Hebridean Long Distance Cycling Route

Day 4 - Luskentyre, Borve, Leverburgh, Rodel

A more relaxing day compared to yesterday, it started off with a very leisurely getting up by the beach at Luskentyre. I had breakfast, eyeing warily the clouds which were hanging over the hills but noting a hopeful glint of blue out over the sea. This grew closer as the day warmed up and by a little after breakfast my beach was bathed in sunlight. This warmed me enough to try a morning swim in the exhilarating cold waves that were crashing onto the golden sand.

As I cycled back towards the main road no fewer than 3 cars passed me packed with people ready for the beach. But I'd had enough sand for a while and so headed back a short way up the mountain that I had descended yesterday evening. By now the sky was a clear blue and the wind was just a gentle breeze, welcome for its cooling effect. I stopped by a delightful burn, rushing down over rocks, pausing in deep, clear pools. This provided a paddle, but more importantly refilled my water bottles and also did the washing while I ate lunch.

"A superb landscape of broad sandy bays..."

Refreshed after lunch I coasted back down the hillside and took the southern fork along Luskentyre bay. This led me on round the west coast of Harris, a superb landscape of broad sandy bays, interspersed with black rocky points and all backed by the rugged mountains inland. I made my gentle way along here, pausing in particularly attractive spots to study the geology or write a postcard, and at the restaurant at Na Buirgh (Borve) for a welcome ice cream sundae.

Gradually, as the afternoon wore on, I came round the south western corner of the island and had a long run down to Leverburgh, or An-t-Ob (The Bay.) I was pleased to be in time for the shop there and as well as a paper I was able to buy some extra goodies for dinner. This I had just a little later, after cycling inland from the village to Loch Langabhat, a marvellous clear blue lake between the white rocky hills of the interior. There was no wind at all, and I stopped on a grassy bank of the loch, stripped off and plunged in - gorgeously refreshing. Once I had dried in the warm air, it was out with the gas burner and on with the seafood paella, which tasted all the better for being eaten in such superb surroundings.

After dinner I continued to follow the road through the classic Harris "moonscape" - white rocks interspersed with blue lochans - until I joined the eastern coastal road. Here I again turned south, heading back to Leverburgh. First, however, I stopped just above the little village of Roghadal (Rodel) and walked out to a beautiful grassy headland, overlooking a clear blue bay and with views beyond to Skye. I had, I decided, found my campsite for that night.