Scottish Honeymoon in the Perentie – Part 2

With the Perentie running well again, we headed for Uig and the ferry terminal, we were running early so we thought we would at least get to Uig and then decide what to do.

Well, we got to Uig and, there is nothing much there (not surprisingly)- and that was closed apart from a small convenience store.

So we decided to drive around the headland around the Quiraing Nature reserve towards a place called Staffin – I was hoping for a lovely challenging narrow road – I was not disappointed! Although to start with they were nice and wide like the one below.

It was a lovely day, the day before had tainted our impression of Skye, but it is indeed beautiful. There was a quick shower and then – a rainbow!

Skye can be nice!

We eventually wound our way around to Staffin and then had to head back to the ferry. There was an even smaller road cutting back to Uig from Staffin, but we decided not to risk it.

The Perentie revs had risen again by the time we got back to the terminal, so I again adjusted the bolt, this time managing to jam the second locking nut a bolt tighter. If it does it again, i will breakout the spanners and do it properly.

A quick cup of coffee and we join the queue for the ferry. Check-in is a high viz man in a van. Despite the fact that you get strict instructions to print all of your tickets/bar codes/boarding passes etc (not double sided) on the web site – they had no scanners and just take the paperwork from you and tick your name off the list!

The ferry to Tarbert is a proper big ferry, and spotlessly clean. A calm crossing and time for a snooze. In retrospect we should have taken time to look around Tarbert before heading to Stornaway, part of us thought we might get back the following day – but it did not happen.

It took longer to get to Stornaway than we thought – lovely undulating road with some tight bends.

We were staying at the “Stornaway Bed and Breakfast” it must have taken them ages to come up with the name. Again, lovely place and great people – made us very welcome and they even left a bottle of Prosseco in the room for us and a card – very thoughtful. This too had a shared area with a kitchen, TV area and comfy seating, It was over the road, but no issue.

There was more going on in Stornaway than the other places we had visited so far – but not a bar that was open on that Monday evening. We were now used to this and we had a carrier bag cocktail cabinet that we would take to the room with us. The fridge in the Perentie kept the beer and the tonic water cool, so it all worked perfectly. We had a quick walk around to get the lie of the land, knowing that we had more time to explore on our last day, as the ferry did not leave until early afternoon.

Fish and Chips was dinner that evening, from the Chippy 5 minutes away run by some Chinese people. It makes you wonder, the Steam Inn in Mallaig was run by Portuguese people.

The next day it was time to explore the Isle of Lewis, so we went North West out of Stornaway towards Barvis to get to the coast.

Benita wanted to get some tweed whilst on the Isle; I was thinking mini skirt, she was thinking jacket or handbag? The internet told me that there was a Mill and Factory shop in Carloway, so after reaching the coast, we headed south following the Sat Nav to the Tweed place.

You may have second guessed us by now, but there was no Tweed place, the Sat Nav took us to a dilapidated barn. Never mind, on to the famed Callinish Stones. Now there are a few sites where these stones can be found but a visitors centre is based on the site of the one in Callinish itself.

Now this place was not big, but busy. I suggest that the reason for this is not the Stones themselves, but the fact that this is the only place with a Cafe and a Toilet for miles and miles!

We did enquire about the Tweed place – closed years ago…………..

No we didn’t pay to visit the stones, they were a sort of Spinal Tap version of Stonehenge.

We then wandered for a bit, finding the Blackhouse Village, old low profile Crofters Cottages with double stone walls. Initially we thought that this was a Museum, but they actually rent them out.

Then on to Dalmore Beach, which we found by accident and which was probably the most beautiful Beach that we have ever seen. There will be more pictures of this when i edit my main pictures later on.

Then it was off to Great Bernera accessed by a bridge over the Atlantic, they are just building a new bridge but the old one is still in service at the moment. If you keep on driving at the North of the Island is Bosta Beach which is up one of the steepest narrowest roads so far in the tour.

They have the smallest petrol station that we have ever seen on the Island, one pump next to a small shed for the cashier – it was closed!

