 2012, 12:07:18 am »

Well, we are away. Unfortunately the train is chocker and we are sharing our carriage with a fractious toddler. However, Annie had the bright idea of buying a bottle of wine a.d the Sainsbury' next to Euston had a very respectable Chilean white on special offer.

Kim · « **Reply #32 on:** 01 June, 2012, 12:31:58 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 31 May, 2012, 06:42:00 pm

Edit: if you put the words "milk" and "pannier' into the YACF search box, it finds the relevant post with unerring accuracy.

It's good like that. See also "fucking" and "chevrons".

Wowbagger · « **Reply #33 on:** 01 June, 2012, 01:31:31 am »

*waves to Polar Bear as we pass Rugby.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #34 on:** 01 June, 2012, 04:04:03 am »

First light in Lancaster.

tonyh · « **Reply #35 on:** 01 June, 2012, 04:40:09 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 01 June, 2012, 04:04:03 am

First light in Lancaster.

A memory of Lancaster in June... walking through a moonless night to see if the northern sky ever completely darkened. It didn't.

Even better in Scotland. Wishing you much joy and, very optimistically, a lack of midges!

mcshroom · « **Reply #36 on:** 01 June, 2012, 09:44:55 am »

Have a good trip Wow

(please don't use up the entire allocation of good Scottish weather as I'm up in the Highlands in a fortnight

)

loadsabikes · « **Reply #37 on:** 01 June, 2012, 09:46:29 am »

Mmmmmmmm fresh toddler and chilean white

Polar Bear · « **Reply #38 on:** 02 June, 2012, 12:22:29 pm »

Marinated in or washed down with...

loadsabikes · « **Reply #39 on:** 02 June, 2012, 05:48:02 pm »

It matters not.

RJ · « **Reply #40 on:** 02 June, 2012, 08:43:04 pm »

Quote from: Jaded on 31 May, 2012, 11:19:43 pm

When I (finally) do the LeJoG next year with two mates we are NOT going to miss Callanish. That would be plain daft - to be within 15 miles of it and not go. They've never been, and I've only done the stones 6 times, so I mustn't stop yet.

Wow may have already been though.

LEJoG the hard way?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #41 on:** 02 June, 2012, 08:46:09 pm »

We seem to have accidentally wandered into a ceilidh.

RJ · « **Reply #42 on:** 02 June, 2012, 08:49:43 pm »

Luck be a lady tonight. Or something

IanDG · « **Reply #43 on:** 03 June, 2012, 12:00:37 pm »

Suns shining, but unfortunately for Wow et al the NE wind persists (16mph with 24 mph gusts) and it's about 6C with the wind chill (in Stornoway) - at least the midges are grounded

Polar Bear · « **Reply #44 on:** 03 June, 2012, 02:46:19 pm »

Ah, memories...

Hope all is well with you and yours Windy.

Jaded · « **Reply #45 on:** 03 June, 2012, 07:48:22 pm »

Quote from: RJ on 02 June, 2012, 08:43:04 pm

Quote from: Jaded on 31 May, 2012, 11:19:43 pm
When I (finally) do the LeJoG next year with two mates we are NOT going to miss Callanish. That would be plain daft - to be within 15 miles of it and not go. They've never been, and I've only done the stones 6 times, so I mustn't stop yet.

Wow may have already been though.

LEJoG the hard way?

We aim to miss out central Scotland and do the Western Isles, getting back on the mainland at Ullapool. Should be a blast!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #46 on:** 04 June, 2012, 04:25:02 pm »

We have just spent a very happy 15 or so minutes watching a pair of otters playing by a lochan near the Dark Island hotel on Benbecula. Another lifelong ambition achieved!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #47 on:** 05 June, 2012, 12:24:24 am »

We have had very clear views of the Cuillins all day. I have just consulted the Garmin and have found out that they are 45 miles away.

IanDG · « **Reply #48 on:** 05 June, 2012, 09:24:12 am »

Shhhhhhhhhh............. everyone will want to visit

Hopefully things will be easier now that the northerly wind is changing (but maybe rain and midges?) $:-\$

... and I believe you've been to a ceilidh, been drinking in the Politician and have safely arrived in the Uists (you have been spotted by one of my work colleagues who was dragged to Barra for his stag party)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #49 on:** 05 June, 2012, 09:06:26 pm »

Guilty as charged m'lud.

Steer clear of the Redburn House, who are an unprincipled bunch of rip-off merchantd. More when I've got a real computer to do them justice.