Safe Return Doubtful

2 miles (3 km) – Total so far: 2 miles (3 km)

I got into Oban with very little time to spare. An accident on the M74 had cost me an hour, and the Loch Lomond road was as slow as ever. Fortunately I spotted a long term car parking sign, and quickly put the bike together. Turn left at the main Oban roundabout in the centre and about 300 metres on the right is a motorcycle / quad bike sales centre. £25 for the week.

I made the 1:40 pm ferry with no time to spare. Lucky on that count, and also that the impending storm did not arrive until the ferry had docked at 6:40 pm. There is a bay just a few hundred metres out of town to the north of Castlebay. It is not perfect by any means for camping, but may be the best close place. Had the storm arrived any earlier the boat would not have docked. It waits (as I heard from some people a few days later who were more unlucky) until the storm finishes, rocking the passengers about in a vomitarium.

The new tent, Wild Country Zephyros 2, was up in no time, and to refuge in the Castlebay Hotel. As yet, there was some wind and rain, nothing like what was to follow during the night. A pleasant surprise was that the tent stayed up; albeit a noisy night of flapping fly sheet, 60 mph winds and hammering rain.

Buy the Island Hopper 23 ticket – £35 for passenger, bike is free. That is good for the trips Oban to Barra, Barra to Uist, Uist to Harris, Harris to Skye, and Skye to Mallaig.

Castlebay
Tent up in light rain, just before the storm