I though the sky would clear a bit as dawn came but I was soon listening to the hammering rain on the tent as I packed my stuff away. Earlier I’d popped out to watch a rainbow across the sands as one of the many rain showers blew across. A woman from the collection of tents nearby was just returning from the toilets back along the track. I tried to catch her eye to say good morning but she shuffled by avoiding my look and wearing the most miserable expression I’ve seen in ages. I was packed up and on my way by 8am and as I passed the wooden carving of one of the Chessmen I stopped to take another picture in different light. I was now back on the same roads that I rode in on yesterday afternoon. The wind was still in the same direction as yesterday so now I started with the wind behind me.

wide view of Uig Bay sands

War Memorial

I soon came to the community store and filling station but everything was closed. Then I realised it was Sunday and most things here stop on the Sabbath. I came to the road running through the deep rocky ravine and now had the chance to appreciate it uniqueness as there was no rain to spoil the view. As I reached the sea again the road turns south and I was now battling into a headwind. With no rain it wasn’t as much of a problem as I was expecting. The road has had a lot of money spent on it as long stretched have been rebuilt as a wide dual lane. It seems odd that many stretches are still single track and the road doesn’t go anywhere.
At the southern end of Loch Rog the road changes direction to the NE and for a while I enjoyed the wind behind me until I reached the A858. I turned right in to the wind I was expecting. Iy wasn’t quite a headwind, that would come later, but mostly a side wind. I cycled this road the last time I was on Lewis and it is fairly featureless with only a few houses along it. I still can’t see what the people who live there do.

I reached the A859 and turned right on to the gale force wind I was expecting. All the grass by the road was being flattened by the wind and the blades of grass were facing me. All I could do was set a low gear and forge ahead. At least the sky was rapidly moving cloudscapes and the rain hadn’t started yet. There was a large dark cloud rapidly approaching so I stopped by a roadside shelter to wait for the rain to pass.

I was pleased to see that it passed to the south so I continued. When I reached the north shore of Loch Shiphoirt I knew I didn’t have too far to go. I passed a couple on a tandem but they’d stopped for the side of the road for some reason. I could see the steep road up the pass across the loch. As I’d climbed it the last time I was here I knew it wouldn’t be a particular problem. I took the climb steady and only needed bottom gear half way up. On the summit area the wind increased in severity but It didn’t cause me any problems. At the summit I found the point where I camped the last time and pitched in the same place. The wind was very strong but thankfully the tent pegs went in well and I hope things will be well for the night.

view of Loch Shiphoirt