The day was still reasonable young, so we decide to go around to the next headland and to Ardroil Beach, this took ages (it didn’t look to far on the map). we kept seeing the Beach but you could not get to it, so we kept on going………..

Eventually we arrived and parked up next to a small Camp Site. We went for walk on the huge flat beach, the sea could hardly be seen in the distance. Then back to the Perentie for a brew, before the rain came.

Then the long drive back to Stornaway and after raiding the Cocktail Cabinet carrier bag it was time for fish and chips and a big sleep.

The next day was our last on the Isle, so in the morning we went up to the most Northern Point – Port of Ness. Again not much there, but a beautiful Bay that was difficult to access.

This place is really remote, we passed a man gardening in the way back to the car, he bid us good day and assured us that the weather was always beautiful there – really! You do sometimes wonder why people choose to live in these places.

Back in Stornaway, we still had time before the Ferry and Benita decided to renew the search for Tweed, with a couple of places showing on the map.

The first was disappointing, this was a weaver and maker of Tweedy things – it was closed – for how long we were not sure? – Although it did say open on the door.

Two more places to try just down the road, the first sold tat, but the second looked better option as at least it seemed to have clothing in the window, and was open.

Benita really wanted to spend some money and whilst they did have some made up items in the store – none fitted. We tried to order a garment only to be told that they sell the cloth only, you then have to find a maker – too much like hard work.

So off for a coffee, after a search we found a lovely Artisan coffee shop before heading for the Ferry and the trip over to Ullapool.

Again a lovely big and exceptionally clean ferry for the longish trip over to the Mainland. A couple of Dolphin Pods tracked us part of the way – Benita was delighted.

Ullapool is a small traditional fishing town with the Port as the main focus. We stopped off for a drink in the Ferryman Pub and debated the sense in camping next to the Sea Loch in the pouring rain. It was getting late, the Ferryman had no rooms, so we headed for the Campsite before it got too dark.

It was busy campsite, they had no facilities in terms of eating or anywhere to get a drink and they had apparently lost our booking, even though they had e-mailed Benita that morning to remind her of fact that we were staying! Eventually we were given a pitch number and we went and set up, just before the rain started again. The carrier bag cocktail cabinet was again in service.

The view would have been lovely in the Sun Shine

It was the perfect place, the view over Loch Canaird was Fab, only the weather let us down, however, it was Scotland in October and there were no midges.

That day I had realised that I had a little more play in the clutch than I should have. The pedal was moving down couple of inches before I got engagement. As we were now heading for the Highlands this had to be resolved before we went much further North. I kind of guess that it was the adjustment in the push rod at the slave cylinder and a message to my Friend Darren confirmed this.

In the morning I removed the six screws which held the cover plate on and indeed, the adjuster nut had moved due to vibration. You can’t get a standard spanner on it very easily and it is hard to reach so I did my best with Benita working the clutch – a 10 minute fix and we were away.

Having refuelled in Stornaway, we were good to go so we were on the NC 500 at last. We were heading for Scourie our next camp stop. We had time so rather than go directly there, we went west over to the headland and Lochinver where we stopped.

As luck would have it, for once, they had an excellent pie shop which was open. Although it took ages for them to heat it up, I had a haggis, neeps and potato pie which we took to a bench in the local playpark to eat.

The pie shop does mail order and we have the details!

In the afternoon we had planned to go around the headland past Stoer on the way to Scourie. I didn’t realise that we had come off of the main road to get to Lochinver, so when I followed a small road out, I was in fact going South, rather than North. However, it turned out to be a great and in places hair-rasing drive – the road had a 24ft length limit at one point. After a while I did question where we were going but we were enjoying it so much we kept going, ending up in the Brae of Achnaird.

We then had to back track towards Ullapool to get ourselves back onto the main road. Again the weather was turning and after a damp night the day before, Benita was hoping for a warm night in a B&B, and I wanted to avoid getting up in the middle of the night empty water from the awning!

So we were back to trying to find and B&B in the middle of nowhere with very little mobile signal. Eventually we found signal and luckily a B&B not to far away. Again, lucky.

We did drive past the Campsite – I am glad we had the B&B.

The next day we will heading further North.