Long Island Expedition: Ferry Ride, Paddle, and Wilderness Camping
Starting a trip by ferry always makes it feel more exciting. That was my thought as we boarded MV Hebrides from Uig to Lochmaddy with 10 days of riding, paddling, and wild camping ahead of us. With our hometown of Aviemore was heaving with tourists – numbers that feel unsustainable at times – we were keen to escape the bustle and find somewhere to camp without feeling like we were part of a wider problem. ‘Dirty camping’, which has more in common with fly-tipping than wild camping, has been all over the news for the last two summers. It has certainly given us a greater focus on our own camping practices to help us make sure we aren’t adding to the existing pressures in the Highlands. Organisations like Trash Free Trails go one step further, inspiring us to make a positive impact when we head out on our adventures, and it’s a challenge that we’re happy to take on.
The ferry headed out of port, every mile further west producing gloomier skies. We were heading to the only part of the UK not to be basking in that week’s incredible heatwave. The mist was hovering at around 200m as we disembarked to begin riding – straight into a headwind. Over the next few days we would get very acclimatised to mizzle: a combination of mist and drizzle, often so light you don’t realise you are getting wet until it has soaked you. We spent the first few days riding on the white sand beaches of South Uist’s west coast. The strong westerlies whipped up sea foam and huge kelp fronds scattered the beaches. Groups of dunlin dodged the waves and oystercatchers screeched overhead. We passed no-one. Both tourists and locals were tucked up away from the beaches.
South Uist has the largest area of machair in the world. This rare habitat is a kind of coastal wildflower meadow that’s a result of the sandy ground and light, non-intensive farming of livestock. It’s only found on the north-west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, but is important for many bird species such as lapwing, dunlin, and corncrake. We camped just off the farm tracks to avoid disturbing any young birds, and we delighted in the flowers that added brightness to the gloomy weather.
