A perfect start to the day, cloudless sky and warm in the sun. We had just enough food for breakfast but had to wait until ten for the island’s only shop to open, after which we made our packed lunch. We cycled south, making a slight detour to Breachacha, visited by Dr Johnson and Boswell in 1773 but now a ruin. ‘From Grissipol the party passed to Breachacha, where they were entertained in a pleasant new house, built by Lachlan, twelfth laird of Coll, and which was neatly furnished. Doctor Johnson speaks very highly of the government of the island, and is loud in his praise of the kindness of Coll to the eight hundred inhabitants.’
parked the bikes, changed into our hiking boots and set off along a grassy track to the wide sandy expanse of Traigh Feall where we picnicked on the rocks. We’d lost the sun by now but it was still bright. We walked the full length of the beach then struck across the dunes to Traigh Crossapol, but there were so many tracks that we got a bit lost at one point. It’s a vast expanse of empty sand which we traversed before a sandy track at the end took us back to the bikes.
Gales are forecast for Wednesday, with the attendant risk of ferry cancellation so our plan for Tiree may flounder, we’ll need to decide tomorrow morning.