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2024 Outer Hebrides – Day 04 Loch Baghasdail and Castle by Frankie Annan

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2024 Outer Hebrides – Fuzzy Water

Day 04 Monday 19th Aug – Loch Baghasdail and Castle by Frankie Annan

Day 4 began earlier for some than others. The ferry ride from Barra over to Eriskay was a short hop over water that maybe in different weather conditions we would have explored in our boats. On arrival Team Mercedes did a bit of early sightseeing and went to visit the beaches where the cargo of malt whisky from SS Politician was washed ashore, inspiring the film Whisky Galore. It was way too early being only 8 am to actually visit the Politician but we managed a short walk alas no whisky to be found.

Having done our sightseeing we set off to drive to the campsite we were planning on basing ourselves at/find the rest of the group/go and look at options for paddling if the weather improved. A WhatsApp message from Gary’s car directed us to a hotel where the early birds had stopped for breakfast. It would have been rude not to join in, though by the time we arrived, breakfast options were somewhat limited. Egg, bacon and beans it was then. For the ladies, the highlight of the hotel was without doubt the silver glittery toilets in the ladies. A more out-of-character set of facilities it would have been hard to imagine.

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There followed a lively discussion about going paddling or not, eventually it was decided to head to the campsite and get sorted in the most sheltered spot we could find for the approaching storm/ tail end of hurricane Ernesto before going for a late afternoon bimble on the water (maybe). One of the definite highlights of the drive across the Islands (Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist) was all the otter crossing warning signs. No otters were spotted crossing – how good would that have been!

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The Moorcroft campsite was a wonderful find. Ian and Catriona the owners were so lovely and welcoming and the facilities were some of the best, if not the best I have ever enjoyed whilst camping. So tents up, and having mostly taken over the campers kitchen, along with our new friend Dag, (a young Frenchman who had set out from his home in southern France to see how far north he could cycle before it was time for him to travel home in the autumn).

Keith started work on persuading us we really should get out on the water whenever there was a weather window. He promised it would be sheltered and it wouldn’t rain. So muttering and moaning we dragged ourselves out and met up on the designated slipway to paddle in Loch Baghasdail. I have to be honest and say I can’t recall too much, I was in my boat, I paddled, I definitely looked for rocks to hop or garden and swell bouncing off corners to play in. I can’t say if I found it. We saw the remains of the castle, and even stopped for afternoon elevenses – this is LCC and it is in the rules that you have elevenses on the water.

I think there was a debate about whether the elevenses spot was a overnight camp option and how midgy it might be (there are some good things about lots of wind – midges what midges). We then headed back to the start point around an island, was there any fuzzy water – I don’t think so but there could have been.

A group of people in kayaks in the waterDescription automatically generated

Back at the slipway boats were sorted and back to the campsite to sit out the weather in the very well provisioned campers kitchen keeping an eye on the weather forecast and hoping for another weather window to appear before heading for the tents.

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