Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Day 45: South Uist - Leverburgh, Isle of Harris

Cycle: 61.61km//3hr3min//20.18km/hr
Sunday September 22nd

Upon waking up, it was even more clear why we could smell horse urine the night before. We were camped in a patch of grass that was quite boggy and had evidence of multiple animal presence: horse, sheep, possible cow. The Hebrides is definitely remote and at times seemingly desolate. Trying to find places to get drinking water proves to be a challenge as there aren't any fresh water streams, and what is fresh water has already been frequented by sheep grazing. We passed many areas of land cut away for peat harvesting, and dark brown/black bricks of drying peat dot the land.  The sweet earthy smell of burning peat hangs in the air of the little towns and farmsteads we pass through. For every maintained house, there is an abandoned on. Thick stones walls remain, but the thatched roof is long gone.

We made our way to the next ferry terminal to take us through the Sound of Harris to Leverburgh, South Harris. Poor timing means we had to wait over 3 hours damp and cold for the ferry. While waiting, a tour bus arrived and let off about 30 elderly people who quickly "queued up" for the restrooms. Some of them recognized us from the  ferry from Oban. We've achieved Hebridean celebrity status. 

In Leverburgh we called it quits to camping, and found ourselves at the doorstep of a uniquely nautically themed bunkhouse/hostel, complete with a peat burning stove! First order of business was unpack all our wet stuff, then make dinner. Returning to our room 2 hours later, we realize we are the bunk mates from hell, having transformed the room from a neat clean nice smelling place into our personal room-sized hockey bag.
One of many causeways in the outer Hebrides. Uniform Grey ?
Cutting away peat in clean precise rows
Neat piles of peat!
A common site in the outer Hebrides. Only walls remain.

Bunk mates from hell smelling like moldy hockey bag and faintly of whiskey
Nautically themed bunkhouse. 
Jenn feeds the fire peat! The real deal. Wait, shes too busy smelling it.