Learning to walk before I run

powerspowers

Have a lovely holiday when it gets here, Ed! I’m off the the Hebrides in a few weeks time, cycling the Hebridean way. Please do share any lovely food recommendations 🙂

edinburgher

£2 cashback on a £10 spend at TCB today. We are on a long boat to Barra, 3.5 hours to go!

In the style of a Scottish summer, visibility is poor, it's dark and we're expecting choppy conditions

edinburgher

2 days later and I'm just about over the seasickness   

The weather has been very mixed here, can just about stand up in the wind! Venturing out for a "Welly boots walk" along one of the many sandy beaches this morning, then coffee and cake at a wee café nearby.

Kids are on good form, a bit more screen reliant than has previously been the case, but also in better moods collectively. 

£10 paid into DD2s ISA (pocket money from grandparents) and my wee dividend S&S pot topped up with £13 so I can buy another "slice" of my 25-share "pie" come Monday. That's it up to £400 now with no hardship on my part

Suffolk_lass

It's those little scrapings that make a huge difference in the long run. Well done and hopefully your weather will improve (although it's a bit grim today, I think (I always look at where my Mum is, a bit further south - Ventusky shows a bit of a front from SW of you)

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - yesterday was a bit grim for parts of it! 

A much brighter day today, with the usual few hours of paradise at Vatersay Then off to the Screen Machine this afternoon (touring cinema in a lorry) and a delicious monkfish and hand dived scallop curry for dinner 🤤 

£5 paid into my S&S ISA, bills out, CC bill paid

edinburgher

Have just about reached the end of my tether with this holiday, I forgot how tough travelling with young children can be Dealing with conflicting demands after a **** sleep and getting up by 6 is exhausting! 

Managed another trip to Vatersay today but the lustre was somewhat lost by a second "go", as is often the case. Got the rage from two selfish twits who had set up their tents 4' away from the edge of the very delicate sand dunes. I guess the big red signs weren't descriptive enough 🙄 Two English chaps - before anyone tries to be charitable.

Topped up my S&S ISA again, wee wobble today, possibly from the political turbulence? That's not me talking politics, just the possible financial impact of politics

EssexHebridean

Have you found the crashed Catalina right next to the road between Barra & Vatersay? A memorial - which younger members of the party may find less interesting - but also lots of still fairly recognisable debris still littered about the place too. There's a little parking space there for it these days - it used to be a case of shove the car where you could and walk back! 

For something to fill a chunk of time while being able to leave the car behind, the ferry across to Eriskay is nice, and sometimes features Dolphins. If you time it right you can have a wander at the Eriskay end - a pretty island, semi wild Eriskay ponies may be seen around the township sometimes - and a little shop with a wider selection of goods than you could even dream of! the hop onto the next ferry back. 

edinburgher

Thanks @EssexHebridean - we have seen the Catalina. Didn't make it to Eriskay this time, DD2 is currently refusing to walk more than we'd like!

Coming home a day early after they tried to move our ferry to 5:30 on Saturday morning 😵‍💫

EssexHebridean

powerspowers said:

Have a lovely holiday when it gets here, Ed! I’m off the the Hebrides in a few weeks time, cycling the Hebridean way. Please do share any lovely food recommendations 🙂

If you're venturing off the main roads then The Dunes Cabin at the Balranald Campsite (RSPB Reserve) on North Uist does amazing homebakes, some of the best soup I've ever had and delicious sandwiches and filed rolls. There is also a farm-shop type thing with self serve vending machines and a coffee machine etc right next door. The Island of Grimsay has a little community Centre with a cafe (The Uist Scandi Bakery - lush cinnamon buns!)  and her food is also stunning. Another great tip if you are cycling round the west side of North Uist and just want a snack then the Oystercatcher bakery at the Claddach Kirkibost Centre is really good for a sweet or savoury bake and coffee. Keep an eye out for Croft & Cuan's timings with their mobile food truck - you can find them on social media. the Berneray Bistro does takeout pizzas and fish & chips on certain nights of the week - the pizzas are amazing!  Also on the west coast of N. Uist is the Wee Cottage Kitchen - more decent homebaking and sandwiches. Further South at the north end of South Uist is the Hebridean Jewellery cafe - used to do decent cakes etc but we've not been there for a while so can't really comment now. 

When you get the ferry to or from Leverburgh the Butty Bus is a bit of an institution! 

EssexHebridean

edinburgher said:

Thanks @EssexHebridean - we have seen the Catalina. Didn't make it to Eriskay this time, DD2 is currently refusing to walk more than we'd like!

Coming home a day early after they tried to move our ferry to 5:30 on Saturday morning 😵‍💫

Oh for goodness sake, the WRETCHED ferry situation! It's happened to us more times than we can begin to mention now - not least the last time we travelled back when they cancelled it altogether then told us they had no options to offer us!  Glad you saw the Catalina though - amazing isn't it - all those years have passed yet it's still there!