Hebridean Challenge - Day 3

Wednesday: yet another early start – down to Lochmaddy for mystery stage. First a swim round headland (Heather supported by Nonie) then immediately into free stage – collecting as many checkpoints (in order) as we wanted to go for around Lochmaddy. Three had to be visited simultaneously by kayak and land based (runner or biker), other four on islands for kayak alone to visit. Whole thing to be completed in less than 90 minutes or penalties incurred. Set off hard but very difficult to read poor copy of 1:25000 map on deck with wet map case and early sun shafting down. Followed James as closely as I could until (quite soon!) he vanished behind islands. After that pretty much on my own – Callum overtook too but his land runners missed checkpoints and no other teams tried for them all so James’ and my teams ended up being only two to complete that stage without penalties. Great to come storming in and see Linda and then Pyro exactly where they should be! Fun stage once I got my head round the new scale of things – tanking around little islands looking for bright green spots of marshals. We completed whole lot in about 75 minutes then I came in to tag 4 bikes (points, points points!) to head off to ferry while I chased them in bus. Lovely drive around and impressive seeing our “peloton” of bikers working the hills on the way to Berneray causeway. Got there just ahead of them to unload kayak and wait for Sound crossing while rest of team drove across causeway to new ferry terminal to catch ferry. Again we set off soon after ferry left – I was in second wave this time, overtook Moira and others quite soon but then had no-one to follow and managed to head rather further out towards St Kilda than intended! Heading for gap between Ensay and Killegray (I thought) but realised when I saw James and Callum race past me about 500m to east that I hadn’t got quite right route! Amazing conditions again – swell but calm across Sound. Weird currents and rivers of flow in middle of sea through gap between two islands and across to Leverburgh. Good fun, nothing scary. Hard work and seemed a long slog into Leverburgh to tag bikers to head off along yellow coast road up east side of South Harris.

Jumped in bus with Linda and Pyro to be ferried up to Horgabost beach on north coast of South Harris directly opposite Taransay. L and P off with bus to get themselves in position for tags from H and G after they had done wiggly road bike and run route up east coast. Pyro mt biking (one of the big ones – round via Reinigeadal to Scalpay) and Linda doing a couple of big peaks running north to Tarbert (lower peak on Uabhal Mor and Ceann Reamhar). Beautiful day (again!) – lay in sun eating, sorting out kit (paddle in running gear this time to do sprint up Beinn Ra on arrival on Taransay), drying clothes, chatting to other kayakers until safety boats appeared. Then a mass start sprint to Taransay – just over 3km, one of shortest race legs, good to be able to see where we were heading all way across and still be able to see James and Callum all the way too! Arrived on beach in fourth place, set off up hill, lovely running to start then hard slog on heather and peat and rocks, lovely run back down for clock to stop on beach. Overtaken by Andy and Tim on run and overtook one person so ended up fifth – pretty chuffed! For once remembered camera and even took a quick “time-out” at the trig point to take panoramic shots of views of top of Taransay – St Kilda etc. out to sea; fabulous views of North Harris hills and beaches to east. Hot sun, blue skies – who needs forecasts! Passed by James (being rapidly overtaken by Callum!!), Andy and Tim on their way back down to beach (I was still on the way up!) – headed back down to join them and went into sea for a glorious swim. Then an interminable “cruise” back to Tarbert. Really tough – took about 2 hours and I was struggling to stay awake! Beautiful, lovely views of cliffs and beaches and seabirds but very hard neither racing nor dawdling. Bum screaming, just wanted to stop! Big relief to get to end of Loch A Siar (West Loch Tarbert??) and finally find grassy patch near school to leave boats. Couple of team buses then delivered us all back to Scalpay for famous fish pie and other goodies.

Meanwhile, having completed road bike/ run (H and G), hill runs (L), H and G had done road bike along swoopy hilly coast road to Scalpay and together with L then done bike/ run round Scalpay itself (including their encounter with Fred Macaulay’s Dad’s cousin and his gift of shortbread). All met up at Hall – for usual: food, more food, planning, briefing, massages and bed!

Go to Day 4.